Martyr
Martyr Theonas the Former Magician
† ок. 303
Also known as: Мч. Феона (волхв), Феона (Синесий) Никомидийский, Синесий, Синезий
A magician summoned by Emperor Diocletian to poison Bishop Theopemptus of Nicomedia, who came to believe in Christ when the poison failed; baptised Synesius, he was buried alive in a pit around 303.
Martyr Theonas suffered at Nicomedia under Emperor Diocletian around 303 together with the Hieromartyr Theopemptus, Bishop of Nicomedia. After the bishop survived a furnace and twenty-two days of starvation, Diocletian, attributing this to sorcery, summoned a famous magician, Theonas, to break the Christian's "spells".
Theonas promised that if his sorcery did not harm the bishop he would believe in his God. He gave Theopemptus poisoned cakes and then a cup of water with a poisonous herb; the bishop was unharmed. Theonas then fell at his feet, confessed that there is no other God but Jesus, and declared himself a Christian before the emperor.
Both were thrown into prison, where Theopemptus instructed Theonas and baptised him with the name Synesius ("full of understanding"). The next day the bishop was beheaded. Theonas, who would not sacrifice to the idols, was thrown into a deep pit and covered with earth, and horses were driven over the spot. The Church commemorates both martyrs on 5/18 January, the eve of Theophany.