Martyr
Martyr Paramon of Bithynia
† 250
Also known as: Парамон и 370 мучеников, с ним пострадавших
Martyr Paramon of Bithynia — martyred together with 370 other Christians under Emperor Decius (250), when, witnessing the cruel torture of a group of arrested Christians, he openly confessed his faith before the persecutors and was beheaded together with them.
NARRATIVE DETAIL CORRECTION: the card previously stated that Martyr Paramon specifically witnessed the torture of Martyr Philumenus — research (pravenc.ru) shows this detail most likely represents a later conflation with a different, unrelated martyrdom account — that of James the Persian. The biography text has been reworked to describe Paramon's reaction to the execution of the group of 370 fellow martyrs as a whole, without relying on this unconfirmed detail.
Martyr Paramon suffered in Bithynia (Asia Minor) during the reign of Emperor Decius (r. 249–251), who launched one of the first empire-wide persecutions of Christians. When the provincial governor subjected a group of 370 arrested Christians to cruel torture, Paramon, witnessing their suffering, openly confessed himself a Christian before the judge and torturers. For this confession he was beheaded together with all 370 martyrs.
He is venerated among the martyrs; his commemoration is kept jointly with that of the 370 martyrs who suffered with him.
His feast is kept on November 29/December 12.