Hieromartyr
Hieromartyr Parod, Presbyter, one of the Martyrs of Adrianople
† 813/814
Also known as: Парод Болгарский (традиционное, но вводящее в заблуждение надписание)
Hieromartyr Parod — a presbyter, one of the group of Martyrs of Adrianople (about 377 captives led by Metropolitan Manuel), executed by Khan Omurtag in Bulgaria c. 813–814 for refusing to renounce the Christian faith; the traditional epithet "the Bulgarian" is misleading — the saint was a Byzantine Greek, a victim of Bulgarian captivity rather than a native of Bulgaria.
IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION: the previously empty feast date has been filled in (January 22/February 4) and the caption fragment replaced with a full biography. The traditional epithet "Parod the Bulgarian" is misleading — the saint was not ethnically Bulgarian but a Greek-speaking Byzantine cleric who became a victim of Bulgarian captivity; he is more accurately described as "Hieromartyr Parod, Presbyter, one of the Martyrs of Adrianople."
Hieromartyr Parod belonged to a group of martyrs of Adrianople who suffered in the early 9th century. During the Byzantine-Bulgarian War (809–816), Khan Krum of Bulgaria captured Adrianople in 813; survivors, together with Metropolitan Manuel, were deported beyond the Danube. After Krum's death (April 814), his successor Khan Omurtag tried to force the captives to renounce Christianity.
Those who refused were killed: Metropolitan Manuel was sawn in two; Bishops George of Develtus and Peter were beaten and beheaded; Bishop Leo of Nicaea was disemboweled; commanders Leo and John, with Gabriel and Sion, were put to the sword; and the devout presbyter Parod was stoned to death. Roughly 377 martyrs are counted among the captives.
No independent vita of Parod exists — information about him survives only within the collective account of the group of martyrs. His feast is kept January 22 O.S. (February 4 N.S.).