Martyr Martyr Prilidian of Antioch

Prilidian was one of three youths spiritually raised by Hieromartyr Babylas, Bishop of Antioch, who were martyred together with him during the persecution of Emperor Decius (249–251). When Decius came to Antioch to hold a grand pagan festival, Bishop Babylas was celebrating the Divine Liturgy; when the emperor tried to enter the church during the service, the bishop barred the doors, refusing to let him defile the sanctuary with his presence.

Enraged, Decius ordered the church burned the next day and had Babylas paraded in chains through the city in disgrace. Along with the bishop, three youths he had catechized through his preaching — Urban, Prilidian, and Apollonius — and their mother, Christodula, were brought before the court. The youths were beaten according to their ages (12, 10, and 7 blows), yet all remained steadfast in the faith, as did their mother, even when Decius tried to deceive them with a false claim that the others had already renounced Christ.

Seeing their unbroken faith, Decius ordered all five hung on a tree and burned with fire, then finally beheaded by the sword, around 251 AD. The Church commemorates Hieromartyr Babylas and Martyrs Urban, Prilidian, Apollonius, and Christodula on September 4/17.