Prologue: hagiographies of the saints
 
 
 
 
 
 

Holy Great Martyr Eustathius Placidas     10/3/2013

He was a Roman commander in the time of Trajan and Titus. Even though he was a pagan, Placidas (his pagan name) was a virtuous and kind man, similar to Cornilius the Centurion who was baptized by the Apostle Peter (Acts 10). When Placidas was hunting in the forest one day, and had a great stag at bay, by God's Providence he beheld between his antlers a Cross brighter than the sun. And he heard the Lord's voice directing him to a Christian priest to receive baptism. Placidas was baptized together with his wife and their two sons. At Baptism they all received Christian names: He became Eustathius, his wife Theoptista, which means devoted to God, and their sons ' Agapius and Theopistus. After his baptism, he went back to the place where through the stag he received the revelation and fell down to his knees in thanksgiving to God for directing him to know the Truth. At that moment he again heard the Lord's voice that told him of the tribulations that are to befall him for His name and gave him consolation. Then Eustathius together with his family left Rome in secret with the intention to live among the common people so that he could serve God in peace. As soon as he arrived in Egypt temptations came over him. A villainous barbarian seized his wife, and his two sons were caught by beasts and taken away. Yet, soon the barbarian was killed and some shepherds rescued his children. Eustathius settled in an Egyptian village called Badissos and lived there as a common field worker for fifteen years. Then the Roman Empire was attacked by the barbarians and the Emperor Trajan missed the courageous commander Placidas who always won victories in battle. And the Emperor sent two of his soldiers to look for him all over the Empire. According to the Divine Providence these soldiers, once friends of Eustathius, arrived in the village of Badissos, found Eustathius and took him to the Emperor. Eustathius led his legions in battle and managed to drive the barbarians away. On his way back to Rome, he found his wife and his two sons. Upon his arrival in Rome, he found out that the Emperor Trajan had died and that Hadrian succeeded him on the throne. When the Emperor Hadrian called Eustathius together with him to offer sacrifices to the idols, Eustathius confessed his faith in Christ. The Emperor put him to tortures together with his wife and sons. As the beasts did not do them the slightest harm, they were thrown into a red-hot bronze cauldron shaped like a bull. On the third day they took out their dead bodies, which were not changed at all. Thus, this glorious commander gave the Emperor's to the Emperor and God's to God and inhabited the eternal kingdom of God.