The Hieromartyr Philip, Bishop of Heraklion, with the Priest Severus and the Deacon Hermes.

Commemorated August 20 in the Orthodox Christian Menaion

From the Prologue

It is almost certain that they were Slavs. They served God in Thrace, and were there first put to torture for Christ. When the pagans were running to set fire to a Christian church, Philip courageously said to their leaders: 'Do you think that God is shut within walls? He lives in men's hearts.' The church was gutted, all the books burned and the clergy taken to Jedrene, where, after imprisonment and torture, they were thrown half-burned into the river Maritsa. Thirty-eight other Christians died a martyr's death with them. It is thought that they suffered in the time of Diocletian.

From The Prologue From Ochrid by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
©1985 Lazarica Press, Birmingham UK