Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Akakios the Younger

St. Akakios the Younger (Feast Day - July 28)

Verses

Akakios was beheaded at the neck by the sword,
His soul was revealed as white, when milk gushed forth.

During the reign of Emperor Licinius (308-324), he was a young man in age, and because he confessed that he was a Christian, he was suspended and lacerated. He was then handed over to Governor Terentios, who had the Saint put in a fiery cauldron, full of pitch, oil and lard. The Saint was protected by divine grace, and remained unharmed. The athlete of Christ was then forced to run behind the governor, who was going from Apamea to Apollonia. On his way, he was brought into the temple of the idols, and through his prayers, the idols there were broken. He then stood before the tribune Zelikinthios, who upon seeing the Martyr remaining steadfast in the faith of Christ, had him harshly beaten. Then a lion was released on him, and because he was kept unharmed from this, he was beaten again. Then he was put in a cauldron full of pitch and asphalt, which is a liquid similar to sulfur. Because the Saint remained unburnt, Zelikinthios thought it was because the cauldron was cold, so he went close to it, and was immediately consumed, and turned to something like dust.

After this, the Saint was examined by Posidonios. When he saw that the Martyr remained in the faith of Christ, he had him tied up with a heavy chain and sent him to Miletus in Ionia. Entering the temple of the idols there, he commanded that they fall to the ground. Immediately they fell, and they broke. Being then brought to another temple of idols, he did the same thing there. For this his holy head was cut off, and instead of blood coming out of his neck - O the miracle! - milk came out, and in this way the blessed one received the crown of martyrdom. His holy relic was taken by Presbyter Leontios, and he anointed it with myrrh, and in this way it was kept as a treasure in Synnada,* together with the synaxarion of his martyrdom, in a shaded area, which was the property of a political ruler, whose name was Dorymedontos, who was later martyred with Saint Trophimos.**

Notes:

* Synnada was located in Phrygia of Asia Minor. Its site is now occupied by the modern Turkish town of Şuhut.

** Saints Trophimos and Dorymedontos are commemorated on September 19th. Dorymedontos is often shortened to Dorymedon. They were both beheaded.