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Saint Arian of the Thebaid

Martyr
Thebaid in Egypt
Feast day: December 14

Group icon: Thyrsus, Apollonius and Arian. The painting combines distinct martyrdom accounts.
Group icon: Thyrsus, Apollonius and Arian. The painting combines distinct martyrdom accounts. Image source: Romanian Patriarchate calendar

A life of faith

Arian was the governor who ordered the punishment of Apollonius and Philemon. The traditional account remembers his eye being healed after a visit to Philemon’s tomb. He then received baptism with others. When the emperor learned of this, Arian was arrested and killed at sea.

The Eastern Orthodox Church remembers saints in prayer and commemoration. Their lives offer examples for Christians learning to live their faith.

A reflection

Arian’s story invites reflection on repentance after causing harm. Consider what acknowledging a wrong and beginning to repair it would require of you.

Read the Orthodox source

Feast dates follow the linked source. Local calendars and commemorations may vary. Themes describe a saint’s life; quiz suggestions do not assign a baptismal patron. Discuss choosing a patron saint with your priest.

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