Ordained and martyr (martyr) of the Christian Church. The memory of Saint Eleftherios is celebrated on December 15 by the Orthodox Church and on April 18 by the Catholic Church.
Who was Eleftherios
Eleftherios was born in Rome in the 2nd century, to a rich father, whom he lost at a very early age. He was raised by his mother Anthia, who had been converted to Christianity by disciples of the Apostle Paul. From a young age, Eleftherios stood out for his faith and his theological proficiency. At the age of 15 he was ordained a deacon, at 17 he became an elder and at 20 Pope Anikitos assigned him the episcopal throne of the region of Illyricum (today's Albania), based in Avlona (today's Vlore).
According to SanSimera, Eleftherius was martyred when our familiar Hadrian was emperor of Rome, who subjected him to a series of horrific tortures to renounce his faith. First, he sent his general Philip to Avlonas to arrest him, but Eleftherios converted him to Christianity.
After a few days, Eleftherius arrived in Rome and presented himself to the emperor, who, after failing to persuade him to renounce his faith, subjected him to a series of horrific tortures, according to the synaxarists. First he ordered him to be placed on a red-hot copper bed to be roasted. God, however, sent him coolness and relieved his pains. He then placed it on a red-hot grill, under which coals were burning. God intervened instantly, extinguishing the fire and cooling the grill.
Enraged, Hadrian ordered that he be put into a large cauldron, containing tallow, wax and tar, and boiled. And in this case, Divine Providence intervened, cooling the cauldron and releasing Eleftherios from the torture. Then the prefect of Rome Coremon offered to relieve Hadrian of the impasse. He made a brazen furnace with pointed skewers in its interior, heated it up, and was ready to throw Eleftherius into it. Then the miracle happened. Koremon became a Christian and instead of Eleftherios, he was found in the furnace by order of the emperor. But, by divine intervention, he was not harmed in the least, but immediately afterwards he was beheaded. Then it was Eleftherios' turn to suffer the torture of the nail furnace. But even here God was present. The fire went out and the spiked nails were bent so they wouldn't hurt his body.
Hadrian, disgusted, ordered the saint to be imprisoned so that he would starve to death. There in his sunless cell God sent him food with a dove. Since the saint did not die even in prison, the emperor ordered that he be tied behind two wild horses, so that his flesh would be crushed and he would die a merciful death. An angel of the Lord tamed the horses, freed the saint from the bonds and led him to a mountain, where he remained praying, in the midst of wild beasts, which he managed to tame.
Some hunters, who saw the saint on the mountain, reported it to the emperor, who sent a military detachment to arrest him. The wild beasts rushed at the soldiers, but the saint ordered them to calm down and return to their lairs. He followed the soldiers teaching them to deny their error. Some of them believed in Christ.
When he arrived in Rome, the emperor led him to the arena to be devoured by wild beasts, as he believed. A lioness and a lion that approached him, instead of attacking him, began to kiss his feet. Seeing the behavior of the lions and hearing the cry of the crowd "great is the God of the Christians", the emperor ordered the beheading of Eleftherios. His martyrdom scene was watched by his mother Anthia, who ran to hug her son's lifeless body for the last time. She didn't make it, since the executioners decapitated her too.
On the day of the feast of Agios Eleftherios, the church also honors the memory of Anthia's mother, Agios Koremonos (the prefect of Rome), but also of the two executioners who beheaded him and were beheaded because they believed in Christ. The relics of Saint Eleftherios are in the church of the same name in Rieti, Italy.
In Greece, Saint Eleftherios is considered the patron saint of pregnant women. Many weary women invoke his help and touch the icon of the saint on them to give them "good freedom".
Apolytikion of Agios Eleftherios
The feet of priests are adorned, and the kennels are entrusted with blood, to your Despot Christ, may you be eternal, free sage, satan's seat. For ambassadors, on behalf of the faithful, do not cease your blessed sport.