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Life:
Saint Eleftherios was born in Greece between 140 and 145 AD.His father,an
idolater,was a Roman and he died when Eleftherios was still young.His
mother Anthia, was a Christian.She did her very best to bring up Eleftherios
to love the Lord.His childhood was spent in Greece.At the age of 12 he
went to Rome with his mother.There he was introduced to the martyr bishop
Anikito.Eleftherios studied near the bishop and grew to love God.At the
age of 15 the bishop made him a deacon. Three years later he baecame a
priest.About 2 years later he, in effect, was ordained Bishop of Rome.
From the years of 161-180 AD the Christians were persecuted by the Roman
emperor Marcus Aurelios, and many were tortured.Eleftherios never wavered
in his faith.He was tortured himself with a heated copper bed,heated oven
and scalding hot oils,but he never renounced his faith.
His
torturer Cremmona saw this and converted to Christianity himself.For this
he was executed.Many followed Cremmona to the faith.Eleftherios was eventually
beheaded to stem the tide of converts.
As his head
fell to the ground his mother Anthia ran to craddle the corpse of her
son. She was executed there and then too. Thus mother and son died together.
We celebrate their day on December 15th each year.
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