Commemorated on September 19
In the third century, during the reign of Emperor Probus, when Atticus was governing Antioch, two Christians, Trophimus and Sabbatius, both eminent and honorable citizens, came to that city. They arrived just as a pagan festival and sacrificial offering to the idol of Apollo were taking place at nearby Daphne.
Atticus made every effort to ensure that all citizens took part in this festivity. When someone noticed that Trophimus and Sabbatius were not participating in the festivity, he told Atticus. Atticus brought them to trial, and when they refused to renounce Christ he subjected them to tortures, one after the other.
After he beat and tortured Trophimus, Atticus sent him to Phrygia to Dionysius, an even crueler torturer of Christians. Then Atticus took Sabbatius from prison and began to try him. When the torturer asked Sabbatius who he was and what his rank was, he replied: “My rank and dignity and homeland and glory and wealth is Christ, the Son of God, Who lives forever, and by Whose providence the universe exists and is governed. “
For that, he was beaten , torn and scraped with an iron implement until the bones showed through beneath his flesh. Under these tortures he reposed.
In Phrygia, the torturer Dionysius subjected Trophimus to great tortures then kept him in prison for even harsher torment. A certain senator Dorymedon, a secret Christian, came to prison and ministered to Trophimus. When the torturer learned of this, he began to torture both of them in the same way, and finally threw them to the wild beasts, but the wild beasts would not touch them.
Holy Dorymedon even shouted at the she-bear, pulling her ears so that she would tear him apart, but in spite of all that, the bear became gentler. In the end the torturer ordered that Saints Trophimus and Dorymedon be beheaded with the sword. The souls of these holy martyrs now reign in heaven.
Troparion & Kontakion
Troparion — Tone 8
God praised in Trinity has glorified a trinity of martyrs: / Trophimus, Sabbatius, and Dorymedon. / By their faith, they overthrew the adversary. / Through their prayers, O Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Kontakion — Tone 8
As the foundation of athletes and the confirmation of piety / the Church honors and glorifies your brilliant suffering, / wise and glorious Trophimus, ever-praised and blessed athlete. / Together with your fellow sufferers, ask cleansing for those who hymn you, / for you are invincible.