Unmercenary3rd century

Unmercenary Thallelaios and Martyrs Alexander and Asterios

3rd century (martyred c. 284)

Also known as Thallelaios · Alexander · Asterios

A young Christian physician who healed the sick without payment and, confessing Christ at Aegae in Cilicia, was martyred together with Alexander and Asterios.

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Commemorated as

The Holy Martyr Thallelaios the Unmercenary Physician of Aegae, and the Martyrs Alexander and Asterios with him

Come to them for

Healing

Life

Thallelaios was a young Christian physician of the third century who, according to his vita, treated the sick without accepting payment, for which the Church numbers him among the Unmercenaries. He suffered martyrdom at Aegae (Aegea) in Cilicia together with Alexander and Asterios, with whom he is commemorated on May 20.

The accounts relate that he was arrested during the persecution under the emperor Numerian and brought before the local governor, before whom he confessed Christ. His two executioners, Alexander and Asterios, were themselves converted in the course of his torments and were beheaded as Christians, before Thallelaios was finally put to the sword.

Timeline2 momentsReadHide

c. 283-284Persecution under NumerianThe accounts set the martyrdom during the reign of the emperor Numerian, when the governor Theodore sought out Christians in Cilicia.
c. 284Martyrdom at AegaeThallelaios is brought before the governor at Aegae in Cilicia, confesses Christ, and is martyred; his executioners Alexander and Asterios are converted and beheaded.

Contributions & Legacy

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Origins and Calling

By the synaxarion accounts, Thallelaios came from Lebanon in Phoenicia, a region within the wider province of Syria. His father, named Beroukias (Berucius), is described as a military commander, and his mother as Romylia (Romila); he is also said to have had a brother who served as a subdeacon. The sources place him in his eighteenth year at the time of his death.

He is recorded to have studied medicine under a physician named Makarios. Because he gave his medical care to the sick without seeking payment, the tradition counts him among the Unmercenary physicians, the rank under which he is venerated.

Arrest and Confession

The vita sets his martyrdom in the reign of the emperor Numerian (283-284). According to the accounts, Thallelaios had already escaped an earlier persecution in Lebanon under a prefect named Tiberius before being seized again.

The governor Theodore of Aegae in Cilicia is said to have sent soldiers to search out Christians, and Thallelaios was brought before him. When questioned, he openly confessed his faith in Christ before his judge.

Martyrdom

The synaxarion relates that Theodore ordered the two executioners, Alexander and Asterios, to bore through the martyr's knees, thread a rope through the bone, and suspend him; by tradition, the executioners struck wood rather than the martyr's body. Alexander and Asterios then confessed themselves to be Christians, and the governor had both of them beheaded.

Further torments are recounted in the tradition, including an attempt to drown Thallelaios and his being cast to wild beasts that did not harm him. The accounts conclude that he was finally beheaded by the sword. The sources most commonly place his death in the autumn of the year 284, though the dating is not uniform across the tradition.

Relics and Veneration

According to the accounts, the relics of Thallelaios were placed in the church of Saint Agathonikos in Constantinople, where they were held to have worked many miracles. Portions of his relics are reported to be kept in monasteries on Mount Athos, including Dionysiou and Konstamonitou.

His memory is principally kept on May 20, the date on which he and his companions Alexander and Asterios are commemorated together.

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Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenaries

Commemorated together · Oct 17

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Family

His father, described in the accounts as a military commander.

Beroukias (Berucius)

not commemorated

His mother.

Romylia (Romila)

not commemorated