Martyr4th century

Martyrs Paul Chionia, and Alevtina

died 308

Also known as Paul · Chionia · Thea · Alevtina · Valentina · Paul of Caesarea in Palestine · Chionia (Thea) of Caesarea · Alevtina (Valentina) of Caesarea · Martyrs Paul and the two sisters Chionia and Alevtina

Egyptian Christians — a man and two sisters — who were taken to Caesarea in Palestine and there confessed Christ and were martyred under Maximian.

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Life

Paul, Chionia, and Alevtina were early-fourth-century Christians from Egypt who, during the persecution under the emperor Maximian (305-313), were taken to Caesarea in Palestine, where they confessed Christ and were put to death. They are commemorated together as a single group on July 16.

According to the sources, Chionia and Alevtina were sisters; the relationship of Paul to the two women is not explicitly stated in all accounts. Chionia is also recorded under the name Thea, and Alevtina under the name Valentina.

By the sources, the three confessed themselves followers of Christ without fear. In the year 308 the sisters Alevtina and Chionia were burned to death, while Paul was beheaded.

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305-313Persecution under MaximianDuring the persecution against Christians under the emperor Maximian, Paul, Chionia, and Alevtina, Christians from Egypt, are taken to Caesarea in Palestine.
308Martyrdom at CaesareaHaving confessed Christ without fear, the sisters Alevtina and Chionia are burned to death, and Paul is beheaded.

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Historical Context

The martyrdom belongs to the Tetrarchic persecution of Christians in the eastern Roman Empire in the early fourth century. The sources place it under the emperor Maximian and date the executions to the year 308.

The transfer of these Egyptian Christians to Palestinian Caesarea reflects a documented pattern of the period, in which Egyptian Christians were moved into Palestine for punishment; sources note that confessors from the Thebaid region of Egypt were sent to mines in Palestine. Both burning alive and beheading are recorded as execution methods used in the eastern empire during the early-fourth-century persecutions.

Martyrdom

The sources relate that the three confessed Christ without the slightest fear after being brought to Caesarea. Their executions took different forms: the sisters Alevtina and Chionia were burned to death, while Paul was beheaded.

The Orthodox Church commemorates them annually on July 16, with assigned Troparion and Kontakion texts.

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Family

Paul, Chionia, and Alevtina are commemorated together as one group of martyrs, remembered by the Church on the same day.

Sister: martyred with her sister Alevtina, burned to death at Caesarea.

Chionia (Thea)

Sister: martyred with her sister Chionia, burned to death at Caesarea.

Alevtina (Valentina)

Fellow martyr: confessed Christ with the two sisters and was beheaded; the sources do not state his kinship to them.

Paul

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints

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PaulMartyr — beheadedOne of the Egyptian Christians arrested in the persecution under Maximian. He confessed Christ openly before the governor at Caesarea and, refusing to sacrifice to the pagan gods, was condemned to death by the sword and beheaded in 308. The sources do not state his kinship to the two sisters.Commemorated within this group

Chionia (Thea)Martyr — burned aliveOne of two Christian sisters from Egypt, recorded in Greek sources under the name Thea. She stood fearless before the governor and refused every demand to renounce Christ, and was burned alive together with her sister Alevtina at Caesarea in 308.Commemorated within this group

Alevtina (Valentina)Martyr — burned aliveSister and fellow martyr of Chionia, called Valentina in some calendars and synaxaria. Refusing to offer sacrifice to idols despite severe threats, she was condemned to the fire and burned alive at Caesarea in 308.Commemorated within this group