The suffering of the holy martyrs Straton, Philip, Eutychian and Cyprian

These holy martyrs, being men of nobility, passed by Nicomedia [the capital of the eastern part of the ancient Roman Empire, the seat of Emperor Diocletian, a prominent city in the Roman province of Bithynia, located in the northwestern part of Asia Minor.] and, visiting the popular theaters, they taught and persuaded the people who had gathered there to abandon the worship of idols and to turn to faith in Christ.

And when the governor saw that the theater was empty, and that there was hardly any audience, and that the people had left the theater, having been taught by the holy martyrs, and had gone about their way, and had not observed the customs of their fathers, he commanded that the saints should be brought unto him.

They were handed over to the wild beasts to be killed, but they were not harmed. They were severely tortured and then thrown into the fire.

The one who ran the race and finished before the others was considered the winner and received a crown as a prize.] of suffering for Christ and, having won, received the crowns.