Saint Procopius the Great Martyr

Procopius came from Jerusalem and lived in Scythopolis, where he served as a reader, interpreter and exorcist. During Diocletian's persecution he was arrested, taken to Caesarea, refused to sacrifice to the gods, and was beheaded around 303 — the first martyr of the persecution in Palestine, as recorded by the historian Eusebius of Caesarea.

Later accounts present him, according to tradition, as an official named Neanias who, on his way to persecute Christians in Alexandria, saw a vision of the cross and heard the voice of Christ, came to believe, was tortured, and shattered idols through prayer before being beheaded.

Modern scholars regard these details as later literary additions to the simpler original account written by Eusebius.