early 4th century
Saint Theophilus the Deacon
A deacon of Nicomedia who, according to the Synaxarion, was stoned to death for his faith; he is commemorated with Indes, Gorgonius, Peter, Zeno, Dorotheus, Mardonius, Glycerius and Mygdonius, martyrs of the same persecution.
Biography
Theophilus was a deacon in Nicomedia and belonged to a group of senators who were arrested after a church in which thousands of Christians burned alive was set on fire by order of Emperor Maximian.
His companions were put to death in different ways - some drowned at sea, some beheaded, some burned - while Theophilus himself was stoned to death. The Church honors his memory together with the other martyrs of the same persecution.