Saints Sergius and Bacchus

Sergius and Bacchus were officers of the Roman army noted for their courage in battle, who held high military rank. When it was discovered that they were secretly Christians and refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, they openly confessed their faith; they were stripped of their rank, dressed in women's clothing and paraded through the city in disgrace.

They were sent to the commander Antiochus in the East, who tortured them in an attempt to make them renounce Christ. Bacchus died from the torture, and Sergius was beheaded shortly after, having refused an offer to spare his life. In Constantinople, Emperor Justinian built a church in their honour known as the "Little Hagia Sophia".