Sts Philemon, Apphia and Archippos, Apostles of the Seventy, and
Holy Righteous Martyr Philothei of Athens.

Commemorated February 19

St Philemon, who was from Colossae, a city of Phrygia, was a man both wealthy and noble; Apphia was his wife. Archippos became Bishop of the Church in Colossae. All three were disciples of the Apostle Paul. Onesimos, who was formerly an unbeliever and slave of Philemon, stole certain of his vessels and fled to Rome. However, on finding him there, the Apostle Paul guided him onto the path of virtue and the knowledge of the truth, and sent him back to his master Philemon, to whom he wrote an Epistle (this is one of the fourteen Epistles of St Paul). In this Epistle, Paul commended Onesimos to his master and reconciled the two. Onesimos was later made a Bishop; in Greece he is honoured as the Patron Saint of the imprisoned. All these Saints received their end by martyrdom, when they were stoned to death by the idolaters. St Onesimos is also commemorated on February 15.

St Philothei was born in Athens in 1522 AD to an illustrious family. Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel. When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly. After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things. This came to pass in the year 1589 AD. She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheos and Dionysios the Areopagite is considered a Patron of the city of Athens.