According to hagiographic data, Paphnutius carried out the episcopal ministry and accepted a martyr’s death at the hands of the pagans. The executioners tortured him with fire, threw him to the wild beasts, and then beheaded him. Researchers put forward a version that the saint could occupy the Egyptian cathedra. It is assumed that he shared the fate of many Christians exiled from Egypt to hard labor in the mines of Palestine during the great persecution of the emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 284 to 305.
After his death, the remains of the ascetic exuded myrrh and became famous for numerous healings. The final song of the canon, composed in honor of the saint, reflects the anxieties of believers of the period of theological disputes. It asks for the intercession of Paphnutius to protect the Church from confusion and false teachings.
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