The Holy Martyrs Agapia, Irene and Chionia

Three sisters from Aquileia executed during Diocletian persecution

In 304, three young Christians were sentenced to death in the Roman Empire – Agapia, Chionia and Irene. The sisters, who lived near Aquileia, Italy, were interrogated by several officials, but did not renounce their faith and died on the eve of Easter.

Having lost their parents early, the girls were brought up under the guidance of the priest Zinon. Both he and the Great Martyr Anastasia, who visited Christian prisoners, received the same visions shortly before the events: the mentor would soon die, and his three wards would suffer for their faith. Zinon died and the sisters were arrested.

The prisoners were taken personally to the Emperor Diocletian. He, appreciating their youth and beauty, offered to change faith and take noble courtiers as husbands. The answer was unanimous: the only bridegroom they called Christ, and the Roman deities — man-made idols. Then the governor ordered the sisters to be sent to Macedonia under the supervision of the viceroy Dulkitius.

Dulkitius, seeing the girls, became inflamed with attraction and promised to release them in exchange for consent. When he refused, he decided to use force. At night, the man approached the place of their detention, but suddenly lost his mind, broke into the kitchen and smeared himself in soot. He hardly recognized him. When he regained consciousness, the viceroy suspected witchcraft and demanded revenge.

At the hearing, Dulkitius ordered the defendants to be stripped of their clothes. The soldiers could not carry out the order — the tissue did not separate from the body. Then the judge suddenly fell asleep right in the hall, and managed to wake him only after being moved to another building. A report on what was happening was received by Diocletian, and he handed the prisoners over to a fresh investigator, Sisinius.

He first questioned the youngest, Irina. Unable to abdicate, he placed her in prison and took care of Agapia and Chionia. The girls were sentenced to burning. When the flames were extinguished, those present saw that neither the bodies nor the clothes were burned, and the faces looked peaceful.

The next day Irina was called to account. Sisinius threatened to put her in a harlot. She replied that the insult would not affect the soul. On the way to the place of punishment, the soldiers met two bright strangers. They gave a false order to send the girl to the mountain top and leave there. The guards carried out the order. When the deception was revealed, the enraged Sisinius rushed to the mountain, but found no rise. Then one of the archers wounded Irina with an arrow. When she died, she said that she was going to the pure Lord. It happened the day before Easter.

The bodies of the three sisters were taken and buried by Anastasia. In church tradition, the names of the martyrs reveal their virtues: Agapia — love, Chionia — snow purity, Irina — peace.