Description
These four holy martyrs lived in Trebizond (modern Trabzon) on the Black Sea in Asia Minor, now a part of northeastern Turkey. The city was historically on the Silk Road to the East and was a place of considerable commerce. When the persecution of the Roman Emperor Diocletian began (who ruled from a.d. 284 to 305), and continued under the Emperor Maximian (who ruled from a.d. 305 to 311), many Christians were brought to trial as enemies of the state. As such they were often severely tortured and then killed, but God received their sufferings for Him with love. The four holy martyrs were beaten and burned, and gave their holy souls to God at that time.
They were then remembered and commemorated locally in Trebizond, and a church was built to St. Eugenios south of the city. After the 4th Crusade, when the Latin Kingdom was set over Constantinople, a successor Byzantine State was established in Trebizond by Alexis Comnenus with support from Queen Tamar of Georgia. This Empire of Trebizond lasted until a.d. 1461. St. Eugenios is considered the patron of Trebizond.