The Holy Martyr Theophilus the New was born and raised in Constantinople. He was a commander of the Greek armies and a senator. During a time of war with enemies of the Byzantine Empire, St Theophilus was taken captive. The Arabs demanded he renounce Christ, but he remained faithful to Orthodoxy. St Theophilus was imprisoned on Cyprus, where he spent four years, after which he was beheaded in the year 784.
