Martyr Drosίs, daughter of Emperor Trajan
The Holy Martyr Drosίs, and five Virgin Martyrs with her: Agalϊda (Αγλαϊδα), Apollinarίa (Ἀπολλιναρία), Daria (Δαρεία), Mamousa (Μαμούσα), and Thaϊs (Θαΐς).
Saint Drosίs was the daughter of Emperor Trajan (98-117), a fierce persecutor of Christians. In the year 99 he revived an earlier law which forbade secret gatherings, and applied it to the Christians. In the year 104 he issued a special edict against Christians.
Beginning in that year, the persecutions continued until the end of his reign. The bodies of martyred Christians often remained unburied in order to intimidate others. Five Christian virgins: Agalϊda, Apollinarίa, Daria, Mamousa, and Thaϊs, took upon themselves the task of burying such Christians. In secret, they took the Martyrs' bodies, anointed them with spices, wrapped them in shrouds, and buried them. When she learned of this, Drosίs, who was a secret Christian (but not yet baptized) asked the holy virgins to take her with them when they went to bury Christians.
Hadrian, an advisor to the Emperor, who was also the suitor of Drosίs, informed Trajan of the women's activities. A guard was posted over those who had been killed, with orders to arrest anyone who attempted to bury them. Saint Drosίs and the five virgins were caught on the very first night. Learning that one of the captives was his own daughter, Trajan ordered her to be held separately, hoping that she would change her mind.
The five Holy Virgin Martyrs were sentenced to burn in a furnace for melting copper. They went to their death courageously, and received their imperishable crowns of martyrdom. This copper, mingled with the ashes of the Martyrs, was used to make tripods for the new public bath which Trajan had built. As as long as these tripods stood in the bath, no one could enter it. Whoever crossed the threshold was struck dead at once. When the pagan priests realized why this was happening, they ordered the tripods to be removed and melted down. Then Hadrian suggested that the Emperor should have five bronze statues of naked virgins made to resemble the Martyrs, and place them before the entrance to the public bath.
When the statues were in place, Trajan saw in a dream five pure lambs pastured in Paradise, and the Shepherd who said to him, “O most wanton and wicked Caesar! Those whose images you placed there to be mocked have been taken away from you and brought here by the Good and Merciful Shepherd. In time your daughter, the pure lamb Drosίs, shall be here as well.”
When he awoke, Trajan was furious, and ordered two huge furnaces to be heated. Nearby, an imperial edict was posted: You who worship the Crucified one; save yourselves from a lot of suffering, and also spare us these labors. Offer sacrifice to the gods. If you do not wish to do this, however, then let each of you voluntarily cast himself into this furnace.”
Many Christians chose martyrdom.
When she heard of this, Saint Drosίs also decided to suffer martyrdom for Christ. She prayed in her prison, asking the Lord to set her free. God heard her prayer, and the guards fell asleep. Saint Drosίs went to the furnace, but she wondered: “How can I go to God without a wedding garment (i.e., without being baptized), for I am impure? But, O King of Kings, Lord Jesus Christ, for Your sake I give up my imperial rank, so that I might become the lowliest handmaiden in Your Kingdom. Baptize me Yourself by Your Holy Spirit.”
After praying in this manner, Saint Drosίs anointed herself with myrrh [chrism], which she had brought with her, and immersing herself in water three times, she said: “The handmaiden of God Drosίs is baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
The Saint hid for seven days, spending her time in fasting and prayer. Some Christians found her and learned from her everything that had occurred. On the eighth day, the Holy Martyr Drosίs went to the furnace and cast herself into the fire.1
1 Some sources state that Saint Drosίs reposed in peace. According to the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church, however, she is listed as a martyr (Святая мученица Дросида).