Hieromartyr Athanasios, Venerable Anthousa, and others
Saint Anthousa lived during the reign of Emperor Valerian (253-259)1 and was from Seleukeίa in Syria. She was the daughter of wealthy pagan parents, Antoninos and Martyria (Maria). Desiring to see her teacher Bishop Athanasios at Tarsus in Cilicia, she persuaded her mother to let her go there with two servants, Kharisimos and Neophytos, under the pretext of visiting her nurse. When she found Bishop Athanasios, he baptized her, then tonsured her as a nun. She withdrew into the desert and after living there for 23 years as an ascetic, she reposed in peace.
Saint Athanasios was brought before Valerian, and since he would not agree to sacrifice to idols, he was beheaded with a sword. Anthousa's servants, Kharisimos and Neophytos, who had been baptized with Saint Anthousa, courageously confessed Christ before the Emperor and were beheaded as well.
1 Some sources say that these Saints died during the reign of Emperor Aurelian (270-275).