Today, Friday, September 20, according to the calendar, the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Efstathios and his entourage: Theopistis Agapios and Theopistos is commemorated.

The names celebrating today are as follows:

Eustathius,
Stathis,
you stand
Stathakos,
Eustathia,
Stathoula,
Stathia,
Efstathula,
Theobist,
Theist

Agios Efstathios

Saint Eustathius was a Great Martyr of the Christian Church. He was originally called Placidas and was a senior officer in the Roman army. One day while he was hunting a deer, he saw a cross on its antlers and heard a voice calling him to become a Christian. With this vision he believed in the new religion and was baptized a Christian with the name Eustathius. His wife Tatiani, who received the name Theopistis, and his two children, who received the names Agapios and Theopistos, were also baptized Christians.

When the emperor Trajan was informed that one of his officers had converted to Christianity, he deposed him and exiled him and his family. Afterwards, his punishment included separation from his family, which greatly embittered Eustathius.

Years later, Trajan remembered his able officer Eustathius when he was in trouble and brought him back into the army. Along the way, he found his family again and felt great joy.

However, the successor of Trajan, Hadrian, demanded from Eustathius to worship the idols again. Eustathius refused, resulting in him and his family being tortured to death.