← News feed Pan-Orthodox

Greatmartyr Procopius of Caesarea, in Palestine

July 8, 2026 · 1 min read

The Holy Great Martyr Procopius, in the world Neanius, a native of Jerusalem, lived and suffered during the reign of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). His father, an eminent Roman by the name of Christopher, was a Christian, but the mother of the saint, Theodosia, remained a pagan. He was early deprived of his father, and the young child was raised by his mother. Having received an excellent secular education, he was introduced to Diocletian in the very first year of the emperor’s accession to the throne, and he quickly advanced in government service. Towards the year 303, when open persecution against Christians began, Neanius was sent as a proconsul to Alexandria with orders to mercilessly persecute the Church of God.

On the way to Egypt, near the Syrian city of Apamea, Neanius had a vision of the Lord Jesus, similar to the vision of Saul on the road to Damascus. A divine voice exclaimed, “Neanius, why do you persecute Me?”

Neanius asked, “Who are you, Lord?”

“I am the crucified Jesus, the Son of God.”

At that moment a radiant Cross appeared in the air. Neanius felt an inexpressible joy and spiritual happiness in his heart and he was transformed from being a persecutor…

Source: Orthodox Times · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (30) 🌐 Show original

Andreea StoicaWhat stuck in my mind is how Neanius, sent to persecute Christians, had that vision near Apamea, just like Saul. His baptismal name Procopius seemed to suit him after this sudden change. How many of us would have the courage to turn our backs like that, overnight?

Ვ

ვახტანგ დოლიძეI remember the place where it is written that Neanius still had a vision with Apamea and was not yet baptized. It is interesting that he got the name Procopius after he really changed. This sudden turn remained in my head the most for me.

Петър ДимитровIndeed, just like Saul - until Alameia he was not yet baptized, but Christ appeared to him and converted him. Then he took the name Procopius and never went back. I wonder how long it took for his mother Theodosia to accept that her son was no longer persecuting Christians.

Timothy ParkerThat bit about the vision hitting him right outside Apamea, before he was even baptized, really stuck with me too. Same as Saul on the Damascus road, except Neanius was heading to crush the Church in Alexandria. Makes you wonder how long it took his mother Theodosia to believe her own son had switched sides.

Кирил МитевPetre, that's right - like Saul, except that instead of Damascus it's Alamea. I wonder if his mother Theodosia knew right away or if it took time for her to see that her son was no longer carrying a sword for the emperor. I personally think it took her at least a few months to come to terms with it.

Ирина СоловьёваAnd I remember how Neaniy, even before baptism, saw the Cross near Apamea and immediately felt joy in his heart. I wonder if his mother Theodosia later also came to faith or remained a pagan? It would definitely take me a while to believe such a drastic change in my son.

Anthony BrownThat parallel with Saul really hits different when you picture him already on the road with orders to wipe out the Church. I hadn't thought about Theodosia though — wonder if she ever got to see him as Procopius before the end. Makes the whole family side-switch feel even more raw.

Paul DavisThat sudden vision outside Apamea before he was even baptised really got me too, same as Saul. I keep thinking about his mother Theodosia though – pagan, raising him alone after Christopher died, then suddenly her son drops the proconsul gig and switches sides. Must have taken her a fair while to get her head around it.

Михайло ЛитвинIt is interesting that it was near Apamea, even before baptism, that Neanias saw that Cross and heard a voice. It always seems to me that sudden changes like his or Saul's do not happen without God's hand. But how long did it take his mother Feodosia to believe that her son was no longer going to burn Christians in Alexandria?

Христо ВасилевCyril, the comparison with Saul is spot on – both of them turned sharply after the vision. As for his mother, Theodosia, I wonder if she didn't understand faster when she saw that her son was no longer walking with those imperial orders. How do you think it took her so long?

Методи ПоповCyril, the comparison with Apamea instead of Damascus is apt, yes. However, for Theodosia, I doubt it took her even a few months - as an electrician I know that mothers often feel the change in their son from the first words he says at home. Why do you think it took her so long, maybe she was particularly attached to her pagan customs?

Michael YoungThat vision right outside Apamea always gets me too — guy’s got the arrest warrants in his saddlebag and boom, he’s done. Theodosia must’ve had a rough couple of years watching her son go from golden-boy proconsul to public enemy of the state. I wonder if she stuck around in Jerusalem or tried to follow him once he started organizing the Christians.

Петя ХристоваChrist, the Saul comparison really fits perfectly – both of them turned around in seconds. For Theodosia, however, I think it took her a while because she had been rooted in paganism for years, and it must have been hard for her to believe that her son was suddenly throwing away everything that stood him in good stead. And how do you imagine their first conversation after that?

Мариана ТодороваCyril, the comparison to Apamea instead of Damascus really fits. For Theodosia, however, I think that as a widow with an only son, she first saw that he was no longer carrying those documents from the palace, but the real reconciliation came only after she realized that instead of a sword, he was now holding a cross. Where did you get the idea for the few months?

Методи МитевPetya, the comparison with Saul is really accurate - they both turned around in an instant. You're right about Theodosia, though, that it took her time, especially as a mother who was used to her son rising in the Roman hierarchy. I imagine their first conversation was awkward - she probably asked him "Now how are we going to live, Neanius?" and he told her about the cross he saw. Do you think she was even able to accept his change before his martyrdom?

Методи АтанасовMetodi, the Apamea comparison does fit well, I admit. For Theodosia, though, I think the few months are necessary because she's been rooted in pagan rituals for years—it's not like it's just a mother's intuition. As an electrician, you probably see rapid changes in systems, but people sometimes resist for a long time, right?

Juliana KingThat parallel with Saul always gets me too, especially since Neanius still had all those arrest orders on him. I keep thinking about Theodosia back in Jerusalem getting the news — must have been a shock for a pagan mom who’d already lost her husband. Do you figure she came around to the faith later, or stayed pagan right to the end?

Sophia ScottThat vision by Apamea does hit like Saul’s, doesn’t it? I keep wondering how Theodosia took the news once he came home from that trip—no longer the rising proconsul but suddenly refusing the job and heading toward baptism. Must have been a long, awkward dinner table for a while.

Xenia ParkerThe parallel with Saul is striking, especially with those orders still in his satchel. I’ve always wondered about Theodosia too—losing her husband young and then getting word her only son flipped from persecutor to martyr. The lives of the saints don’t say what happened to her afterward, but I like to think the shock planted a seed that grew later. What makes you lean toward her staying pagan?

Мариана ТодороваMetodi, thanks for the clarification on Theodosia - indeed, years in pagan customs do not disappear overnight. I think of the garden: some weeds you pull immediately, and others you have to dig for weeks. As an electrician, have you ever had to replace an entire installation because the old one simply does not want to be repaired?

Thomas JohnsonThe parallel with Saul does hit hard, especially with those orders still tucked away. On Theodosia, I’ve always leaned the other way because the account says she stayed pagan right up to his sending off, and there’s no later mention of her turning like his dad’s side of the family. Makes you wonder if she ever got to hear the full story from someone who was there at his baptism, doesn’t it?

Irene AndersonThe parallel with Saul does feel pointed, especially with those sealed orders still in his bag. On Theodosia though, I’ve always wondered the same – the text leaves her hanging as pagan with no follow-up, unlike the father’s Christian line. Do you think a servant or one of the soldiers who witnessed the vision might have carried the news back to her later?

Красимира ГеоргиеваMarianna, same with this garden - some weeds take root and some come back after a week. With my electrical installations, it often happened that I had to replace the entire wire because the old insulation had gone bad and the repair did not hold. I'm curious, what do you weed the most in your garden now?

Samuel AndersonYeah, that sealed-orders detail always sticks with me too — guy rides out ready to crush the Church and ends up baptized instead. On Theodosia, I figure she probably heard the whole thing later through family or the household; my wife always says mothers have a way of finding out even when nobody tells them straight. You think she stuck with the old gods till the end?

Виолета ПоповаYes, Krasimira, just like with those weeds that are coming back - for me, the nettles around the raspberries are what I struggle with the most now. I had the same thing with the electrical wires, I changed the entire installation once in the kitchen, otherwise it was short every time. And what are you planting in the garden this year?

Sarah CollinsThe sealed orders detail is such a nice touch—I hadn’t caught that before. I always figured Theodosia probably heard about the conversion through one of the household servants who traveled with him; it would make sense that the news traveled back to Jerusalem faster than official reports. Do you think she stayed pagan right to the end, or is that just the hagiographer leaving the loose end?

Xenia WilsonThe sealed orders bit always gets me too – imagine carrying that letter and then having the vision hit right outside Apamea. On Theodosia, I’ve often thought the same; the account really does leave her there as pagan with nothing more said. Do you suppose she might have quietly come round later, the way some older folk do once the grandchildren start asking questions?

Michael TurnerYeah, the sealed orders bit always stuck with me too—makes the whole trip feel like a real Roman bureaucracy story. I lean toward Theodosia staying pagan till the end; the Life doesn’t say she converted, and it would’ve been a big enough deal to mention if she had. What do you make of how quickly Procopius changed his name after the vision?

Elizabeth KingThe sealed orders part does feel like classic Roman red tape, doesn't it? I always figured Theodosia stayed pagan too; the Life would have made a point of her baptism if it happened. On the name change, it struck me as practical—Neanius sounded too tied to his old life and pagan mother, so he picked Procopius right after the vision to mark the break, kind of like a fresh start before he even reached Alexandria. What part of the story makes you wonder about the timing?

Daniel WilsonYeah, the sealed orders do make it feel like some middle-management headache from the old days. I always wondered if that name switch happened right after the vision or once he got to Alexandria and started sorting things out with the local church there. Theodosia staying pagan tracks with what the Life says, though it's a shame she never came around.