A few days
after the martyrdom of St. Anahyd, King Athorfurzajard
ordered Pithyon to be arrested and brought to his court,
accusing him of being the cause of the killing of Anahyd.
When the king saw him he was
enraged and called him “Pithyon
the magician, head of the Christians.” Pithyon replied, “I
am not the head of the Christians; nor do I deceive people.
I teach them how to gain the eternal life.” The king became
even more enraged and ordered him chained and thrown into
prison. In the middle of the night, Pithyon and all the
prisoners were miraculously unchained and the doors of the
prison were opened. Everyone was praising Pithyon’s faith,
and the guards were terrified and thought that all the
prisoners had escaped. The next day, he was found, bound
with heavy
chains and thrown into the river. The river
stopped flowing and Pithyon was seen standing at the bottom
of the river. After this second miracle, all those around
him began praising the Christian faith. After this, the
hard-hearted king ordered him to be burned alive, but again
he survived. In his final frustration, the king ordered him
to be taken to a mountain and cut into pieces over a period
of three days. Pithyon died on Wednesday, the 25th of
November, 449.
A few days
after the martyrdom of St. Anahyd, King Athorfurzajard
ordered Pithyon to be arrested and brought to his court,
accusing him of being the cause of the killing of Anahyd.
When the king saw him he was
enraged and called him “Pithyon
the magician, head of the Christians.” Pithyon replied, “I
am not the head of the Christians; nor do I deceive people.
I teach them how to gain the eternal life.” The king became
even more enraged and ordered him chained and thrown into
prison. In the middle of the night, Pithyon and all the
prisoners were miraculously unchained and the doors of the
prison were opened. Everyone was praising Pithyon’s faith,
and the guards were terrified and thought that all the
prisoners had escaped. The next day, he was found, bound
with heavy
chains and thrown into the river. The river
stopped flowing and Pithyon was seen standing at the bottom
of the river. After this second miracle, all those around
him began praising the Christian faith. After this, the
hard-hearted king ordered him to be burned alive, but again
he survived. In his final frustration, the king ordered him
to be taken to a mountain and cut into pieces over a period
of three days. Pithyon died on Wednesday, the 25th of
November, 449.