Saint Hermias of Comana

St. Hermias was a soldier by profession, though elderly with white hair. The governor Sebastian, who was in Cappadocia to arrest Christians, urged Hermias to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, promising him honors and mercy from the emperor. The old soldier bravely confessed his faith in Christ and the governor gave orders to torture the Saint. They first beat him on the face, then cut off the skin from his face, and finally extracted his teeth. Hermias was then thrown into a burning furnace. When the oven was opened after 3 days, the Saint emerged from it unharmed. The governor ordered a certain magician to poison Hermias with a potion. The poisonous drink did no harm. A second goblet with even stronger poison also failed to kill the Saint. The magician believed in Christ and was immediately beheaded. Hermias was then subjected to even more terrible tortures. They broke his tendons, clawed at his body with sharp instruments, threw him in boiling oil, and gouged out his eyes. Then they suspended the Saint head downward and was hung in this position for 3 days. People sent by the governor to verify his death found him alive. In anger the governor ordered the skin flayed from the Saint's body, but he remained alive. Then the governor beheaded him with his own sword. His feast day is on May 30.