Martyr Polyeuctus of Melitene in Armenia

Polyeuctus was an officer of the Roman army in Melitene in Lesser Armenia, still a pagan, and the close friend of a Christian soldier, Nearchus. When an imperial edict ordered everyone to sacrifice to the gods, Nearchus grieved that their friendship would end; Polyeuctus told him he had seen Christ in a dream and declared himself a Christian.

According to his Life, he tore up the edict and smashed twelve images of the gods being carried to the temple. His father-in-law Felix, the official charged with enforcing the edict, and his wife Paulina begged him with tears to give in, but he refused. He was beheaded in 259, under Valerian, and as he went to his death he called out to Nearchus in the crowd to remember their friendship. He is remembered as the first martyr of Melitene.