Clean Monday Celebrations: Who is Celebrated on March 3, 2025?

Today, Clean Monday (March 3, 2025), marks the beginning of the Great Lent in the Orthodox Christian calendar. The church honors the memory of the Holy Martyrs Basiliscus, Eutropius, and Cleonicus, as well as the Holy Hieromartyr Theodoretus, presbyter of Antioch. Names celebrated today according to the church calendar include Cleonicus, Cleonice, Nike, Cleonico, Theodoretus, Basiliscus, Basiliki, Eutropius, and Eutropia. The Holy Martyrs Basiliscus, Eutropius, and Cleonicus hailed from Amaseia in Pontus and lived during the reign of Emperor Maximian (286-305 AD). They were soldiers and relatives of Saint Theodore the Recruit. As Christians, they were denounced to the governor Asclepiodotus, who arrested and tortured them severely. However, after the Lord and Saint Theodore the Great Martyr appeared to them, they were healed. Despite imprisonment, the three young men did not lose their courage or faith but continued to worship the One True God. Their preaching and example led many imprisoned pagans to embrace the true faith. Governor Asclepiodotus, learning of their Christian activities and influence, ordered them brought before him again. He tried to persuade Cleonicus to renounce his faith with promises of gifts and honors. The saint, however, mocked the weakness of idols and, during a pagan sacrifice, prayed and caused the idol of Artemis to collapse. Enraged, Asclepiodotus ordered their torture. During this, the Lord appeared to the three youths and the pagan spectators, accompanied by Saint Theodore the Great Martyr. Miraculously healed, the three Christians remained unharmed, while many pagans converted to Christianity. Nevertheless, Asclepiodotus persisted in his persecution, ordering the execution of newly baptized Christians and pouring boiling pitch on the martyrs, which instead killed the executioners. Eventually, Eutropius and Cleonicus were crucified, receiving their martyr’s crowns on March 3, 308 AD, while Basiliscus died years later in prison, gaining eternal life. The memory of Saint Basiliscus is also commemorated on May 22.