The Fourteen Holy Helpers are a group of saints venerated together in Roman Catholicism because their intercession was believed to be particularly effective against various diseases.
This
group of "helpers in need" originated in 14th century Rhineland, due
largely as a result of the epidemic that grew to become the Black Death, but
their veneration spread almost as quickly as the plague. According to Christian
tradition Saint Agathius, also known as Acacius of Byzantium, was a Cappadocian
Greek centurion of the imperial army.
He
was arrested for his faith on charges of being a Christian in Thrace, tortured,
and then taken to Byzantium (Istanbul), where he was scourged and beheaded.
He
was martyred in 303 because he would not give up his Christian Faith.
In
Greece during the reign of the Ottoman Empire in which the Ottomans attempted
to forcibly convert everyone to Islam he became very popular in the Christian
resistance.
His
patronage is against headaches and his feast day is observed on May the 8th.
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