The Holy Martyr Plato of Ancyra
Plato was from the town of Ancyra in Galatia. He was a Christian by birth and upbringing. While in his youth, he showed great perfection in every virtue. Plato did not conceal his faith in Christ the Lord, but preached it openly, denouncing idolaters because of their worshiping lifeless objects in place of the Living Creator. For this, he was brought to trial before Governor Agrippinus, and was interrogated and harshly tortured by him. When the governor counseled him to avoid death and save his life by worshiping the idols, Plato said: “There are two deaths, the one temporal and the other eternal; so also are there two lives, one of short duration and the other without end.” Then Agrippinus subjected him to even harsh- er tortures. Among other tortures, red-hot cannon balls were set on the saint’s naked body; then they cut strips from his skin. “Torture me more harshly,” the martyr cried out to the torturers, “so that your inhumanity and my endurance may be seen more clearly.” When the torturer remind- ed the martyr that his namesake, Plato the philosopher, was a pagan, the martyr replied: “I am not like Plato, nor is Plato like me except in name. I learn and teach the wisdom of Christ, but Plato was a teacher of wisdom that is foolishness to God.” After that, Plato was thrown into prison, where he remained for eighteen days without food and water. When the guards were amazed that Plato was able to live in hunger for so long, he told them: “You are satisfied by meat, but I, by holy prayers. Wine gladdens you, but Christ the True Vine gladdens me.” Plato was beheaded in about the year 266 and received his wreath of eternal glory.
