Saints Cosmas and Damien

According to the older (Julian) calendar, the Church commemorates today Saints Cosmas and Damian, with their brothers Anthimus, Leontius, and Euprepius and their mother, the widow, Theodota. All were martyred in the year 303.

Saints Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers born in modern day Syria around 270 A.D. After the death of their father, Theodota was left alone to raise her five sons by herself. Cosmas and Damian were educated in science and medicine and became physicians. Cosmas and Damian considered every patient a brother or sister in Christ and showed great charity to all their patients. Neither Cosmas nor Damian ever accepted any money for their services. For this reason, they were called “the silverless ones” or “unmercenaries”. The brothers faithfully followed the instruction Jesus gave to the apostles: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

Diocletian’s edict in 303 demanded religious uniformity and the destruction of all Christian literature. Christians who refused to cooperate were often sentenced to death. When Diocletian’s persecution began in their city, Saints Cosmas and Damian were arrested at once. Because of their fidelity to the Christian faith, they were tortured and then beheaded.

As early as the 4th century, churches dedicated to the twin saints were established at Jerusalem, in Egypt and in Mesopotamia. Devotion to the two saints spread rapidly in both East and West. Saints Cosmas and Damian are regarded as the patrons of physicians and surgeons and are sometimes represented with medical emblems.

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