The son-in-law of Constantine the Great (306-337), Emperor Licinius (311-324), who led his sister, had the duty of guarding the lower Danube from barbarian invasions. This uneducated and depraved king, who signed the Edict of Milan (313), remained a secret pagan.
After his bloody clash with Constantine in 314, which cost him the Illyrian provinces, he openly continued the several years of cruel persecution against Christians. As early as 315, the martyrs Ermilus and Stratonicus became his victims.
When he was on the Danube River and learned about the fame of the Christian deacon St. Ermilus, he ordered him to be captured, severely beaten with iron rods and thrown into prison. The warrior Stratonicus guarded the prison. At night, the guard saw the prisoner talking to an angel. This sight through the prison window decided the fate of Stratonicus. He believed in Christ and became a friend of St. Ermilus.
The next day, they again forced Deacon Ermilus to offer a sacrifice to the gods with new tortures. Watching the fearless courage of his new and unwavering friend in his faith, Stratonicus could not hold back his tears, and they betrayed his conversion to everyone. After being severely tortured, the two Christians were drowned in the river. Their bodies were found 18 stadia from Singidunum, today's Belgrade.
On January 13, everyone who bears the name Ermil, Ermila and their derivatives celebrate their name day.
Source: BLITZ