On February 21, all who bear the name Eustatius, Eustatius, Eustatius and their derivatives celebrate their name day.
St. Eustatius was a confessor, i.e. a sufferer for the faith of Christ, during the tenth persecution against the Christian faith. He was unanimously elected by the Christians as bishop of Antioch. In this capacity, Eustatius took part in the First Ecumenical Council (325) and firmly defended the Orthodox doctrine against the heretic Arius. In 326, he went to Georgia, which had just been enlightened with the Christian faith, to appoint pastors there for the newly converted. Upon his return from there, he continued to diligently engage in the affairs of the Church and was loved and respected by Christians as a man full of virtues and deep Christian wisdom.
After the death of Emperor Constantine the Great (†337), his son Constantius became king of the eastern part of the Roman Empire. He patronized the Arians, who gained such influence over him that they autocratically persecuted and oppressed all those who held the true doctrine of the faith. Many of the Arian bishops themselves signed the Orthodox confession of faith at the Council of Nicaea, but then renounced it and insistently demanded this of the other bishops. Those who did not agree with them were deprived of their rank, sent into exile and subjected to continuous persecution. Thus they deposed the Bishop of Constantinople, Paul, and expelled him; they also made efforts to destroy Athanasius of Alexandria. Some of them, going to Jerusalem for the consecration of the temple of the "Holy Resurrection", also came to Antioch with the secret intention of overthrowing Eustathius.
The bishop, who did not suspect their evil intentions, received them with the greatest joy. They immediately opened a council, at which they began to examine the deeds and faith of Eustathius. Everything had already been arranged and decided by them in advance. They invented slander against the pious bishop, accusing him of immoral life and heresy, announced their decision to the emperor, stirred up popular unrest in Antioch, and then deposed St. Eustathius and sent him into exile in Thrace together with some presbyters and deacons who did not want to part with him. And there the sufferer suffered greatly from the malice of his enemies.
Saint Eustathius died in Philippi in the year 360. He left behind notable writings.