Born a pagan. Baptized by the Holy Apostle John the Theologian. He was orphaned in early childhood. Saint Vuculus ordained him a priest. The apostolic bishops, who gathered for the funeral of Saint Vuculus, ordained him Bishop of Smyrna. He cast out evil spirits, stopped the fire in Smyrna with his prayer, brought down rain and drought, healed, saw and prophesied. The pagans considered him one of the gods. He suffered during the time of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. They threw him into the fire that, old and gray-haired, enveloped him but did not touch him. In the end, they pierced him with a spear. The blood that flowed out extinguished the fire. Then they burned his dead body. He suffered for Christ in the year 167, on Holy Saturday.

Venerable Damian of Esphigmeni. Easter Lent.