كان فيليتوس عضواً في الكنيسة وله زوجة اسمها ليديا وولدان ثيوبريبيوس ومقدونيوس. آمنت العائلة بالمسيح وسلكت في التقى. فلمَّا أوقفوا لإيمانهم مثلوا أمام أدريانوس قيصر (117- 138م). أربكت أجوبة فيليتوس الملكَ إرباكاً شديداً لأن الروح القدس تكلم فيه إتماماً للقول الإلهي: “متى أسلموكم فلا تهتمّوا كيف أو بما تتكلّمون لأنكم تُعطَون في تلك الساعة ما تتكلّمون به لأن لستم أنتم المتكلّمين بل روح أبيكم الذي يتكلّم فيكم” (متّى19:10-20).
Philetus and his family were brought before the military governor of Illyria, Duke Amphilochius. He stretched the saints out on the torture table and ordered his men to beat them with wooden swords. Faced with the martyrs' amazing patience and the state of peace in which they were, the scribe Cronidus was humbled and accepted faith in Jesus and confessed it, not caring about the consequences that might follow from his confession.
They were all thrown into prison, including the scribe. During the night an angel of the Lord visited them and told them of the testimony that was coming against them and strengthened them. In the morning Amphilochius threw them into a large pot full of boiling oil and gum. Divine providence willed that Amphilochius, for his own salvation, should see the contents of the pot ineffective after the saints had descended into it. His heart was pricked and the grace of God penetrated into him, so he converted and believed in Christ. Hadrian was informed of what had happened, so he ordered the six martyrs to be killed and their testimony was completed.
The church commemorates them on March 23.
Troparia in the fourth tune
Your martyrs, O Lord, through their efforts, obtained from you indestructible crowns, O our God, because they attained your strength, so they destroyed the usurpers and crushed the power of the demons who have no power. Through their pleas, O Christ God, save our souls.