Venerable-Martyr Pansophius of Alexandria

Pansophius of Alexandria was an ascetic and martyr of the third century, honored as a venerable-martyr, that is, a monk who was put to death for the faith. He is commemorated on January 15.

By the accounts he was the son of Nilus, a proconsul of Alexandria. After his father's death he distributed his inheritance to the poor and withdrew into the desert, where he lived in asceticism for twenty-seven years.

During the persecution under the emperor Decius, who reigned from 249 to 251, Pansophius was seized and tortured to death for confessing Christ.