It happened that the son of a heathen priest
attached to the Emperor’s Court, having been instructed in his
youth by a Deaconess whom he visited with his mother, had secretly
become a Christian. On discovering this, his father had cruelly
scourged and burnt him with hot spits on his hands, and feet, and
back. He contrived to escape, and took refuge with his friend the
Deaconess. “‘She dressed me in women’s
garments, and took me in her covered carriage to the divine
Meletius. He handed me over to the Bishop of Jerusalem, at that
time Cyril, and we started by night for Palestine.’ After
the death of Julian, this young man led his father also into the way of
truth. This act he told me with the rest Theodoret, H.
E. iii. 10..”