Smack in the middle of the Decian persecution of Christians and smack in the middle of the 3rd century, a large number of citizens of Alexandria, Egypt, were executed in torturous fashions because of their public proclamation of their Christian faith and/or public refusal to renounce it (when ratted out by others).

Among the numerous men and women who were rounded up, we are told by Butler, was Dioscorus, “a youth only fifteen years old.” Perhaps but not necessarily fortunate for Dioscorus, the Augustal prefect of Egypt (the one meting out the executions) found young Dioscorus really quite attractive. This judge wished to preserve the boy’s life but he did not want to appear to be either soft on Christians (of which Dioscorus was an unapologetic one) or soft on a young boy.

Here is how all of this was managed:

First of all the judge took the youth in hand, and began to entreat him with fair speeches (soft on the boy); then he assailed him with various torments (not soft on Christianity); but the generous youth neither would bow at his flatteries, nor could he be terrified or broken by his threats or torments (meaning Dioscorus stays in the running for sainthood). The rest (the non-pretty ones, in the judge’s eyes), after enduring the most cruel rending and disjointing of their limbs, were burnt alive (immediate sainthood). But the judge discharged Dioscorus, on account of the tenderness of his years (soft on the boy), saying, he allowed him time to repent (of being a Christian, so not soft on Christianity), and consult his own advantage (turn to the judge in gratitude), and expressing that he was struck with admiration at the dazzling beauty of his countenance.

So there you have it–being a Pretty Young Thing saved the life of Dioscorus, one of the very few examples of Christian martyrs who were not, in fact, recorded as executed!

Nevertheless, there is no further history of what transpired between Dioscorus and the judge who relaxed his commitment to the Emperor’s edicts out of “admiration at the beauty of (Dioscorus’) countenance”–leaving open a possibility of a fate worse than death for our saint.