St. Phocas the Gardener, Sept 22

St. Phocas the Gardener,  Phocas’ Christian identity became known to the pagan Roman authorities. Soldiers were dispatched to find and arrest him. Upon nearing Sinope, they stopped at Phocas’ door and received lodging from him, unaware that their host was the man they were charged to capture. reluctant to carry out their orders against their kind host, but in the end they beheaded him. Sept 22