Greek Name Day: Artemios

Name Days are often named after a Christian saint or martyr and are mainly celebrated in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox countries. On this day, the holy person is celebrated, as well as anyone named after this person. Often, these celebrations are more important than birthdays.

The Greek name Artemios derives from Saint Artemios the Great Martyr. Artemios was appointed the Military Governor of Alexandria and all of Egypt. After witnessing Emperor Julian subjecting two priests to torture, Artemios denounced the Emperor’s policies as being that of a demon. Consequently, Artemios was sentenced to prison alongside the priests. The Emperor gave Artemios a second chance to denounce Christ and accept the pagan gods, which he denied, leading to his beheading.