السيرة
The story of his martyrdom portrays the life of the believer who, seeing tribulation upon him, flees -- not to be deprived of bearing the cross, but lest he cast himself into temptation, so long as he has not been called to martyrdom by a clear summons, perhaps fearing that he might falter. Yet God was glorified in him with power, making him a living example of the endurance of savage torments that no human strength could bear, fulfilling what had been said before to the Apostle Paul: "my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
This saint was martyred in North Africa around the year 260 A.D.
When the persecution grew severe under the reign of Gallienus, in North Africa, Arcadius -- who had come fleeing from Caesarea, fearing he might not stand firm before the torments -- went into hiding.
When the governor did not see him sacrifice to the idols, he began to search for him but did not find him; so the soldiers seized one of his relatives who was alone in Arcadius's house.
Arcadius heard about his relative who had been arrested, so he came out of his hiding place and surrendered himself, that his relative might not be subjected to torments on his account. And when the governor ordered him to offer incense to the idols, he refused; so the governor issued his command that the members of his body be cut off piece by piece. They began to sever his fingers joint by joint, then they cut off his hands, then his feet. And as he was praying and glorifying God, they cut out his tongue, so that he became a body without feet or arms, sunk in a pool of blood until he gave up the spirit. Then some of the believers came and gathered the scattered members together with the body and carried them with reverence, glorifying God who grants His martyrs such strength and endurance.
His commemoration is on the 12th of January