18 June - Born in Tripoli, Leonce was a Phoenician soldier in the Roman army, he read the scriptures assiduously and evangelized his comrades. He was arrested, because of his faith, by one of his superiors. He declared himself a Christian, was imprisoned, tortured and died a martyr.
He was denounced to the governor of Phoenicia, who was a pagan idolater and had the emperor's permission to exterminate the followers of Christ. He sent men to Tripoli to arrest Leonce and hold him until his arrival. On the way to arrest him, Hypathos and Theodulus were struck by fever, and at night an angel appeared to Hypathos, telling him that if he wanted to be healed, he should call three times the God whom Leonce prayed to. Hypathos did so and was healed. The next day Hypathos and Theodule entered the city, and met Leonce. Leonce greeted them and told them that the man they were looking for was a friend. Leo let them into his house and revealed his identity. They bowed down at his feet and begged him to free them from the idols and unite them with Christ. Leo prayed, and a cloud appeared in the sky, pouring over them the water of their baptism. They went into town, dressed in white and with burning candles in their hands. The pagans became angry, and when the governor arrived in Tripoli, he had them arrested and imprisoned, while Leonce encouraged his friends to endure in joy and in the hope of eternal life. That night the three brothers spent the night praying and singing.
During the interrogation, they did not deny their faith in Christ, but rather affirmed themselves as soldiers of Christ, and no one would bring them back to idolatry. Hypathos and Theodulus were tortured and beheaded. As for Leonce, tortured in vain and wounded with a whip without denying his faith, he was torn between four posts and beaten to death. During this terrible torture, he never ceased to praise God and died. Leonce's tomb was erected by the Christians on the outskirts of the port of Tripoli, later a great basilica was erected in his honor, and many people came to pay him homage. Saint Leonce is one of the most venerated martyrs in Phoenicia.
