В пятый год гонения, в Кесарии Палестинской, префект Урбан каждый день умножал свою жестокость против христиан и придумывал новые мучения. В один из таких дней он осудил множество исповедников, и первым среди них был святой Домнин.

Домнин был человеком достойной жизни, искусным во врачебной науке, юным, высоким и красивым, известным святостью жизни, чистотою души и целомудрием. Он был хорошо знаком исповедникам того времени. Еще до завершения своего мученического подвига он уже перенес страдания на медных рудниках; за терпение в исповедании Христа его приговорили к сожжению.

После Домнина Урбан обратился к трем юношам прекрасного вида и крепкого телосложения, похвальным по душе за мужество в богопочитании. Чтобы сделать их страдание зрелищем, он отправил их в лудус, то есть школу гладиаторов. В синаксарной традиции эти юноши называются Тимофеем, Феофилом и Феотимом; в некоторых списках имя Феотима передается как Филофей.

Затем мучитель предал на съедение зверям благочестивого старца, которого синаксари называют пресвитером Дорофеем; в части календарной традиции его имя смешивается с Досифеем. После этого Урбан приказал оскопить зрелых возрастом исповедников, которых традиция именует Евпсихием и Картерием, а Сильвана и бывших с ним христиан отправил на медные рудники Фено в Южной Палестине. Других он подверг пыткам и заключил в темницу; не пощадил и христианских дев, которых грозил отдать на поругание.

В тот же день перед Урбаном был испытан и святой Памфил, дорогой Евсевию Кесарийскому, муж, украшенный всякой добродетелью и ученостью. Урбан сперва испытывал его вопросами о риторике и философии, а затем пытался принудить к жертвоприношению идолам. Видя, что Памфил не уступает ни словам, ни угрозам, префект велел жестоко терзать его ребра, но не смог сломить святого и заключил его вместе с исповедниками в темницу.

Поэтому память 5/18 ноября соединяет святого Домнина с мучениками и исповедниками, осужденными Урбаном в Кесарии Палестинской в один день. Домнин завершил подвиг сожжением; Сильван и Памфил вошли в это синаксарное сказание потому, что были упомянуты Евсевием среди осужденных тогда исповедников, хотя собственный мученический венец приняли позднее и имеют отдельные дни памяти.

Urbanus was governor in Palestine; and it was the first day of the latter Teshri; and so, from day to day, he renewed himself in his wickedness, and every year prepared some devices against us. I will therefore relate how many evils he inflicted on this one day which I have mentioned.

On the day then which we have spoken of, a certain man, admirable in all his conduct, and excellently skilled in the science of medicine, and he was a young man of tall stature and handsome, and celebrated for the holiness of his life, and the purity of his soul, and his modesty, and his name was Domninus; he was also well known to all those in our time who had been confessors. Moreover, this same man, previously to his receiving consummation by martyrdom, had endured torture in the copper mines; and on account of his patience under his confession he was condemned to the punishment by fire.

When that same judge, cunning in his wickedness, had passed on from this martyr, he lighted upon three young men of fine stature, and handsome in their person, and praiseworthy as to their souls, on account of their courage in worshipping God; and in order that he might afford amusement thereby, he sent them to the Ludus.

Then he passed on from these, and delivered up an excellent and godly old man to be devoured by the wild beasts. Then the mad man passed on from this old man, and came to others, and commanded them to be castrated and turned into eunuchs. Then he left them also, and proceeded to those who appertained to Sylvanus, whose own lot also it was some time afterwards to become a martyr of God, and these he condemned to the mines of Phaeno.

Afterwards he passed on from these and came to others whom he insulted with tortures. Nor was the fury of his malice content with males, but he also threatened to torment the females, and delivered over these virgins to fornicators for the violation of their persons. Others again he sent to prison. Now all these things which we have described did this arrogant judge perpetrate in one hour.

And after all these things which I have described had been accomplished, that heavenly martyr of God, Pamphilus, a name very dear to me, who was holy in all things, and adorned with every virtue, was tried in the conflict of martyrdom. He was indeed the most famous of all the martyrs in our time, on account of his accomplishments in philosophy, and his acquirements both in sacred and profane literature.

Of this same man, admirable in all things, Urbanus first made a trial of his wisdom by questions and answers; and at last endeavoured to compel him by threats to offer sacrifice to dead idols; and when he had ascertained by trial that he was not to be persuaded by words, and also perceived that his threats were not heeded by him, he applied cruel torture, and lacerated him grievously on his sides. But he was not able to subdue him by this means, as he had expected.