Martyr Zoticus of Constantinople/Istanbul (d. AD 360)
Zoticus left his prestigious position in the court of Constantine the Great and was ordained a Christian elder. Full of compassion, he provided shelter for the destitute and orphaned in his home, earning the name, the “Protector of Orphans.” Using finances given to him by Constantine, he built a
center for the sick, a homeless shelter, and protected lepers from being drowned in the sea. In 360,
Constantine’s son Constantius II, a strong supporter of Arianism, falsely accused Zoticus of stealing money from his father Constantine. Constantius II ordered Zotipus to be dragged by wild mules through the rocky streets, and he died when his body was torn apart.