In 313, the holy emperor Constantine the Great granted Christians freedom of religion. But power in many provinces still belonged to the pagans, persecutors of Christians. This was the case in the province of Armenia, located on the territory of modern Turkey. Here, in the city of Sebastia, the garrison was commanded by the zealous pagan Agricolaus. And in the winter of 320, he ordered all his soldiers to make sacrifices to idols. Forty people refused, declaring that they were Christians and worshiped only the true God, and not idols.
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. 12th century fresco in the Church of Panagia Forvietis in Osina. Cyprus. Photo by Igor Samolygo
At first, Agricolai persuaded them, promising them promotions and money. Then he began to threaten with prison and shameful death. But the soldiers rejected all the promises and threats, and then the ruler imprisoned them. The prisoners prayed earnestly and at night they heard a voice: “He who endures to the end will be saved.”
A week later, the noble dignitary Lysias arrived in the city and ordered the Christian soldiers to be stoned. But the stones flew past their target; a stone thrown by Lysias himself hit Agricolaus in the face. Confused, the torturers returned the prisoners to prison to think about what to do with them. At night in prison, the soldiers again heard the comforting voice of the Lord: “He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Be bold and do not be afraid, for you will receive imperishable crowns.”
The next day, the warriors were led bound to a lake near the city of Sebastia. It was bitterly cold that day. The soldiers were ordered to undress and placed directly in icy water. And on the shore there was a bathhouse, and the tormentors said that any of them could immediately warm up in it if they renounced Christ. All night the warriors bravely endured the cold, encouraging each other. They sang psalms despite the pain caused by frostbite. And this torment is comparable in strength to burns from fire. One of the warriors, after several hours, could not stand it and ran to the shore, to the bathhouse. But as soon as he stepped onto the threshold of the hot bathhouse, due to a sharp temperature change, his skin and flesh began to separate, and he died.
The night wore on, and the guards guarding the place of torment fell asleep. Only one of them, Aglaius, could not sleep. He was amazed: how do these Christians, despite unheard-of torment, not stop praying? At three o'clock in the morning he saw that a bright light was spreading over the lake, just like in summer. It became so warm that the ice melted. Aglaiy was perplexed: what is happening? Looking up, he saw luminous crowns above the heads of the warriors. There were thirty-nine Ventsov - according to the number of steadfast martyrs who remained. Then Aglaius threw off his clothes and shouted, waking up the other guards: “And I am a Christian!” - and ran to the martyrs. He prayed: “Lord God, I believe in You, in whom these soldiers believe. Join me with them, so that I may be worthy to suffer with Your servants.”
In the morning the chiefs of the tormentors returned and saw that the soldiers were still alive, and in addition one of the jailers was among them! In a rage, Lysias and Agricolaus ordered the martyrs' legs to be broken with hammers to make the suffering unbearable. But even dying from torment, the soldiers did not stop praying and praising the True God.
Lysias ordered the destruction of the remains of the soldiers so that Christians would not venerate the relics of the new martyrs. The bodies of the saints were burned at the stake and their bones were thrown into the river. Three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Bishop Sebaste Peter and ordered him to take the bones from the river. The bishop and several priests secretly came to the river at night. Lo and behold: the bones of the martyrs shone in the water like stars! Christians collected the remains of the saints and buried them with honor.
In Russia, there has long been a custom on the day of remembrance of the Sebastian Martyrs. Why larks?
The peasants, paying attention to the fact that the singing lark either soars high or “falls” like a stone to the ground, explained this by the special boldness and humility of these birds before God. The lark quickly rushes upward, but, struck by the greatness of the Lord, it bends down in deep reverence. Thus, the larks, according to the thoughts of our pious ancestors, represented the song of glory to the Lord raised by the martyrs, their humility and aspiration upward, to the Kingdom of Heaven, to the Sun of Truth - Christ.
The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste is a permanent holiday; traditionally it is celebrated on the same day - March 22 (new style). If the day of the feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste coincides with Wednesday of the Veneration of the Cross, it may be postponed, as happened in 2017. Previously, in pre-Christian Rus', this day was considered the final date of the beginning of spring. Then larks also baked, but they put a completely different meaning into baking; there were different traditions and “crystals” of spring, when it was called in the hope that warmth would come as soon as possible. The church does not celebrate the vernal equinox, but this day has a new Christian meaning. And the lark began to symbolize the soul that strives for God and bows before the greatness of the Creator. That is why people love so much the holiday of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, who endured all the torment to the end and accepted death so as not to betray Christ. On the day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated.
Names of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste: Kirion, Candide, Domnus, Hesychius, Heraclius, Smaragd, Eunoicus, Valens (Valens), Vivian, Claudius, Priscus, Theodulus, Eutyches, John, Xanthius, Ilian, Sisinius, Angius, Aetius, Flavius, Acacius, Ecdicius, Lysimachus, Alexander , Elijah, Gorgonius, Theophilus, Dometian, Gaius, Leontius, Athanasius, Cyril, Sakerdon, Nicholas, Valerius (Valery), Philoctimon, Severian, Khudion, Melito and Aglaius.
The feat that these people accomplished reminds us of human perseverance and devotion. They usually pray to the Holy Martyrs of Sebaste to gain perseverance, for help in overcoming troubles and difficult trials, in despair, and most importantly, for preserving and strengthening faith.
It must be remembered that icons or saints do not “specialize” in any specific areas. It will be right when a person turns with faith in the power of God, and not in the power of this icon, this saint or prayer.
And .
Three hundred years after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, Christians were persecuted by the pagans. This continued until 313, when the holy emperor Constantine the Great granted Christians freedom of religion. But many provinces were still dominated by pagans, such as Agricolaus, who commanded a garrison in the city of Sebastia (in modern Turkey).
In the winter of 320, he ordered his soldiers to make sacrifices to idols, but there were forty people who refused to carry out the order and declared that they were Christians and worshiped only the true God, and not idols.
At first, Agricolaus tried to persuade them, promising money and promotion. After that, he began to threaten with prison and shameful death. But the fearless soldiers rejected all offers and threats, and then the ruler imprisoned them. The prisoners began to pray and one night they heard a voice:
“He who endures to the end will be saved.”
A week later, the noble dignitary Lysias arrived in Sebastia and ordered the Christian soldiers to be stoned. But the stones did not harm the martyrs; they simply flew past their target. Even the stone that Lysias himself threw hit Agricolaus in the face.
The torturers were embarrassed by what they saw and decided to return the prisoners to prison to figure out what to do with them.
At night in prison, people again heard the comforting voice of the Lord:
“He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Be bold and do not be afraid, for you will receive imperishable crowns.”
The next day, the brave warriors were tied up and led to the lake, which was near the city of Sebastia. That day there was severe frost, the soldiers were stripped and then driven straight into icy water. At the same time, the tormentors built a bathhouse on the shore, flooded it and said that any of them could immediately warm up in it if they renounced Christ.
All night the warriors stood in the icy water, encouraging each other. They sang psalms despite the pain caused by frostbite. But these torments are comparable in strength to burns from fire. One of the warriors, after several hours, could not stand it and ran to the shore, to the bathhouse. But as soon as he stepped onto the threshold of a hot bathhouse, due to a sharp temperature change, his skin and flesh began to separate, and he died.
The night continued. One of the guards, Aglaius, was very surprised by what he saw: how do these Christians, despite unheard-of torment, not stop praying? At three o'clock in the morning he saw that a bright light was spreading over the lake, just like in summer. It became so warm that the ice melted.
Aglaiy was perplexed: what is happening? Looking up, he saw luminous crowns above the heads of the warriors. There were thirty-nine Ventsov - according to the number of steadfast martyrs who remained. Then the man threw off his clothes and shouted, waking up the other guards: “And I am a Christian!” - and ran to the martyrs. He prayed:
“Lord God, I believe in You, in Whom these soldiers believe. Join me with them, so that I may be worthy to suffer with Your servants.”
In the morning, the chiefs of the tormentors returned and saw that the soldiers were still alive, and one of the jailers was among them! In a rage, Lysias and Agricolaus ordered the martyrs' legs to be broken with hammers to make the suffering unbearable. But even dying from torment, the soldiers did not stop praying and praising the True God.
Lysias ordered the destruction of the remains of the soldiers so that Christians would not venerate the relics of the new martyrs. The bodies of the saints were burned at the stake and the bones were thrown into the river.
After three days, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Bishop Sebastius Peter and ordered him to take bones from the river. The bishop and several priests secretly came to the river at night. Lo and behold: the bones of the martyrs shone in the water like stars! Christians collected the remains of the saints and buried them with honor.
These people who love Christ, not in words, but in deeds, proved their love by not renouncing the Lord even when their lives were threatened. Having shown their tormentors an example of perseverance and fortitude, they were already marked during their lifetime by God’s Grace, which helps people endure any, even the most unimaginable, torment. They showed a true example of faith in God.
On the day of remembrance of the Sebastian Martyrs in Rus', it has long been the custom to sculpt dough and bake “larks” - buns in the shape of birds.
Why larks? The peasants, paying attention to the fact that the singing lark either flies up or “falls” like a stone to the ground, explained this by the special boldness and humility of these birds before God. The lark quickly rushes upward, but, struck by the greatness of the Lord, it bends down in deep reverence.
Thus, the larks, according to the thoughts of our pious ancestors, represented the song of glory to the Lord raised by the martyrs, their humility and aspiration upward, to the Kingdom of Heaven, to the Sun of Truth - Christ.
We magnify you, holy martyrs, and honor your venerable sufferings, which you naturally endured for Christ.
16.03.2016
Troparion, tone 1
Passion-bearers of all honor, / the fourty soldiers of Christ, / the firmament of the armor, / for they passed through fire and water, / and fellow citizens faster than the Angel, / with them, pray to Christ for those who praise you with faith. / Glory to Him who gave you strength, / glory to Him who crowned you, / glory to Him who bestows healing to you all.
Kontakion, tone 6
All the armies of the world have left, / cling to the Lady of Heaven, / the fourty passion-bearers of the Lord, / having passed through fire and water, blessed ones, / worthily received glory from Heaven / and many crowns.
On March 9 (22), the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the forty martyrs-warriors who suffered in Lake Sevastia. This day in 2016 falls on Tuesday of the second week of Great Lent, which does not involve serving the Liturgy and mandatory strict abstinence from food. However, from ancient times the Church has made it a rule to solemnly glorify these saints, therefore the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be served in our churches to testify to the great feat of the Sebastian martyrs, accomplished for Christ’s sake. The strict fast that has just begun is relaxed: wine and oil are allowed.
It is considered a pious custom to bake “larks” from Lenten dough on the eve of the holiday - the song of these birds symbolizes the prayer of the passion-bearers to God. According to observations, the singing lark either soars high or “falls” to the ground like a stone. This was explained by their special boldness and humility before God. The lark quickly rushes upward, but, struck by the greatness of the Lord, it bends down in deep reverence. Thus, the larks, according to the thoughts of our ancestors, represented the song of glory to the Lord raised by the martyrs, their humility and aspiration upward, to the Kingdom of Heaven, to the Sun of Truth - Christ.
The forty martyrs of Sebaste show us an example of true life in God, for whose sake suffering and death are not terrible. With their feat they sanctify the entire saving Pentecost, according to the words of Archpriest Alexander Shargunov: “forty martyrs - forty days, every day we are given the opportunity to be born and die. To die to sin, to be confessors of Christ’s truth and righteousness - those who kiss death with Christ and are ready to spit on a life in which Christ is not.”
Forty is a number often found in the Holy Scriptures: the prophet Moses fasted for forty days before receiving the tablets of the Law; Our Lord Jesus Christ spent the same number of days in the desert in fasting and prayer; On the fortieth day after the resurrection, Christ ascended to heaven. There were also forty Sebastian martyrs. Despite the difference in character, appearance, and upbringing, they had an equally strong love for God, which helped them overcome the trials that befell them. Their feat is similar to the feat of the new martyrs and confessors of Russia, who also gave their lives for the faith with a single impulse.
In Discourse 19, “On the Day of the Holy Forty Martyrs,” St. Basil the Great says: “Will a lover of martyrs get bored when he commemorates the martyrs? The honor given to the valiant of our fellow servants is proof of our goodwill towards the common Master. For it is certain that he who praises excellent men will not fail to imitate them in similar circumstances. Sincerely please the one who has endured torment, so that you too may become a martyr at will and, without persecution, without fire, without scourges, be awarded the same rewards as them. And we have to marvel at not just one, and not just two, the number of those blessed is not even limited to ten, but forty men, who in separate bodies had, as it were, one soul, in agreement and unanimity of faith, showed patience in torment, equal steadfastness for the truth. All are similar to one another, all are equal in spirit, equal in feat; therefore, they were awarded equal crowns of glory.”
The feat of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste reminds us that in our earthly life, a Christian will sooner or later have to make a choice between temporary, soon-to-be-passing worldly prosperity and the crucified Lord with His eternal life full of love. One of the warriors, who were suffering with the others in the cold lake, left his brothers and ran away into the heated bathhouse. Another, a pagan warrior who lived outside of Christ, instantly changed his convictions and followed to death for the sake of the Lord. Seeing the martyr's crowns, he shouted: “And I am a Christian!” - and joined them to share both suffering and glory. Standing in the water, he prayed: “Lord God, I believe in You, in whom these soldiers believe. Join me with them, so that I may be worthy to suffer with Your servants.”
“From the very beginning, the Church saw in this image something that at all times determines the life of every Christian and the life of the entire Church. One way or another we face this choice. Either we must sacrifice Christ for our well-being, or we must sacrifice our well-being for Christ. No person can bypass this choice. But there are trials that cover the entire Church. Both those persecutions that occurred in the ancient Church and those that occurred in very recent times were marked by this: some chose Christ, while others renounced Him. Some renounced when they seemed to be already close to receiving the crown of martyrdom. And among people who were indifferent to the Church, and even among its persecutors, confessors of the faith suddenly appeared,” testifies Archpriest Alexander Shargunov.
The torment of the soldiers faithful to Christ in Lake Sebaste was preceded by the Edict of Milan issued in 313 by Saint Constantine, according to which Christians were allowed freedom of religion and they were equal in rights with pagans. But his co-ruler Licinius was a convinced pagan and in his part of the empire he decided to eradicate Christianity, which had spread significantly there. Licinius was preparing for war against Constantine and, fearing treason, decided to clear his army of Christians. The 40 Martyrs of Sebaste are saints who suffered at this very time from Licinius. Initially, they were offered to renounce Christ, to which the soldiers refused. They tried to stone the saints, but the stones flew past. They were then led to a lake and left to freeze in the cold. To break the will of the martyrs, a bathhouse was lit nearby on the shore. The ice began to melt, and the warriors plunged into the water. Holy crowns appeared above them.
St. Gregory of Nyssa in his “Eulogy to the Holy Forty Martyrs” (second) writes: “Only one thing was terrible for them - to renounce Christ; one good thing is to be with one Christ; everything else - laughter and shadow, idle talk and sleepy dreams... There was one good thing for them - Christ; they renounced everything in order to gain Him.”The next morning the torturers were surprised to see that the martyrs were alive, and their guard Aglaius was glorifying Christ with them. Then the soldiers were taken out of the water and their legs were broken. During this painful execution, the mother of the youngest of the warriors urged her son not to be afraid and to endure everything to the end. The bodies of the martyrs were placed on chariots and taken to be burned. The young martyr was still breathing, and he was left lying on the ground. Then the mother picked up her son and carried him on her shoulders after the chariot. When he breathed his last, his mother placed him on a chariot next to the bodies of his holy companions. The bodies of the saints were burned at the stake, and the charred bones were thrown into the water so that Christians could not collect them.
Three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Blessed Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and ordered him to bury their remains. The bishop and several clergy collected the remains of the glorious martyrs at night and buried them with honor.
The holiday in honor of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia, who suffered under the Emperor Licinius, was first attested thanks to the sermons of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. The parents of the saints greatly revered the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia and in one of their villages, not far from Sebastia (Sivas), they buried the holy relics of these martyrs, and built a church over the burial place. Later, Saint Gregory of Nyssa buried the bodies of his parents next to the relics of the Forty Martyrs.
The Monk Ephraim the Syrian composed five hymns in their honor. Deacon Vladimir Vasilik translated them from the Syriac language. Here is the text of one of the hymns:
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Martyrs who endured the cold Love ignited When they pulled off |
There are many known cases of the gracious help of martyrs after their holy death. Let us cite just one of them, which happened to Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov; 1893–1975) 1. The Bishop testifies:
“In Taganrog, in the bishop’s chambers, there hung an icon of the 40 martyrs who suffered in Lake Sevastia. I, when I was still a young hierodeacon and cell attendant of Bishop Arseny, often passed by this icon, but did not show due veneration to these 40 sufferers and even doubted their existence a little: either they existed, or they did not exist...
And so, in the winter of 1943, in Uman, I was sitting in a Gestapo prison, where the windows were without frames, and there was terrible frost on the street. I was almost naked - I was wearing only a cassock. And then, in this stone bag, I asked for death: “Lord, let me die!” It was impossible, I had no strength to endure this cold. It was then that I remembered the 40 martyrs of Sebastia and began to pray to them, asking for forgiveness for not showing them due respect and not understanding their martyrdom. I prayed fervently, earnestly - and soon despair receded from my soul, warmth spread through my body, and I warmed up. And after the cold and despair had subsided, the cell door opened and they brought me a package - the Holy Gifts, bread and warm clothes.
“Holy face! Holy squad! Unshakable regiment! Common guardians of the human race! Good accomplices in care, companions in prayer, the most powerful intercessors, luminaries of the universe, the color of the Churches (as I think, both spiritual and sensual)! It was not the earth that hid you, but the sky that sheltered you; The gates of heaven have been opened to you. A spectacle worthy of an angelic army, worthy of patriarchs, prophets, and righteous people; men in the very bloom of youth who despised life, who loved the Lord more than parents, more than children! Being at the age most full of life, they counted temporary life for nothing in order to glorify God in their members, becoming “a disgrace to the world, both angel and man” (1 Cor. 4:9), raised up the fallen, confirmed the wavering, aggravated zeal in the pious . All, having erected one victorious monument for piety, were adorned with one crown of righteousness, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen"
Holy martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us!
Troshchinsky Pavel
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
The article is about a church celebration. On folk rituals, see the article Magpies (holiday)
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste- Christian warriors who accepted martyrdom for faith in Christ in Sebaste (Little Armenia, modern Türkiye) in 320 at Licinia. The Orthodox Church commemorates them on March 22 (March 9 according to the Julian calendar).
The names of the martyrs: Kirion, Candide, Domnus, Hesychius, Heraclius, Smaragd, Evnoik, Valens (Valens), Vivian, Claudius, Priscus, Theodulus, Eutyches, John, Xanthius, Ilian, Sisinius, Angius, Aetius, Flavius, Acacius, Ecdicius, Lysimachus, Alexander, Elias, Gorgonius, Theophilus, Dometianus, Gaius, Leontius, Athanasius, Cyril, Sakerdon, Nicholas, Valerius (Valerius), Philoctimon, Severian, Hudion, Melito and Aglaius.
The memory of the 40 martyrs is one of the most revered holidays. On the day of their memory, the severity of Great Lent is eased and the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated.
On March 9, 1230, the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan II Asen defeated the army of Theodore Komnenos and captured him with his family and most of the army. Ivan II Asen attributed his victory to the intercession of the Forty Sebastian Martyrs. As gratitude, the king built or renovated the temple that was on this site (remains not fully understood) and consecrated it in honor of the Forty Martyrs, and also left a significant inscription on the column of this church in memory of the glorious victory.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
Memory of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. Historical background- On March 22, the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the 40 Sebastian martyrs. In 313, during a brutal persecution of Christians, Prefect Agricola forced forty soldiers of the Cappadocian cohort to renounce Christ and sacrifice to idols. All forty... ... Encyclopedia of Newsmakers
- (sk. approx. 320). The suffering of the holy 40 martyrs refers to the last, most cruel period of persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. This happened after the publication of the Edict of Milan, by which the emperors of the western and eastern parts of the empire of St. ... ... Russian history
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Martyrdom of St. Apollonius, (Book of Hours by Etienne Chevalier) Types of executions of early Christian martyrs - a list of types of torment (death sentences and torture) to which early Christian saints were subjected. A number of executions were ... Wikipedia
GEORGIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. PART III- Folk customs associated with the church calendar Mn. cargo. legends and customs were recorded only in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is difficult to determine the time of occurrence. Currently Over time, most of the customs not related to church tradition have not been preserved.... ... Orthodox Encyclopedia
Icon “Forty Martyrs of Sebastia” from the Orthodox Church of the Forty Martyrs located in the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Forty Martyrs of Sebastia, Christian soldiers who suffered martyrdom for their faith in Christ in Sebastia (Little Armenia, ... ... Wikipedia
Icon “Forty Martyrs of Sebastia” from the Orthodox Church of the Forty Martyrs located in the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Forty Martyrs of Sebastia, Christian soldiers who suffered martyrdom for their faith in Christ in Sebastia (Little Armenia, ... ... Wikipedia
This term has other meanings, see Magpies (meanings). Magpies ... Wikipedia
In 313, Saint Constantine the Great issued a decree according to which Christians were allowed freedom of religion and were given equal rights with pagans. But his co-ruler Licinius was a convinced pagan and in his part of the empire he decided to eradicate Christianity, which had spread significantly there. Licinius was preparing for war against Constantine and, fearing treason, decided to clear his army of Christians.
At that time, in the Armenian city of Sebastia, one of the military leaders was Agricolaus, a zealous supporter of paganism. Under his command was a squad of forty Cappadocians, brave warriors who emerged victorious from many battles. They were all Christians. When the warriors refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, Agricolaus imprisoned them. The soldiers indulged in fervent prayer and one night they heard a voice: “He who endures to the end will be saved.”
The next morning the soldiers were again brought to Agricolaus. This time the pagan used flattery. He began to praise their courage, youth and strength and again invited them to renounce Christ and thereby gain the honor and favor of the emperor himself. Hearing a refusal again, Agricolaus ordered the soldiers to be chained. However, the eldest of them, Kirion, said: “The Emperor did not give you the right to impose fetters on us.” Agricolaus was embarrassed and ordered the soldiers to be taken to prison without shackles.
Seven days later, the noble dignitary Lysias arrived in Sebastia and held a trial of the soldiers. The saints firmly answered: “Take not only our military rank, but also our lives; for us there is nothing dearer than Christ God.” Then Lysias ordered the holy martyrs to be stoned. But the stones flew past their target; a stone thrown by Lysias hit Agricolaus in the face. The torturers realized that the saints were protected by some invisible force. In prison, the soldiers spent the night in prayer and again heard the voice of the Lord comforting them: “He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Be bold and do not be afraid, for you will receive imperishable crowns.”
The next day, the trial before the torturer and the interrogation were repeated, but the soldiers remained adamant.
It was winter, there was severe frost. They stripped the holy warriors, led them to a lake located not far from the city, and placed them under guard on ice for the whole night. To break the will of the martyrs, a bathhouse was lit nearby on the shore. In the first hour of the night, when the cold became unbearable, one of the warriors could not stand it and ran towards the bathhouse, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, he fell dead. At three o'clock in the morning the Lord sent consolation to the martyrs: suddenly it became light, the ice melted, and the water in the lake became warm. All the guards were asleep, only one named Aglaius was awake. Looking at the lake, he saw that a bright crown had appeared over the head of each martyr. Aglaius counted thirty-nine crowns and realized that the fleeing warrior had lost his crown. Then Aglaius woke up the rest of the guards, took off his clothes and told them: “And I am a Christian!” - and joined the martyrs. Standing in the water, he prayed: “Lord God, I believe in You, in Whom these warriors believe. Join me with them, so that I may be worthy to suffer with Your servants.”
The next morning the torturers were surprised to see that the martyrs were alive, and their guard Aglaius was glorifying Christ with them. Then the soldiers were taken out of the water and their legs were broken. During this painful execution, the mother of the youngest of the warriors, Meliton, urged her son not to be afraid and to endure everything to the end. The bodies of the martyrs were placed on chariots and taken to be burned. Young Meliton was still breathing, and he was left lying on the ground. Then the mother picked up her son and carried him on her shoulders after the chariot. When Meliton breathed his last, his mother laid him on a chariot next to the bodies of his holy companions. The bodies of the saints were burned at the stake, and the charred bones were thrown into the water so that Christians would not collect them.
The names of the martyrs: Kirion, Candide, Domnus, Hesychius, Heraclius, Smaragd, Evnoik, Valens (Valens), Vivian, Claudius, Priscus, Theodulus, Eutyches, John, Xanthius, Ilian, Sisinius, Angius, Aetius, Flavius, Acacius, Ecdicius, Lysimachus, Alexander, Elias, Gorgonius, Theophilus, Dometianus, Gaius, Leontius, Athanasius, Cyril, Sakerdon, Nicholas, Valerius (Valerius), Philoctimon, Severian, Hudion, Melito and Aglaius.
Three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Blessed Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and ordered him to bury their remains. The bishop and several clergy collected the remains of the glorious martyrs at night and buried them with honor.
The memory of the holy 40 martyrs in all the most ancient monthly books belonged to the circle of the most revered holidays and commemorations of saints. According to the Charter, the service includes 2 canons. On the day of their memory, the severity of fasting is eased - it is allowed to taste wine and even oil, and it is imperative to perform the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. According to tradition, in Rus' they baked products from Lenten dough in the shape of birds - “larks”.
