Folk holiday Magpies are celebrated on March 22 (March 9 old style) every year. In the Orthodox church calendar This is the day of honoring the memory of the forty martyrs of Sebaste.
Other holiday names: 40 saints, Forty forty, Forty Martyrs Day, Lark Day.
According to folk calendar, on this day winter ends - spring begins, day and night are measured and equal (the equinox comes). Larks (waders, black grouse) were also called cookies in the form of birds or the sun, baked for this holiday.
Story
In 313, Saint Constantine the Great issued a decree 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 decided to eradicate Christianity, which had spread significantly there. Licinius was preparing for a war against Constantine and, fearing treason, decided to purge his army of Christians.
At that time, in the Armenian city of Sebastia, Agricolaus, an ardent supporter of paganism, served as one of the military leaders. Under his command was a squad of forty Cappadocians, brave warriors who emerged victorious from many battles. All of them were Christians. When the soldiers 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, he will be saved."
The next morning, the soldiers were again brought to Agricola. This time the pagan used flattery. He began to praise their courage, youth and strength, and again invited them to renounce Christ and thus win the honor and favor of the emperor himself. Again hearing the refusal, Agricolaus ordered the soldiers to be chained. However, the eldest of them, Kirion, said: "The Emperor did not give you the right to impose shackles on us." Agricolaus was embarrassed and ordered the soldiers to be taken to the dungeon without fetters.
Seven days later, a noble dignitary Lysias arrived in Sevastia and arranged a trial for the soldiers. The saints answered firmly: “Take not only our military rank, but also our lives, for us there is nothing more precious than Christ God.” Then Lysias ordered that the holy martyrs be stoned. But the stones flew off target; a stone thrown by Lysias hit Agricolaus in the face. The tormentors realized that some invisible force was protecting the saints.
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 come to life. Be of good cheer and be not afraid, for you will receive incorruptible crowns.” The next day, the trial before the tormentor and the interrogation was repeated, but the soldiers remained adamant.
These events took place in winter, there was a severe frost. The holy warriors were undressed, taken to a lake not far from the city, and placed under guard on the ice all night. In order to break the will of the martyrs, a bathhouse was kindled nearby on the shore. In the first hour of the night, when the cold became unbearable, one of the soldiers could not stand it and rushed to the bathhouse, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, he fell dead. At the third hour of the night, 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 appeared above the head of each martyr. Then Aglaius woke up the rest of the guards, threw off his clothes and said to them: “And I am a Christian!” — and joined the martyrs.
The next morning, the torturers were surprised to see that the martyrs were alive, and their guard Aglaius, together with them, glorified Christ. Then the soldiers were taken out of the water and their shins were broken. During this painful execution, the mother of the youngest of the warriors, Meliton, urged her son not to be afraid and 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 they left him 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 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 the Christians would not collect them.
Three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Blessed Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and commanded him to bury their remains. The bishop, with several clerics, collected the remains of the glorious martyrs at night and buried them with honor.
Traditions and rituals
The main traditions of March 22 - prayers to the martyrs of Sebaste for a successful end to military service, baking buns in the form of birds.
- In Rus', by this day, housewives baked cookies in the form of birds from dough, as a rule, forty pieces - according to the number of dead martyrs. For this, an elastic, well-kneaded dough was used, and sweet strong tea was used as a lubricant. They gave cookies to the children, saying: "The larks flew in, sat on the head of the children." The children climbed onto the roofs, tied the "larks" to the poles and called the birds to come and bring spring. Then the pastries were crumbled and scattered around.
- However, the spring could be deceptive - the morning frosts were still strong. If on March 22 there was a morning frost, they said that Magpies had begun - forty frosty days. To protect themselves from "matinees", the housewives baked forty balls from rye or oatmeal flour. They said about them: "Forty saints, golden kolobans." Balls were supposed to be thrown out of the window one a day for forty days.
“Young people had their fun and games that day. They were going to dance. First, the girls performed the rite of closing winter and opening spring. They tore forty ropes or broke forty sticks. This action, according to our ancestors, broke the fetters of evil spirits that bound the earth in winter, and contributed to the onset of spring. Then the mass celebrations began.
Signs and sayings
- If the magpies are warm - forty days will be warm, if cold - wait for forty cold matinees.
- On Magpie, day and night are measured, equal.
- In that Magpies, in that and Petrovka.
- If the frosts last for forty days, then the summer will be warm.
- The frost that occurred on March 22 promises a harvest, especially millet.
- What is the weather on Soroca, it will be like this for another forty days.
- Thunder is heard - to the hungry year.
- Warm wind promises a rainy summer.
- Jackdaws and magpies are found in large numbers, which means it will soon be warm.
- The seagull flew in - soon the ice will go, spring will begin, the lark flew in - to the heat, the chaffinch - to the cold.
Name day March 22
Peter, Heraclius, Alexander, Nikolai, Cyril, Ivan, Dmitry, Valery, Sergey, Mikhail.
16.03.2016Wednesday
Troparion, tone 1
Passion-bearers of all honor, / warriors of Christ forty, / firm arms, / through fire and water through fire and water / and fast fellow citizens, / with them pray to Christ for those who by faith praise you. / Glory to Him who gave you a fortress, / glory to Him who crowned you, / glory to the Giver healing to all of you.
Kontakion, tone 6
All the armies of the world have been left, / cleave to the Lord of Heaven, / fourty passion-bearers of the Lord, / passed through fire and water, blessed, / deservedly receive glory from Heaven / and many crowns.
Dear brothers and sisters!
March 9 (22) Orthodox Church commemorates the memory of forty martyrs-soldiers who suffered in the Sevastian Lake. 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 in food. However, since 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. Weakened and just begun strict post: It is allowed to eat wine and oil.
It is considered a pious custom to bake “larks” from the lenten dough on the eve of the holiday - the song of these birds symbolizes the prayer of the martyrs to God. According to observations, the singing lark either soars up, then “falls” to the ground like a stone. This was explained by their special boldness and humility before God. The lark quickly rushes upward, but, amazed by the majesty of the Lord, bows down in deep reverence. So the larks, according to the thought of our ancestors, depicted a song of glory to the Lord, lifted up by the martyrs, their humility and aspiration upward, to the Kingdom of Heaven, to the Sun of Truth - Christ.
The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste are an example of true life in God, for whose sake suffering and death are not terrible. With their feat, they consecrate the entire saving Fortecost, 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 for sin, to be confessors of Christ's truth and truth - those who kiss death with Christ and are ready to spit on life in which there is no Christ.
Forty is a number often found in Holy Scripture: the prophet Moses fasted for forty days before receiving the tablets of the Law; the same number of days our Lord Jesus Christ spent in the desert in fasting and prayer; On the fortieth day after the resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven. There were also forty martyrs of Sebaste. Despite the difference in characters, appearance, upbringing - they had the same strong love to 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 with a single impulse gave their lives for the faith.
In Conversation 19 “On the Day of the Holy Forty Martyrs,” St. Basil the Great says: “Will a lover of martyrs get bored when creating the memory of martyrs? The honor rendered to the valiant of our co-servants is proof of our benevolence towards the common Lord. For it is certain that he who praises excellent men will not fail to imitate them himself in similar circumstances. Sincerely bless the one who suffered torment, so that you too become a martyr at will and without persecution, without fire, without scourges, to be awarded the same rewards as them. And we have to marvel not at one, and not only at two, not even ten is limited to the number of those who are gratified - but forty men, who had, as it were, one soul in separate bodies, 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 Sebastia 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 well-being and the crucified Lord with His eternal full of love life. One of the warriors, who suffered with the rest in the cold lake, left the brothers and fled to the heated bathhouse. Another, a pagan warrior who lived outside of Christ, changed his beliefs in an instant and followed his 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 able to suffer with Your servants.
“From the very beginning, the Church saw in this image that which 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 welfare, or we must sacrifice our welfare for Christ. No person can bypass this choice. But there are trials that involve the entire Church. And those persecutions that were in ancient church, and those that were in the most recent time were marked by this: some chose Christ, while others denied Him. Some renounced when they seemed to be close to receiving a martyr's crown. And among the 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 the Sebastian lake was preceded by the Edict of Milan published in 313 by St. Constantine, according to which Christians were allowed freedom of religion and they were equalized in rights with pagans. But his co-ruler Licinius was a convinced pagan and in his part of the empire decided to eradicate Christianity, which had spread significantly there. Licinius was preparing for a war against Constantine and, fearing treason, decided to purge his army of Christians. The 40 martyrs of Sebaste are saints who suffered precisely at this 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. Then they were taken to the lake and left to freeze in the cold. In order to break the will of the martyrs, a bathhouse was kindled nearby on the shore. The ice began to melt, and the soldiers plunged into the water. Holy crowns appeared above them.
St. Gregory of Nyssa in his “Eulogy to the Holy Forty Martyrs” (second) writes: “The only thing that was terrible for them was to renounce Christ; one blessing - to be with one Christ; everything else - laughter and shadow, idle talk and sleepy dreams ... There was one blessing 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, together with them, glorified Christ. Then the soldiers were taken out of the water and their shins were broken. During this painful execution, the mother of the youngest of the warriors urged her son not to be afraid and 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 they left him 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 the 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 commanded him to bury their remains. The bishop, with several clerics, collected the remains of the glorious martyrs at night and buried them with honor.
The feast in honor of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia, who suffered under the emperor Licinius, was first witnessed thanks to the sermons of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. The parents of the saints greatly revered the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste and in one of their villages, not far from Sevastia (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.
Saint Ephraim the Syrian composed five hymns in their honor. Deacon Vladimir Vasilik made their translation 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 took off |
There are many cases of the grace-filled help of martyrs after their holy death. Let us cite just one of them, which happened to Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov; 1893-1975) 1 . The Lord testifies:
“In Taganrog, in the bishop's chambers, an icon of 40 martyrs hung, who suffered in the Sevastian Lake. When I was still a young hierodeacon and cell-attendant of Vladyka Arseny, I often passed by this icon, but I did not pay proper respect to these 40 sufferers and even had a little doubt about their existence: either they were there, or they were not there ...
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 a terrible frost on the street. I was almost undressed - I only had a cassock on me. And then, in this stone bag, I asked for death: “Lord, let me die!” It was impossible, there was no strength to endure this cold. It was then that I remembered the 40 martyrs of Sebaste and began to pray to them, to ask for forgiveness for not showing them due respect, 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 receded, the cell door opened and they brought me a package - the Holy Gifts, bread and warm clothes.
Soviet troops approached the city, and the Germans began to shoot the prisoners. And so, I took the Holy Gifts in my palms and prayed before them all night. Believers in Uman collected gold and bribed the assistant head of the prison. He gave his word that he would leave me alive, and indeed, while the captured Germans - some were taken away with them, others were shot - I remained alive.
At the end of our short story, we will quote the words of Basil the Great, spoken by him in honor of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste:
"Holy face! Holy squad! Relentless Regiment! General Guardians human race! Good accomplices in cares, companions in prayer, the most powerful intercessors, luminaries of the universe, the flower of the Churches (both spiritual and sensual, I think)! The earth did not hide you, but the sky received you; the gates of paradise have been opened to you. A spectacle worthy of an angelic army, worthy of patriarchs, prophets, righteous people; men in the very bloom of youth who despise life, love the Lord more than parents, more than children! Being at the age most full of life, they counted temporal life as nothing in order to glorify God in their members, becoming “a shame to the world and an angel and a man” (1 Cor. . All, having erected one victorious monument for piety, were adorned with one crown of truth, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen"
Holy martyrs of Sebaste, pray to God for us!
Troshchinsky Pavel
The Christian faith is so great that many gave their lives for it. A very inspiring story took place at the beginning of the 4th century. - the forty martyrs of Sebaste showed steadfastness and courage, which serve as an example to this day. Their suffering served to eternal glory, and also contributed to the spread of the good news to all earthly limits.
Story
The Roman Empire was so great that it conquered almost the entire world. However, despite their enlightenment in matters of science and art, the Romans remained idolaters for a long time. But gradually Christianity became so firmly established that one of the emperors made it the state faith. But even then, not everything went smoothly. During the reign of Constantine, there were other rulers (they divided the empire into parts), the most greedy and treacherous was Licinius. He wanted to rule alone.
In order to prepare for the rebellion, Licinius incited his commander to destroy the army - the forty martyrs of Sebaste were soldiers from the city of Sebastia. Agricolaus was the leader in that area. He tried to persuade the soldiers to sacrifice to the pagan gods, but they refused. Then they were taken into custody. During the prayer, the captives received a revelation - they will be tormented, but those who show steadfastness will receive crowns in heaven as a reward from Christ.
- The brave soldiers spent a whole week in prison, but did not change their minds, they were ready to part with their lives, but only not to betray Jesus: “He is dearest to us!” they said in court.
- Then they applied the old execution to the soldiers - they decided to throw stones at them. However, an invisible force pulled them aside, not a single convict was hurt.
Life of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
Further, the life of the forty martyrs of Sebaste describes the most difficult test. The events took place at the end of the first spring month. Therefore, it was still quite cold, the reservoirs were covered with ice. The naked warriors were taken to the middle of the nearest lake and left there. Nearby, the tormentors melted the bath, anticipating how the prisoners would turn into heat, betraying their faith. But only one could not stand it - he died before reaching the shelter.
Late at night, one of the guards saw a wonderful picture: 40 crowns descended from the sky, then they decorated the heads of the sufferers. Then he decided to earn the remaining crown, confessed himself a Christian and himself went to the middle of the frozen lake. The next day, the prisoners' legs were broken (so that they could not run), and the bodies were burned.
This type of execution shows that the executioners had fears about Christians - since before that there were repeated cases of resurrection of people, miraculous deliverance from the most terrible wounds. Quite often, martyrs were killed only by cutting off their heads. The bones of the soldiers were thrown into the water, but the local community of believers collected them and buried them with honor.
Holiday
In Russia, the day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste has become among the people one of the favorite spring days. He belongs to great post, according to folk omens, spring on this day begins to come into its own. Therefore, the symbolism of this day is associated with the awakening of nature. From the dough they baked round cookies (in the form of a luminary), as well as buns in the form of birds (larks, black grouse). The day is called - magpies (emphasis on the first syllable) - in memory of forty saints.
Signs and traditions:
- Good luck will come to the yard where the swallow has built a nest.
- The first birds arrive from the south.
- Birds baked from dough were planted on open window called spring.
- They were also given to children, and they arranged games, singing special “springs”.
- In the evening, the girls went out to the lake to sing songs.
In some nations, it is customary to clean up the mess, burn garbage and jump over the fire on this day. The youth went for a walk until the morning, returning home with willow leaves, with which they had to clap all the household with wishes of health. folk traditions feast of the forty martyrs of Sebastian - not church, although they have an ancient origin.
Temples of the Forty Martyrs of Sevastia
In the name of the forty martyrs of Sevastia, more than one temple was erected. There is a medieval building on the territory of Bulgaria. Tsar Ivan, having won a victory on the day of remembrance of the saints in 1230, considered that he owed this to the prayers of valiant soldiers. Shortly after the church was built, a saint named Savva, originally from Serbia, was buried in it. True, his remains later returned to their homeland.
During the Turkish occupation, temple frescoes were subjected to barbaric destruction. At the beginning of the 20th century it was here that the words about the liberation of Bulgaria were heard. Many kings rest in the temple, and it is an architectural monument.
The Moscow Church of the Forty Martyrs of Sevastia was founded in 1645 and is located at 28 Dinamovskaya Street. This is how the history of the warriors turned out to be connected with the development of Moscow. In the church, you can order a prayer service to the saints, read an akathist.
Iconography, prayers
The Orthodox icon dedicated to the feat of soldiers from Sevastia is quite easy to recognize:
- in the center are 40 men, naked to the waist, they stand side by side;
- some fall, exhausted, but their comrades support them;
- under the feet of warriors - water;
- above the composition - Jesus Christ, sending a blessing from heaven;
- crowns (crowns) descend from the sky.
This is the composition of most of the icons of the forty martyrs of Sebaste. Sometimes saints are depicted immersed in water up to their waists. On many images you can also see a traitor who walks away. Sometimes they also draw a converted guard, who, on the contrary, approaches the martyrs.
You can pray to the forty martyrs of Sebaste for the gift of patience, help in various troubles, with weakened faith. They will also help the soldiers honorably fulfill their duty to the Motherland and the Lord. Several prayers have been written in memory of the martyrdom, which you will find on this page. Surprisingly, history has brought us all the names of the saints, among them there are many that are used in our time:
- Nikolay.
- Valery.
- Eli (Ilya).
- John (Ivan).
- Kirill.
Therefore, if the date of baptism falls on March 22 (or nearby), you can choose one of them as a heavenly patron.
Prayers of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
Prayer one
About the holy glorification of the Passion-bearers of Christ forty, in the city of Sebaste Christ for the sake of courageously suffered, through fire and water we passed through, and as friends of Christ entered the rest of the Kingdom of Heaven, have great boldness to intercede with the Most Holy Trinity for the Christian race: especially for those who honor your holy memory and with faith and love calling you. Ask the all-merciful God for forgiveness of our sins and correction of our life, but in repentance and unfeigned love for each other, we will live with boldness before the terrible Judgment Seat of Christ, and by your intercession at the right hand of the righteous Judge we will stand. She, saints of God, wake us up as protectors from all enemies visible and invisible, and under the roof of your holy prayers we will get rid of all troubles, evils and misfortunes until the last day of our life, and so we will glorify the great and venerable name of the all-powerful Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer two
O passion-bearers of Christ, in the city of Sevastia, who courageously suffered, to you, as our prayer books, we diligently resort and ask: ask the All-Generous God for forgiveness of our sins and correction of our life, but in repentance and unfeigned love for each other, we will live with boldness before the terrible judgment of Christ and by your intercession we will stand at the right hand of the Righteous Judge. She, servants of God, wake us, servants of God (names), protectors from all enemies visible and invisible, but under the shelter of your holy prayers we will get rid of all troubles, evils and misfortunes until last day our lives, and so let us glorify the great and venerable name of the All-powerful Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.
In. 11, 25
In 313, Saint Constantine the Great issued a decree 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 decided to eradicate Christianity, which had spread significantly there. Licinius was preparing for a war against Constantine and, fearing treason, decided to purge his army of Christians.
At that time, in one Armenian city of Sebastia, one of the commanders was Agricolaus, a zealous supporter of paganism. Under his command was a squad of forty Cappadocians, brave warriors who emerged victorious from many battles. All of them were Christians. When the soldiers refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, Agricolaus imprisoned them. The warriors indulged in fervent prayer, and one night they heard a voice: “He who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
The next morning, the soldiers were again brought to Agricola. This time the pagan used flattery. He began to praise their courage, youth and strength, and again invited them to renounce Christ and thus win the honor and favor of the emperor himself. Again hearing the refusal, Agricolaus ordered the soldiers to be chained. However, the eldest of them, Kirion, said: "The Emperor did not give you the right to impose shackles on us." Agricolaus was embarrassed and ordered the soldiers to be taken to the dungeon without fetters.
Seven days later, a noble dignitary Lysias arrived in Sevastia and arranged a trial for the soldiers. The saints answered firmly: “Take not only our military rank, but also our lives, for us there is nothing more precious than Christ God.” Then Lysias ordered that the martyrs be stoned. But the stones flew off target; the stone thrown by Lysias hit Agricolaus in the face. The tormentors realized that some invisible force was protecting the Saints. 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 come to life. Be of good cheer and be not afraid, for you will receive incorruptible crowns.”
The next day, the trial and interrogation before the tormentor was repeated, but the soldiers remained adamant.
It was winter, it was very cold. The holy warriors were undressed, taken to a lake not far from the city, and placed under guard on the ice all night. In order to break the will of the martyrs, a bathhouse was kindled nearby on the shore. In the first hour of the night, when the cold became unbearable, one of the soldiers could not stand it and rushed to the bathhouse, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, he fell dead. At the third hour of the night, 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 appeared above 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, threw off his clothes and said to 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 soldiers believe. Join me with them, so that I may be able to suffer with Your servants.
The next morning, the torturers were surprised to see that the martyrs were alive, and their guard Aglaius, together with them, glorified Christ. Then the soldiers were taken out of the water and their shins were broken. During this painful execution, the mother of the youngest of the warriors, Meliton, urged her son not to be afraid and 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 they left him 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 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 the Christians would not collect them.
Three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Blessed Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and commanded him to bury their remains. The bishop, with several clerics, collected the remains of the glorious martyrs at night and buried them with honor.
"Handbook of the clergyman", vol. 3
Troparion to the Martyrs of Sebaste
Passion-bearers of all honor, the soldiers of Christ forty, the firmament of the armourer: through fire and water you pass through, and fellow citizens are fast as an angel. With them, pray to Christ for those who praise you in faith: glory to Him who gave you strength, glory to Him Who crowned you, glory to Him who gives you healing to all.
“All-glorious martyrs, courageous fighters, forty soldiers of Christ, you have passed through fire and water and have become fellow citizens of the Angels. Pray with them to Christ for those who sing of you: glory to Him who gave you firmness, glory to Him Who crowned you, glory to Him who gives healing to all through your prayers.
About the Holy Martyrs of Sebaste
Will the lover of martyrs ever get bored of creating the memory of martyrs? The honor given to the good among our fellow servants is proof of our goodwill towards the common Lord. For it is certain that he who praises valiant men will not fail to imitate them himself in similar circumstances. Sincerely appease the one who has suffered torment, so that you too become a martyr in your will, and without persecution, without fire, without scourges, be awarded the same rewards as him. And we are given the opportunity to labor not only to one martyr, and not only to two martyrs, not even to ten the number of those who are blessed is limited: but forty men, who in separate bodies had, as it were, one soul, in agreement and unanimity of faith showed the same patience in torment, the same 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.
What did the prevailing then do? He was skillful and plentiful in means, now seducing with caresses, now seducing with threats. And at first he wanted to charm them with caresses, trying to weaken the power of piety in them. He said: “Do not betray your youth; do not exchange this sweet life for an untimely death. Accustomed to be distinguished by valor in battles, it is not decent to die the death of villains. On top of that, he promised them money. And he gave them, and honors from the king, and bestowed chinmi, and wanted to overcome with thousands of inventions. Inasmuch as they did not succumb to such a temptation, he turned to another kind of tricks: he frightened them with beatings, deaths, and experiencing unbearable torments.
That is how he acted! What about martyrs? They say: “Why, O god-adversary, do you trap us, offering us these blessings, so that we fall away from the living God and become enslaved to destructive demons? Why do you give as much as you try to take away? I hate a gift that entails harm; I do not accept honor, which is the mother of dishonor. You give money, but it stays here. You make known to the king, but you alienate from the true King. What is it that you offer us so sparingly and so little from the worldly things? We despise the whole world. With the hope that is longed for us, the visible cannot be compared. You see this sky: how beautiful it is to look at it, how majestic it is! You see the earth: how spacious it is and what miracles are on it! None of this equals the blessedness of the righteous. For these things pass away, but our blessings endure. I wish you one gift - the crown of truth; I strive for one glory - for glory in the Kingdom of Heaven. I am jealous of the honor of the mountains: I am afraid of torment, but torment in hell. That fire is terrible to me, but this one, with which you threaten, is of service to me. He knows how to respect those who respect idols. Arrows, baby, as I reason, your ulcers (Ps. 63, 8), because you strike the body, and if it withstands blows for a long time, it crowns brighter, and if it soon becomes exhausted, it will get rid of such oppressor judges who, having taken into service your body, you are striving to dominate your soul, which, if you are not preferred to our God, as if having suffered extreme insult from us, are irritated and threaten with these terrible torments, blaming piety on us. But you will not find us either timid, or attached to life, or easily terrified, and this is because we love God. We know how to endure when they wheel, twist members, burn on fire; we are ready to accept any kind of torture.”
When this proud and inhuman man heard this, not enduring the boldness of these men and boiling up with rage, he began to reason with himself, what way would you find for him to prepare for their death, both long and bitter at the same time. I finally found it, and look how cruel his invention is! Paying attention to the property of the country that it is cold, to the season that it is winter, noticing the night in which the cold extended to the greatest extent, and besides, the north wind also blew, he gave the order, exposing them all, to kill them in the open air, freezing in the middle of the city.
Having then listened to this command (referring to this about the invincible courage of the martyrs), each one joyfully threw off his last tunic, and all flowed to meet death, which the cold threatened, encouraging each other, as if they were going to plunder the booty. “We do not throw off our clothes,” they said, “but we put aside the old man, smoldering in lustful lusts (Eph. 4:22). We thank You, Lord, that with this garment we cast off sin from ourselves; through the serpent we have been clothed, through Christ we shall be put off. Let's not hold on to clothes for the paradise we've lost. Is it hard for a slave to endure what the Lord also endured? It would be better to say that we also stripped off the clothes from the Lord himself. It was the audacity of the warriors; they took off and divided his garments according to themselves. Therefore, let us make amends for the written accusation against us. Winter is cruel, but paradise is sweet; It is painful to freeze, but it is pleasant to rest. Let us not endure for long, and the bosom of the Patriarch will warm us. In one night we make ourselves a whole century. Let the foot be scorched, if only to rejoice with the Angels incessantly! Let the hand fall away, if only to have the audacity to lift it up to the Lord! How many of our soldiers fell in the ranks, remaining faithful to the corruptible king? Shall we not sacrifice our lives out of loyalty to the true King? How many people convicted of a crime were subjected to the death of villains? Shall we not endure death for the truth? Let us not deviate, comrades, let us not turn the back of the devil. We have flesh, we will not spare it. Since we must die, we will die in order to live. May our sacrifice be before Thee, O Lord (Dan. 3:40). As a living sacrifice, pleasing to Thee, may we be accepted, burnt by this coldness - we, a beautiful offering, a new burnt offering, all-bearing not with fire, but with cold.
When the martyrs were ascetic, and the guard watched what would happen: he sees an extraordinary spectacle, he sees that some forces descend from heaven, and, as it were, distribute great gifts from the Tsar to the soldiers. And to all the rest they shared the gifts; they left only one unrewarded, recognizing him as unworthy of Heavenly honors; and this was the one who, soon giving up suffering, passed on to the adversaries. A pitiful sight for the righteous! The warrior is a fugitive, the first of the brave is a captive, the sheep of Christ is the prey of beasts. But it was even more pitiful that he eternal life did not reach, and did not enjoy the present; because that hour his flesh crumbled from the action of heat on it. But how this animal-lover fell, transgressing the law without any benefit to himself: so the executioner, as soon as he saw that he evaded and went to the bath, he himself took the place of the fugitive, and throwing off his clothes, joined the naked, crying out in one voice with saints: I am a Christian! And by the suddenness of the change, astonishing those who were coming, he replenished the number with himself, and by joining him alleviated the grief over the weakened, following the example of those standing in the ranks, who, as soon as someone in the front row falls, immediately replace him with themselves, so that the dead would not break their line. This one did the same. He saw Heavenly miracles, knew the truth, flowed to the Lord, became numbered among the martyrs! Judas went away, and Matthew was brought in in his place! Pavlov's yesterday's persecutor, and now the preacher of the gospel, became an imitator. And he had a title from above, neither from man nor by man (Gal. 1:1). He believed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, was baptized into Him not by anyone else, but by his own faith, not in water, but in his own blood.
Your petitions will be fitting for the martyrs. Let young men imitate them as peers; let fathers pray to be the parents of such children; Let mothers study what is told about the good mother. For the mother of one of these blessed ones, seeing that others had already died of cold, and her son, in strength of strength and patience in torment, was still breathing, when the executioners left him in the hope that he would change, she herself, taking it with her own hands, laid him down on the chariot, on which they carried the others to the fire. Here in the true sense is the mother of a martyr! She did not shed tears of cowardice, did not utter anything low and unworthy of the time; but he says: “Go, son, on a good journey with your peers and with your comrades; keep up with this face; no later than others, come to the Lord.” Here is a truly good branch of a good root! The valiant mother showed that she fed him more with the dogmas of piety than with milk. So he was brought up, so prefaced by a pious mother! And the devil remains ashamed: because, having raised the whole creation against the martyrs, he saw that everything was defeated by their valor - both the windy night, and the cold of the country, and the season, and the exposure of bodies.
Holy face! Holy squad! Relentless Regiment! Common guardians of the human race! Good accomplices in cares, companions in prayer, the most powerful intercessors, luminaries of the universe, the flower of churches! It was not the earth that hid you, but Heaven received you; the gates of paradise have been opened to you. A spectacle worthy of the Angelic army, worthy of patriarchs, prophets, righteous people; men in the very bloom of youth who despise life, love the Lord more than parents, more than children! Being at the age of the fullest life, they counted temporal life as nothing in order to glorify God in their members: having become a disgrace to the world, an angel and a man (1 Cor. 11, 9), they raised the fallen, confirmed the vacillating, aggravated jealousy in the pious. All, having erected one victorious monument for piety, were adorned with one crown of truth, in Christ Jesus, our Lord, to whom be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
WHAT THE FORTY MARTYRS OF SEBASTE PRAY FOR
The feat that these people accomplished reminds us of human fortitude and devotion. They usually pray to the Holy Martyrs of Sebaste to gain stamina, for help in overcoming troubles and difficult trials, in despair, and most importantly, for the preservation and strengthening of faith.
It must be remembered that icons or saints do not "specialize" in any particular area. 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.
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HISTORY OF THE FEAT OF THE FORTY MARTYRS OF SEBASTE
Three hundred years after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, Christians were persecuted by the pagans. This continued until the year 313, when the holy emperor Constantine the Great granted Christians freedom of religion. But in many provinces, pagans still ruled, such as Agricolaus, who commanded the 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 obey the order and announced that they were Christians and worshiped only the true God, and not idols.
At first, Agricola tried to persuade them, promising them money and a promotion. After that, he began to threaten with prison and a 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 shall be saved."
A week later, a noble dignitary Lysias arrived in Sevastia and ordered the Christian soldiers to be stoned. But the stones did not harm the martyrs, they simply flew past the target. Even the stone thrown by Lysias himself hit Agricolaus in the face.
The tormentors were embarrassed by what they saw and decided to return the prisoners to prison in order 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 of good cheer and be not afraid, for you will receive incorruptible crowns.”
The next day, the brave warriors were tied up and led to the lake, which was near the city of Sevastia. That day there was a severe frost, the soldiers were undressed, and then driven straight into the icy water. At the same time, on the shore, the tormentors built a bathhouse, flooded it and said that any of them could immediately warm themselves in it if they renounced Christ.
All night the warriors stood in the icy water, encouraging each other. They sang hymns despite the pain of frostbite. But these torments are comparable in strength to burns from fire. One of the soldiers, after several hours, could not stand it, ran ashore, to the bathhouse. But, as soon as he stepped on the threshold of a hotly heated bath, due to a sharp temperature drop, his skin and flesh began to separate, and he died.
The night went on. One of the guards, Aglaius, was very surprised by what he saw: how can these Christians, despite unheard-of torments, do 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 got so warm that the ice melted.
Aglaius was perplexed: what is happening? Looking up, he saw luminous crowns above the heads of the warriors. There were thirty-nine crowns - according to the number of remaining staunch martyrs. Then the man threw off his clothes, 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 able to suffer with Your servants.
In the morning, the chiefs of the torturers 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 shins of the martyrs to be broken with hammers in order to make the suffering unbearable. But even dying from torment, the soldiers did not stop praying and glorifying the True God.
Lysias ordered the remains of the soldiers to be destroyed 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 Peter of Sebaste and ordered him to take the bones from the river. The bishop with several priests secretly came to the river at night. O miracle: 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, not denying the Lord even when their lives were threatened. Showing their tormentors an example of stamina and firmness of spirit, they were already noted during their lifetime. God's Grace, which helps people endure any, even the most unimaginable torment. They showed a real example of faith in God.
On the day of remembrance of the Martyrs of Sebaste in Rus', it has long been a custom to mold dough and bake "larks" - buns in the form of birds.
Why larks? The peasants, paying attention to the fact that the singing lark sometimes flies up, then “falls” like a stone to the ground, explained this by the special boldness and humility of these birds before God. The lark quickly rushes up, but, amazed by the majesty of the Lord, bows down in deep reverence.
So the larks, according to the thought of our pious ancestors, represented the song of glory to the Lord, lifted up by the martyrs, their humility and aspiration upward, to the Kingdom of Heaven, to the Sun of Truth - Christ.
Magnification
We magnify you, holy martyrs, and honor your honest suffering, even for Christ you endured in nature.
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