“The holy martyrs, as they endured their suffering with courage and rejoiced in their hope, thus spoke to one another: “We are not taking off mere clothes, but laying aside our old selves. Bitter is the winter, but sweet is Paradise; painful is the ice, but delightful is the reward. Therefore, for a little while we shall persevere, and we shall be crowned with the victorious wreaths from Christ God and the Saviour of our souls.”
(Sticheron at Lord, I Have Cried, Tone 2)
Each year, the feast of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste brightens our Lenten journey - the Church honours their memory on 22 March. The liturgical services on this day are distinctive: a polyeleos vigil on the eve, and the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts on the 22nd. Great Church Fathers such as Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory of Nyssa reflected deeply on the martyrdom of these saints in their discourses. Later, Saints Ephrem the Syrian, Theodore the Studite, and other ascetics extolled the suffering saints. The venerable hymnographer John Damascene composed a service in their honour. “The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste” have inspired countless frescoes, icons, and manuscript miniatures. Master craftsmen have immortalised their image in works made from the finest and most precious materials.
From the earliest days, the Church has seen in the Sebaste martyrs a fundamental choice that defines every Christian life and, indeed, the life of the Church. Every person encounters it sooner or later, in one way or another: to sacrifice their well-being, peace, contentment, and sometimes even life itself for the sake of Jesus Christ, or to forsake what is holy “for a morsel of bread.” Such trials also arise for the whole Church. Both in the persecutions of the early Church and in those of more recent times, some chose Christ, while others, sometimes even seemingly on the verge of receiving the martyr’s crown, denied Him. Remarkably, even among those indifferent to the Church, or indeed among its persecutors, steadfast believers were suddenly found.
Sebaste — modern-day Sivas in Turkey — the location of the 12th Roman Legion in 320 AD
The Edict of Milan, signed by Emperors Constantine and Licinius in 313 AD, brought the Church out of hiding: Christianity was recognised as a state religion in Rome. However, on the fringes of the empire, in provinces governed by pagans, persecutions often persisted. In 320 AD, the famed 12th Lightning Legion was stationed in Sebaste, Little Armenia (modern-day Sivas, Turkey). Among its ranks were 40 Christians from Cappadocia. They were the best of the best: courageous soldiers, known for their exploits and military victories, endowed with beauty, strength, intelligence, and many talents.
According to Church tradition, in the winter of that same year, these soldiers defied their commander, Agricola, who ordered them to participate in a pagan sacrifice. Neither sweet enticements nor grave threats could sway them — the soldiers stood firm and dismissed all promises. The commander threw them into prison, and when the high-ranking official Lysias arrived in Sebaste, they were all sentenced to death. In a mysterious way, the Lord Himself strengthened the captives, comforting them with His words: “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. Be of good cheer, and fear not, for you will receive incorruptible crowns.”
The captors stripped the soldiers bare and led them out into the bitter cold. At the edge of an icy lake, all forty stood shoulder to shoulder, as they had once done in combat; yet now they were armed only with prayer. The martyrs beseeched the Lord to give them the strength to withstand their ordeal to its conclusion. Saint Basil the Great, who held a deep reverence for the Holy Martyrs, puts these words into their mouths: “We do not cast off clothing, but we lay aside our old selves, corrupted by deceitful desires (cf. Ephesians 4:22). We thank You, Lord, that with this clothing we cast off sin; through the serpent we were clothed, through Christ we shall be unclothed. Let us not cling to clothes for the sake of Paradise, which we have lost. Is it hard for a servant to endure what the Master also endured? Or rather, we even stripped the Lord Himself of His clothes. This was the audacity of the soldiers; they stripped and divided His garments among themselves. Therefore, let us atone for the accusation written against us. Harsh is the winter, but sweet is Paradise; agonising to freeze, but delightful is the repose…”
Fragments of the mosaic "The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste" in Saint Sophia's Cathedral, Kiev, are originals from the 11th century. They are located on the north and south supporting arches. To date, 15 mosaic medallions have survived
To break the soldiers’ resolve, their torturers set up a warm bathhouse on the shore, where anyone who wished to renounce Christ could warm themselves. During the night, one soldier gave in and ran into the bathhouse, only to die that very moment, losing both his earthly and eternal life at once.
Sebaste Martyrs, fresco from Dionysiou Monastery, Mount Athos
At the third hour of the night, Agricola, the pagan guarding the sufferers, saw a gentle light over the lake, warming the frostbitten warriors. He looked on in wonder: how could these Christians, despite such unheard-of torment, continue to pray? Luminous crowns began to descend from above onto the heads of the martyrs, but one lingered in the air. Then Agricola threw off his clothes and, waking the other guards, ran towards the martyrs, shouting, “I too am a Christian!” He prayed: “Lord God, I believe in You, in Whom these soldiers believe. Join me to them, that I may be worthy to suffer with Your servants.” Thus, there were forty again, and the last crown adorned the willing martyr.
The next morning, seeing that the soldiers had not frozen to death, their tormentors broke their legs. Lysias ordered the remains of the new martyrs to be destroyed so that Christians could not venerate their relics. As the bodies of the saints were being taken to be burned, it turned out that the youngest of them, the soldier Melito, was still alive. Then the young man’s mother, fearing that his spirit might falter, herself carried him to the place of suffering so that her son would not lose the martyr’s crown. The remains of the martyrs were burned on a pyre, and their bones thrown into the river.
“Through fire and water we have passed” - Russian icon of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste
According to hagiography, three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Blessed Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and commanded him to give their remains a proper burial. At night, the bishop, accompanied by several priests, secretly went to the river. The remains, like stars, shone in the water with a bright light. The Christians gathered the relics of the saints and buried them with honour.
According to tradition, while in prison, the saints dictated their "Testament" to a young man named Eunoicus. From this document, we know the names of these forty martyrs: Cyrion, Candidus, Domnus, Hesychius, Heraclius, Smaragdus, Eunoicus, Valens, Vivianus, Claudius, Priscus, Theodulus, Eutychius, John, Xanthus, Helianus, Sisinnius, Aetius, Flavius, Acacius, Ecdicius, Lysimachus, Alexander, Elias, Gorgonius, Theophilus, Dometianus, Gaius, Leontius, Athanasius, Cyrillus, Sacerdon, Nicolaus, Valerius, Philoctimon, Severian, Chudion, Melito, and Agricola.
Micromosaic* "Forty Martyrs of Sebaste," 1300 AD, Byzantium. Dumbarton Oaks Museum Collection, Washington, D.C.
The text has survived to this day. It consists of three parts: the testament itself concerning the burial of the martyrs in a shared grave, instructions for Christians, and greetings to familiar clergy and loved ones. Here is an excerpt:
"Therefore, I ask you, brother Crispin, and command you to be strangers to all worldly pleasure and deceit, for the glory of this world is feeble and fleeting: it blossoms for a short time, but immediately withers like grass; it ends before it has even begun. Instead, set your heart on the God of loving kindness, who grants unending wealth to those who turn to Him, and crowns those who believe in Him with everlasting life.
The present time is fitting for those who desire salvation: it offers a long season for repentance, and also presents a clear path of life for those who do not delay. Changes in life are unpredictable; however, knowing this, observe what is beneficial, and in this life, display the purity of true worship, so that while embraced by it, your earlier wrongs may be erased. For He has said, 'In whatever I find you, in that I will judge you.'
So, aim to live blamelessly in keeping Christ’s commandments, that you may escape the unceasing and eternal flames. For the Divine voice has long declared, 'The time is short' (1 Corinthians 7:29).
So, above all else, honour love, for it alone fulfils the law of brotherly love, obeying God’s command — we worship the unseen God through kindness to the visible brother. These words speak to those of one heart, yet they extend to all who hold Christ dear. Our Holy Saviour and God Himself taught that brotherhood stretches beyond blood ties — it encompasses all united in faith through good works who carry out the will of our Father in heaven.”
Triptych "The 40 Martyrs of Sebaste," late 10th – early 11th century, Ivory, Hermitage Museum
The relics of the forty martyrs were dispersed to many places, and their veneration became widespread thanks to Saint Basil the Great, who deeply revered "the forty men, who, in separate bodies, had as it were one soul, in the harmony and unity of faith showed patience in torments, equal steadfastness for the truth. All are alike, all equal in spirit, equal in struggle; therefore, they have also been deemed worthy of crowns of glory of equal honour" (Homily 19 on the Day of the Holy Forty Martyrs). As Saint Gregory of Nyssa wrote, "the remains of the martyrs were scattered throughout the land, so that every region might receive their blessing." Saint Gregory himself also kept a particle of the relics of the Martyrs of Sebaste in his house church.
Chapel of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste in the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, now the burial vault of the Jerusalem Patriarchs
The iconographic tradition of the saints began to take shape from the 4th century. Most often, they are depicted together. Many icons show their torment in the lake, the heated bathhouse and Melito running towards it, the crowns descending from heaven, and the guard who came to believe in Christ. But there are also images of individual martyrs. In the rich variety of ancient and modern depictions of the 40 martyrs of Sebaste, there is a clear sense of the importance of their story. In the consciousness of Orthodox Christians, these saints are revered as the heavenly patrons of the armed forces. Courage in faith and loyalty to military duty have always been vital for those defending their homeland.
In honour of the Sebaste martyrs, churches were built across the Christian world. Constantinople alone had more than eight, including those commissioned by Empress Pulcheria and Emperor Anastasius. The Russian pilgrim Antony, who visited Constantinople in 1200 AD, mentioned the Church of the Forty Martyrs standing at the Golden Gate. In the Russian Orthodox Church, churches dedicated to the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste are located in Moscow, Saratov, Pechory, Kirov, and countless other cities and villages.
Church of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste in Pereslavl-Zalessky, 1755
The struggle is over, the martyrs crowned and rejoicing in the Heavenly Kingdom. The Church annually honours their memory with solemn services, while the lake where the forty holy warriors fought for Christ has vanished. Today, hot, healing springs gush forth from the earth in this area. Where once cruelty condemned faithful souls to suffering, their prayers, love, and bold faith now bring healing to human bodies.
And that famed 12th Roman Legion, with its 370-year history, slowly dwindled to mere garrison duty and melted into the mass of those who serve this world.
Church of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste in the village of Kosyn, Vileika District, Belarus, 18th century
Scripture tells us that the trials of the 4th and 20th centuries still lie ahead for the Church at the very last turn of history — when every person, the entire Church, and all of humanity will have to make the same choice faced by the forty martyrs of Sebaste whom we celebrate today. This will be the final choice before the end of the world. May the prayers of the holy warriors of Sebaste strengthen us and help us to remain faithful to Christ until the end.
"In hymns let us praise, O faithful, the forty passion-bearers, the martyrs, and cry out to them with sweet-sounding voices, saying: Rejoice, sufferers for Christ, Hesychius, Melito, Heraclius, Smaragdus, and Domnus, Eunoicus, Valens, and Vivianus, Claudius and Priscus. Rejoice, Theodulus, Eutychius, and John, Xanthus, Helianus, Sisinnius, Cyrion, Aëtius, and Flavius. Rejoice, Acacius, Ecdicius, Lysimachus, Alexander, Elias, and Gorgonius, Theophilus, Dometianus, and the divine Gaius, and Leontius. Rejoice, Eutyches, and Athanasius, Cyrillus, and Sacerdon, Nicolaus, and Valerius, Philoctimon, Severian, Chudion, and Agricola. As those having boldness before Christ our God, O all-honourable martyrs, diligently pray to Him for the salvation of those who faithfully celebrate your venerable memory."
(Sticheron of the Saints, Tone 6)
Prepared by the team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photographs from the Internet
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*Micromosaic is an artistic technique that uses exceptionally small pieces of smalt – tesserae, ranging from 1 to 4 mm. A single square centimetre of work can contain over a thousand of these tiny elements. Icons in this technique were produced in very limited quantities.
Sources used:
1. Iconography of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste "Iconographic Department of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy (spbda.ru)
2. Works: in 2 vols. / St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. - Moscow: Siberian Blagozvonnitsa, 2008-2009. (Complete collection of the works of the Holy Fathers of the Church and church writers in Russian translation). / Vol. 1: Dogmatic-polemical works; Exegetical works; Homilies. - 2008. - 1135 pp. / Homilies. 865-1090 pp.
3. “Cleric’s Handbook,” Vol. 3
4. Secrets of the “Harsh” Mosaics of St. Sophia Cathedral – a masterpiece from the times of Kievan Rus, unmatched in the world (kulturologia.ru)
5. “The Martyrs of Sebaste” in St. Sophia Cathedral, Kiev: sergeyurich — LiveJournal
6. Iconography of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (monastery.ru)
7. The Holy Forty Martyrs, who suffered in Lake Sebaste / Orthodox Christianity.Ru (pravoslavie.ru)
