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One guard Aglaius and thirty-nine Orthodox warriors martyred on a lake near the Armenian town of Sevas (Sebastius) are the personification of spiritual fortitude, strong faith, and also a model of masculinity. In the same article you can learn about the lives of the Saints, when is the day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, how to pray to them, what they help with and much more.
The Story of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
In the 14th century, when the Romans allowed Christians to practice their faith, Emperor Licinius decided to return paganism and resume persecution of the followers of Christ. At first, Licinius planned to cleanse the army of Christians. Forty warriors, true believers in the Lord God, refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, as demanded by the treacherous emperor and their military leader. They were imprisoned, where they fervently prayed to God, trusting in his will, and several times refused to change their faith.
The future martyrs were tested by cold, forced to enter icy water naked during the frost, but the Christian soldiers passed this test with dignity, only one of them could not stand it and ran to the warmth. In the morning, the guard, amazed by the halos that appeared above the heads of Christians, also decided to accept the faith of Christ and, together with the others, was brutally executed: the believers had their legs broken and burned at the stake.
Ikos 3
Possessed, passion-bearers, in the prison of your fellow-sufferer Kirion, you were a good teacher, strengthened in the faith of Christ and the day before, having been at the trial, you fearlessly presented yourself to Lysias the prince and Agricolaus the governor, wisely reproaching their wickedness. For such your boldness we bring you great praise:
Rejoice, clothed in the armor of Christ's faith and covered with the shield of His grace; Rejoice, you who loved Christ alone more than all others and for the sake of His commandment you despised the lawless tormentors.
Rejoice, you who preached the power of Christ before the wicked and demonstrated the omnipotence of God; Rejoice, for even throwing stones will not touch you.
Rejoice, for by the power of God I return to those who throw; Rejoice, for even now with your prayers to God you are repelling the arrows of the enemy from us.
Rejoice, holy fourty martyrs of Sebastia, glorified wonderworkers.
How do prayers to the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste help?
Dying from cruel tortures and trials, 40 courageous Sebastian warriors did not allow a single thought to renounce their faith. Therefore, praying in front of their holy images and reading a prayer to the 40 saints, believers ask them for help in showing perseverance and determination.
Prayer also helps in times of despair, when a person seems to no longer have the strength to resist misfortune, since the example of the martyrs proves that even the most unbearable torment can be endured thanks to faith and prayers.
Prayer especially helps in strengthening faith, and also helps in finding a job, and in some cases, solving financial problems.
We recommend reading: Icon of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste
Veneration in Orthodoxy
The Orthodox Church brings glory, honor and worship to the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste. They are honored in prayers:
- for unshakable faith in the Lord God, self-sacrifice;
- fortitude, piety, patience and willpower;
- for humility, overcoming vices, passions and temptations;
- spiritual purity, love for Jesus and his teaching.
There is an ancient artifact written in ancient Greek. It contains the testament of the Holy Martyrs of Sebaste. In the first part of the historical document, the saints bid farewell to their relatives; in the second, they ask to bury them together, in one grave; in the third, they give spiritual instruction to all Christians. This part is especially important for believers, since those who died for Christ call followers to firmness in faith in the One God, to renounce deception and sensuality, and to strive for eternal life.
They honor the memory of those who died for Christ on March 9 (March 22). The restrictions of Lent are being eased for the celebration. During the evening service, the rite of Communion with the Holy Gifts is performed, which are consecrated at the liturgy preceding this event.
Since ancient times, there has been a touching ritual in Christian families. All relatives make forty Lenten buns in the form of larks with raisin eyes in memory of the ascended holy martyrs.
Prayer to the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste
Oh, the holy and glorious passion-bearers of Christ, the fourty, in the city of Sebastia, for the sake of Christ, who courageously suffered through fire and water and, like friends of Christ, entered into the rest of the Heavenly Kingdom, have great boldness to intercede with the Most Holy Trinity for the Christian race, especially for those who worship your holy memory and those who call upon you with faith and love. Ask the All-Bountiful God for forgiveness of our sins and correction of our lives, so that in repentance and unfeigned love for each other, having lived with each other, we will boldly appear before the Last Judgment Seat of Christ and through your intercession we will appear at the right hand of the Righteous Judge.
To her, saints of God, be our protectors from all enemies, visible and invisible, so that under the shelter of your holy prayers we will get rid of all troubles, evils and misfortunes until the last day of our life and thus glorify the Great and Worshipful Name of the Almighty Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Sermons
St. Basil the Great. Discourse on the Day of the Holy Forty Martyrs
From a sermon delivered on March 22, 2003 by Schema Abbot Abraham (Reidman), confessor of the Novo-Tikhvin Monastery in Yekaterinburg:
What helped them do this? What did they have that we don’t? History itself gives us an explanation, especially the story of the suffering of the forty martyrs of Sebaste. We see that after they showed their patience, a supernatural Divine light suddenly appeared, shining around them and even warming the air. But the main thing is not that the air and water in which the martyrs were warmed up, but that the grace of God, this Divine light penetrated their souls, into their hearts and seemed to shine inside them, thereby making them capable of superhuman things. courage.
We advise you to study Prayers to Saint Boniface the Merciful
The grace of God gave them the strength to endure something that exceeds the capabilities of not only an ordinary person, but even of some especially strong-willed and, as we would now say, strong-willed person. It is the grace of God that makes us capable of doing something supernatural. It helps us endure all the sorrows that our enemy, the devil, prepares for us in order to force us to turn away from the true path. Sometimes these are truly terrible sorrows, such as those that befell, for example, the Martyrs of Sebaste or the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia who suffered recently. But sometimes the devil, imperceptibly through minor sorrows and troubles, without requiring us to explicitly renounce Christ, nevertheless forces us to behave in a non-Christian manner. We, underestimating the significance of these seemingly insignificant incidents, make many and frequent mistakes - and in fact, as sad as it is, no matter how scary it sounds, we are apostates.
We constantly betray the Gospel commandments, imputing them for nothing, but for some reason we think that if some special test fell on our lot, like the one that the forty martyrs of Sebaste had to endure, then we would show firmness, because we realized It would seem that here we are clearly talking about salvation or destruction, about the confession of Christ or renunciation of Him. But the devil tempts many precisely with little things - small, insignificant, insignificant incidents, slight sorrows, small temptations. We do not take care that we always have the grace of God in us; we do not acquire it through intense prayer, repentance and careful fulfillment of our Christian duty, that is, participation in divine services, fasting, and so on.
We neglect to force ourselves to fulfill the commandments, we remain in negligence, carelessness and carelessness. Thus, we lose the grace that we received in the Sacrament of Baptism, which we receive in the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, and therefore we find ourselves powerless against the countless machinations of the devil. Now they are small, but who knows what will happen tomorrow?
Second prayer
O passion-bearers of Christ, who courageously suffered in the city of Sebaste, we earnestly resort to you as our prayer books and ask: ask the All-Bounteous God for forgiveness of our sins and correction of our lives, so that in repentance and unfeigned love for each other, having lived together, we will boldly present ourselves to the terrible judgment of Christ and through your intercession we will stand at the right hand of the Righteous Judge. To her, God's servants, awaken us, God's servants (names), protectors from all enemies visible and invisible, so that under the shelter of your holy prayers we will get rid of all troubles, evils and misfortunes until the last day of our life, and thus glorify the great and venerable name of the Almighty Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
What does the icon represent?
The icon of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste depicts half-naked warriors of different ages standing in icy water and clasping their hands against the cold. However, there is no despondency on their faces, but only a firm determination to endure all the torment to the end, but not to sacrifice their faith. One can see how in the foreground one warrior supports another who has lost his strength. None of them will become apostates.
The icon of forty saints martyred by pagans enjoys special veneration. Temples were built in their honor all over the world. One such temple is located on the left side of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem; in Moscow, the Sorokosvyatsky Church, erected in 1645 opposite the Novospassky Monastery, is dedicated to them.
We advise you to study What is the Holy Trinity?
The fact that on the day of their memory, March 22, which falls during Lent, the Liturgy is served, and believers are allowed to relax their fast, shows how the icon of the 40 saints and the very memory of these courageous Christian warriors are honored. Since ancient times, peasants have baked lark buns for this holiday, and this tradition is maintained today.
Troparion and Kontakion to the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste
Troparion, tone 1
Through the illnesses of the saints, who suffered for You, beg us, O Lord, and heal all our illnesses, love for mankind, we pray.
Troparion, tone 1
Passion-bearers of all honour, fourty soldiers of Christ, firmaments of arms, for they passed through fire and water, and fellow citizens were quick with 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 gives you healing to all.
Troparion, tone 3
The fourty passion-bearers of Christ, who courageously suffered in the city of Sebastia, who passed through fire and water and entered into eternal rest, pray to the Lord for us, that He may preserve our lives in peace and save our souls, as a Lover of mankind.
Prayers
Troparion, tone 1
All-honorable passion-bearers, / fourty warriors of Christ, / fortresses of armor, / for they passed through fire and water, / and fellow citizens faster with the Angel, / with them, pray to Christ / for those who have faith those who praise you./ Glory to Him who gave you strength,/ glory to Him who crowned you,// Glory to the One who gives healing to you all.
Troparion, tone 3
The four ten passion-bearers of Christ, / who suffered courageously in the city of Sebaste, / who passed through fire and water, / who entered into eternal rest, / pray for us to the Lord, / and let us live He will preserve peace // and save our souls, like the Man-Slayer.
Kontakion, tone 6
(Similar: Hedgehog about us:)
All the hosts 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,/ deservedly received glory from Heaven // and there are many crowns.
