At the time of the kingdom infidel Emperor Licinius (308-324), the great persecution against Christians and all believers forcing them to sacrifice to idols, was in Sebaste, the city of Armenia, a prince of war, namely Agricolae, loser, wild and clever for job idols. In that time they were commanded Christians, who were in bands soldierly sacrifice to devils. And they were in the company of Agricolae in parts of Cappadocia, some soldiers, forty in number, who also served in a dominion soldierly and had true faith in Christ God, being men strong and invincible in war and in divine Scriptures very wise.

Notify the prince about three of them, Chirion, Practical and gentlemen about their companions as well as their Christian identity, I caught them and forced them to worship idols; that he said to them: “As wars have been with a soul and a conscience and have shown bravery you, so now with a conscience and a soul, to show your subjection to the royal laws and sacrificed gods willingly, not before even forced to work “.

At these words the holy soldiers, responding tyrant, saying, “If the king of the earthy, we fought in wars and have overcome the enemy, and only witness, asshole, the more virtues we need to King of the deathless and yours will overcome evil and your deceit. ” Agricolae prince then said: “One of the two stands before you: either sacrifice to the gods and take great gifts or disobedience sure to be banished from the governor rogue and soldierly. Think and choose what you think it is more useful to you. “

Saints soldiers said: “About what we use new cares Lord.” He said the prince: “No more eloquent, but letting the words of falsehood, prepare to sacrifice morning gods.” These saying to them Agricolae, commanded to bring them into prison, where in the saints, their knees in prayer and said to God: “Bring us, O Lord, from temptation and from the follies of those who work iniquity “. And after nightfall, he began to sing the psalm: He that dwelleth in the help of the Almighty, the God of heaven will fully abide coverings – Psalm saying the other side of the man, unto the end. And after weighing prayed and sang again after prayer. So thus spent without sleep until midnight.

She began singing verses in the Holy Chirion and Saints Candid and gentlemen, along with others, singing after Chirion, repeated those verses. And at midnight the Lord has received, saying to them: “Good is the beginning of your labors; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall save it.” All that voice of the Lord heard him and were frightened, then they enjoyed and I slept until the next day. And Agricolae ruler gathering friends and his advisers, commanded to bring the prison prior to the Saints forty soldiers, to which he said: “They what shall I say to you, no deceit, no deceitfully they will say, but I speak the truth itself. How many soldiers have your king, not like you are in nothing, neither wisdom fully, fully or might nor fully beauty, so no I do not love me as I am. So my love to not refuse to return to a hatred that lies in your power that either my love, cheers to you “.

A response Holy Candid “Your name, Agricolae, custom fits, because you are misleading and wild”. Said the prince: “Have not I told you that in order to your dominion is either to love to you or to hate me to start?” And St. Candid said, “Since, as one speakest, is warmly of our possession, so we want to start you hate towards us. That we hate you and you only look at our mercy and love God. You, wild and without humanity, mine enemy of our God, let us not love us, being gripped by lawlessness and envious and darkness of error, and your name is also the wild habits of the beast “.

For these words of holy wonders the prince and gritted his teeth like a lion, he commanded the Saints to throw them in bundles and in prison. Holy Chirion and said to him: “Are not you the king dominion as we work, but only to ask.” Fearing, prince commanded, leaving him free to put in prison and not to put them in bonds; prison but ordered the watchman to guard them carefully, waiting for the arrival of Prince Lisi.

So sitting saints in prison, all the days and nights studying the Holy Chirion, because they said, “With the care of God to us was to pass it, O brothers, for we accompany fully the temporal war. For this we try not separate us forever. But, as I lived with a soul and a conscience, and so was a committed martyrdom together and, as I liked the mortal king, and who thus without death, Christ the King God, we try to please. “

After seven days have passed, the Saints are still held in prison Lisi ruler came in those countries and in the city of Sebaste. Then, sitting in judgment with Agricolae prince, on the eighth day commanded to bring the Saints forty soldiers. The saints go on trial unfair Chirion so happy he advised his brothers: “Brothers, do not be afraid. They just God does not help us in wars, when I call on him and overcome the enemy? Remember when we were in a great war and all divisions of our were put to flight, and we ourselves, only forty, I was in the midst of enemies and prayed to God with tears and with His help , I killed some and others, wounding them and drove them out. And in many adversaries so much and so great a war, none of us was not injured. Now only three rose up against us: Satan and princes Lisi and Agricolae. Better said, the unseen enemy only raises war on us. Maybe one will be able to overcome forty? Should not be.

So far nine ought to do what we always do, which is to run to God in fervent prayer. But he help us, no ties, no chores they will hurt ourselves. Do not order the things that it always a guarded? For, as we entered the war, sang this psalm, God, save me in the name of thy power and thy fully judge me! O God, hear my prayer, give ear to my mouth speech. And now the same thing we do, that God will hear us and help us! “

When that psalm singing saints, until they were taken to court. At that sight he had gathered all the people of the city. And they stood before him and his Agricolae Lisi, Lisi prince seeking to them, said: “Older governors consider that these men crave.” And said unto the saints “Worthies larger and more gifts than others you’ll get from me, you will obey only the laws palaces, to offer sacrifice to the gods. You are given the choice to allow or worship the gods, taking great gifts and honors, times, do you deny it, soon you will miss soldierly governor and the work will be given. “

Reply to St. Candid “Not only soldierly honor, but also our bodies to be taken from us, that anything expensive is not new, nothing more honest than Christ, our God”. He commanded the prince to fight with stones holy mouth. St. Candid and said, “Oh, mister, master of darkness and of all iniquity, start doing them and see the reward.” And the prince, gritted his teeth, said to be saints: “O wicked servant! Why not rather do what is commanded you? “

And abominable servants, taking stones when they wanted to throw the saints, they threw on each other and each others killed. And holy martyrs, seeing that, were strengthened in the Lord and were very boldly.

Then the prince, starting to rage, grabbed a stone and threw on one of the saints; and the stone that struck the prince cheek and smashed her mouth. Holy Chirion then said: Those who are fighting us weakened and fell. Their sword really came into their hearts and their arcs will break.

The prince said: “That I swear to the gods, how that witchcraft was shown them fully”. And the Holy Lord said: “Therefore I swear to Christ, as God has triumphed, making the most shameful your faces, which speak upon His Son injustice, cover them with shame. They not ashamed, fool and devil, full of darkness lowest. Stranger the whole truth, seeder of follies, Agricolae, you are the head of the devil and the landlord together with you is the tail of both anger and ye servants of Satan. If the beginning of the work that we’ve brought you not persuaded by the power of God is with us, then start other work. “

Servants tyrant said to be saints: “O most foolish enemies of our gods unrelated to their mercy, why not sacrifice?” Holy Chirion said: “We honor the one God, Jesus Christ, His Son and the Holy Spirit and to commit boldly trying us running our labors, that after we overcome deception, ye shall receive the crown of life without death. “

Then the prince commanded to bring them back into prison to think about what they will do. So being imprisoned saints in prison, began to sing: To you, He who dwells in the heavens, we raised our eyes and, as of eyes servants in the hands of their masters, so our eyes are the Lord our God, until be merciful toward us. After the prayer, the sixth hour of the night, he heard the voice of the Lord to them, who were shown, saying to them: “He who believes in Me, and will die, he shall live. Be bold and do not be afraid of those chores for a little while, that soon will pass away; less enduring passions by law to receive crowns “.

With this consolation of the Lord Jesus Christ Saints are strengthened, they spent the night rejoicing spirit. And when the day was done, the tyrant’s command of the prison were brought before him. And they spoke to those unclean judges: “Make us any will, that we are Christians and we do not want to worship idols.” Saints speaking they have seen the devil beside Agricolae, taking a sword to the right and to the left a snake and he spoke his ear: “You’re Mine, courageous”.

Then prince with Lisi, commanded that all the saints forty martyrs to bring them bound to the tarn; it was a tarn near the city of Sebaste, who had plenty of water. Bravely endured the here and enjoying the most hope for the holy martyrs of mouth to one another: “Do not put off our clothes, but cast off the old man; Winter is rough but sweet is Heaven; hot is cold, but pleasant is a delight. For Heaven that I lost today, let us bear the coat of corruptible. To defame the ice melts and we hate the body.

Let’s count some pleasures and torments like to run the frozen Lake for water just as pleasant. Let’s not scary weather this winter to flee the terrible fire of hell. Burn leg to dănţuiască forever; and snapping hand, to ascend to the Lord. Let us not pity the mortal flesh, but better to choose death as we crowned with wreaths of victory in Christ, God and Savior of our souls. “

When these holy martyrs were sick, it was winter, the lowest temperatures and high winds. So I got naked in the middle of the lake, as he was leaving on the evening; and circumcision and put soldiers stand guard watchman to guard the martyrs. At the lake edge was a warm bathroom, done on purpose because if any of martyrs, weakened by frost, it will go to the worship of idols, out of water and heat in that warm bathroom.

Arriving first hour of the night and hardening worst frost, frost froze bodies of saints. Then one of them, unable to endure, was separated from that holy band and ran to that warm bath. But when he reached the threshold of the bath, barely feeling the heat, immediately he fell dead. And the saints, if they saw that fugitive starting from them, they cried to God in a loud voice: “They hurt the rivers you be angry, Lord? It only rivers is your anger or your great start? For he that fell to us as water spilled and all his bones were scattered, and we will not depart from thee, for we’ll raise Thy name we call upon Thee, whom I praise all creature, dragons and all deeps, fire, hail, snow, ice and blizzard spirit of; At that walk on land and at sea as wild waves soothe them, by threatening your hand.

The same now are you, Lord, one who listened to the prayers of Jacob, Esau’s rebuke when he fled from his brother; The Joseph helped you and saved you from distress; Not what you heard on the Moses who gave signs and wonders in Egypt against Pharaoh and his people and divided the sea and your people pulled him into the wilderness; The one you heard thy Holy Apostles, listen and us, O Lord, lest we drown storm water nor the deep swallow us, I really depleted. Help us, O God our Saviour, we stood in deep water and we were soaked our feet in the blood; lighten our load and calm our fierce air, O Lord our God, that we hope to You, not to be ashamed and to know all that we saved shouting to you. “

But the third hour of the night I shone a light like the sun so hot, as in the time of harvest and drove the frost and ice melted it and heated water. And the soldiers who are guarding falling sleep, only the watchman guard was not asleep. He heard the saints of God praying, meditating itself as one who had escaped from the bath melted like wax heat immediately and others spent in frost so great, they are still alive.

And, seeking to them, he saw a glowing light; and, lifting up his eyes, he wanted to see where that light comes to them. Then he saw coming down from heaven to the heads of the saints, some shining crowns, thirty-nine in number; and ponder, saying to himself: “There are forty people Passion? What is the fortieth crown, but only thirty-nine? “

Realizing that he who ran the bath is cast in fog saints and the crowns are not the full number forty, awakened by watchmen and undressing of his clothes, jumped into the lake, the sight of those shouting and saying with great voice: “I am a Christian!” Then, standing in the midst of holy martyrs, he said: “Lord God, I believe in you, and they thought, count me in their company and me unworthy to suffer for thee with these thy servants, that by making skillful me, I find worthy of thee! “And it was the perfect number forty holy martyrs, for the watchman instead of prison turned down. And his name was Aglaia.

Thus fulfilling the number of troop martyrs, the devil saw that they overcame and ashamed, she became a likeness of man and lamented the shout in the ears of all: “Woe is me, I am overcome by the men now are all of laughter and reproach that I had friends and servants of a soul that has not been conquered! So what I remain more than boyars my heart only to return and burn the bodies of saints and throw them into the river as their relics should not remain any? “

Holy Chirion and cried, saying: “Who is a great God as our God? You are the God that doest wonders! For that which was upon us, as you did on us, O Lord, and decreasing tithing fourth hast fulfilled it, and you ashamed satan “. So they all started to sing this psalm: Deliver me, Lord, that lacked pious.

The day went unclean tyrants to tarn and saw the holy martyrs water being alive unfrozen cold and frost were surprised and craft wizardly him for that one since and water in the tarn a feel that is warm. Then, seeing and watchman guard standing in water between martyrs, most were surprised and asked about him the soldiers: “For what reason did you?” And the soldiers said, “We came a heavy sleep and he, sleepless all night without news we awakened and saw a great light, where stood the martyrs; and he, rather undressing and throwing his clothes, he jumped to dînşii, so shouting: “I am a Christian!” “

When tyrants, fill it with anger, and charged that tying them, to drag the shore; and by bringing them out of there at the place of work, they decided to smash them with hammers ankles. It is made that dreadful work, the mother of a young man of thirty years, namely Melito, the holy martyrs who were sick of coming there, confirming his encouraging words with the saints, to brave patience. For fearing lest her son as a young man he was, to frighten and weaken the work with diligence towards him, holding out his hands, taught him speaking: “My sweet son , patient still less that to be perfect. Fear not, son. Here Christ stands before, help! “

And holy martyrs, being dismayed and souls of their Lord gave them, speechless: “Our soul as a bird was rescued from hunters race; race was broken and we have delivered. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth! “And everyone saying” Amen, “and they gave their holy souls to God. And St. Meliton son was the one who urged his mother still breathe.

So tyrants have ordered the ministers that putting the bodies of saints to lead to burning and the young that left him barely breathed, with hope that it will be still alive. But her mother saw her son alone, leaving his weakness having female and male strength, took his son on his shoulders and went after the car without fear. Martyr and Melito, who was carried by his mother, enjoying the, and gave his soul into the arms of Christ. And his mother, reaching chariots, put his dead son’s body over the bodies of saints.

After I went to the place of burning, close the river, the soldiers brought a lot of sticks and wood and made a huge stack and putting on airborne beacons martyr bodies, burned them. The crowd burned and after that, they were the bones of saints. The tyrans said: “The bones so we let them, they will take Christians and fill everyone with airborne beacons, dividing them into their memory. So throw them in the river that no dust can not stay! “So they threw the remains of the relics of saints in the river, perfect for loss in memory of the martyrs.

And Lord keepeth all his bones pleasure, not left to perish in water or a part of them, but all they kept whole. After three days showed saints, blessed Peter, bishop of that city, telling him: “Come at night and we remove ourselves from the river!” And he, taking his clergy and devout men, went to the riverbank at night is very dark. And behold, suddenly lit up the bones of holy water like stars; and wherever there is the slightest bit, the place shone like a light. So the bishop of water gathering all the bones of the saints, to the last man, put them in an honest place.

Thus, those who have suffered for Christ and were crowned him shine as lights in the world. They in God believed and Christ They confessed, and the Holy Spirit were not denied and were magnified by the Blessed and Giving life Trinity, leaving remembrance of their lives for the salvation of all who believe in the Father, son and Holy Spirit.

And the names of these forty Holy Martyrs are these: “Chirion, Candid, Lord Isihie, Ieraclie, Smaragd, Valent, Vivian, Evnichie, Claudie, Prisca, Theodulus Eutychios John Xantia, Ilian, Sisini, Aghios, AETI Flavia Acacius, Ecdit, Lysimachus, Alexander, Elijah Leontie, Gorgon, Theophilus, Dometian, kite, Athanasius, Cyril, Sacherdon, Nicholas, Valerie, Filoctimon, Severian, Hudion, Meliton and Aglaia “.

Forty Martyrs Saints were caught and suffered for Christ before four calends of March, that in twenty-six days of February. And they gave their souls in the seventh Yiddish Lord of March, that is the ninth day of March, possessing Licinius in the East. But the emperor Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is due glory, honor and worship as the Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.