Holy Martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and Others (+c. 310)

The holy Martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and others (+c. 330). The Christian brothers Jonah and Barachisius lived in Persia in the time of King Sapor (310–331). The brothers learned that Christians were being tortured in the city of Barabok; they went there and comforted the imprisoned believers: Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas, Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sabethin and Sabbas. The brothers encouraged the sufferers. Saints Jonah and Barachisius were seized and brought before the Persian princes. These demanded that the Christians worship the sun, fire and water. The holy martyrs publicly confessed Christ and refused to do the pagans’ will. The brothers were cruelly tortured.

Saint Jonah was the first to meet his end. The executioners tied the saint to a tree and beat him for a long time, then threw him out onto the ice, cut off his fingers and his tongue, flayed the skin from his head, and at last sawed him apart and threw his body into a ditch.

Red-hot fetters were put on the hands of the holy Martyr Barachisius, molten tin was poured into his mouth, and then he was tortured on the wheel.