Martyr Pherbutha the Virgin (+341–343)

The holy Martyr Pherbutha the Virgin met a martyr’s end together with her sister and a maidservant between 341 and 343. Pherbutha and her sister, whose name is unknown, were blood sisters of Symeon, Bishop of Seleucia, who had been put to death for Christ. They were taken with their servant to the court of Sapor, king of Persia. Saint Pherbutha was distinguished by legendary beauty. The queen advised her to marry, but the saint refused, for she had taken a vow of virginity. Soon the queen fell ill. A magus called in to treat her was captivated by the virgin’s beauty and asked her to be his wife. But Saint Pherbutha answered that she was the bride of Christ.

The spiteful magus reported to the king that the queen had been poisoned by the maidservants, after which, by Sapor’s order, Saint Pherbutha was imprisoned together with her sister and the maidservant.

At the trial the holy martyrs fearlessly confessed Christianity, declared that they had done no evil, but were ready to suffer death for Christ.

The chief judge, the magus Mauptes, was also blinded by the virgin’s beauty and secretly offered to set her free from prison if she would agree to marry him. Two other judges made Pherbutha the same offer. The holy virgin rejected every offer and declared that she was the bride of Christ and would never consent to an earthly marriage.

After this the martyrs were accused of sorcery and of poisoning the queen, and were sentenced to death. The Christians secretly took up the remains of the holy martyrs and buried them with honour.