Venerable Martyr Badimus the Archimandrite (+376)
The holy Venerable Martyr Badimus the Archimandrite (+376) was born in the Persian city of Bethlapat in the fourth century and grew up in a rich and well-known family. He came to know the Christian teaching while still young; he gave away part of his property, went into the desert, and founded a monastery with the rest of his money. Saint Badimus used to go up a mountain to pray, and there once he was granted a vision of the glory of God. At that time Sapor, king of Persia (310–381), began to persecute the Christians. Saint Badimus was seized with seven disciples; they were cruelly beaten and forced to worship the sun and fire, but the venerable confessors held firmly to Christianity. They spent four months in prison, and all that time Saint Badimus was spiritual father and support for the Christians living in Persia.
Nirsan, a man close to Sapor who had accepted Christianity and was suffering in prison for it, could not endure the trial and denied Christ. He promised the king to carry out all his orders. Sapor ordered Nirsan to behead Saint Badimus himself. When the venerable martyr was brought, Nirsan took up the sword, but, convicted by his conscience, he stood rooted to the spot. Saint Badimus said to the traitor: “Has thy wickedness gone so far that thou not only deniest Christ but killest His servants too? Woe to thee, accursed one! What wilt thou do when thou standest before the dread judgement seat? I die for Christ with joy, but I do not wish to die by thy hand!” Enraged by the rebuke, Nirsan struck the saint with the sword, but he was trembling so much that he could not deal a mortal wound. The fire-worshippers egged on the traitor, weighed down by the sin of Judas. The Venerable Martyr Badimus stood motionless and bore the terrible blows in silence. At last the executioner cut off the saint’s head (+376).
Retribution was not slow in coming either. Tormented by the pangs of conscience, Nirsan plunged the sword into his own heart and killed himself. Saint Badimus’s seven disciples were released from prison after the death of Sapor.
