Martyrs Sabbas Stratelates and the 70 Soldiers with Him (272)

The holy Martyrs Sabbas Stratelates and the 70 soldiers with him (+272). The holy Martyr Sabbas was of the tribe of the Goths. For his bravery he was granted the high rank of stratelates. He served at the court of the Emperor Aurelian (270–275).

Sabbas had been a Christian from his youth and diligently kept the commandments of Christ; he helped the needy and visited the Christians in prison. For his holy and beneficent life the saint received from the Lord the gift of wonderworking:

When the emperor learned of Saint Sabbas’s faith, he demanded that he fall away from Christ. The martyr took off his soldier’s belt and firmly refused. The saint was cruelly tortured: he was mercilessly beaten, set on fire, and thrown into a cauldron full of boiling pitch, but he remained unharmed.

Seventy soldiers who witnessed his torments were converted to the law of Christ, for which they were put to death at once. Saint Sabbas was thrown into prison. At midnight, as the martyr stood in prayer, the Lord Himself appeared to him and strengthened him. The next morning, after new tortures, the saint was drowned in a river (+272).