Holy Martyr Severian (+320)
The holy Martyr Severian lived in the fourth century. A Christian distinguished by piety, he especially loved to help martyrs and those persecuted for Christ. He was a soldier and, because of his position, was able to do so. He encouraged the forty martyrs of Sebaste and strengthened them in their labour of martyrdom. Half a year after the death of the Lord’s chosen ones, Severian himself was denounced to the governor Lysias for boldly confessing and preaching Christ. The ruler, raging with hatred of the faithful, gave orders for him to be brought to him at once. The martyr “in the severity of the torments” firmly confessed Christ and wisely exposed the error of the lawless. The saint’s eloquence amazed even Lysias himself: “I thought, Severian, that thou wast a man of the world and unlearned in letters, for thou wast a soldier, always ready for battle. But, as I see, thou art very strong in tongue and eloquent with the speech of an orator,” he said to Severian. The saint answered: “The God whom I serve is able to change all things: if He finds a man of the world, He makes him wise; if fearful, He makes him brave; if slow of speech and heavy of tongue, He shows him to be a well-voiced orator, ready in words,” and then he prayed and gave up his spirit.
The Christians of Sebaste carried the holy martyr’s body with singing to his own estate. The whole village gathered to venerate Saint Severian’s remains, and at this time one of the saint’s servants who had died was raised from the dead; he bowed down before his beloved master, and lived fifteen more years to the glory of God and as an undoubted witness of Saint Severian’s holiness.
When those gathered were considering where to bury the holy martyr, “straightway, as though sent, an eagle flew down from above,” took the crown laid on the coffin, “calmly spread out its wings” and went before the procession. Near a forest, “upon a beautiful spot on the mountain,” it “let fall” the crown. It was here that Severian’s body was committed to the earth. Many miracles and healings took place at the holy grave.
