Holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus (+290–303)
The holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus were Romans and held high positions at the court of the Emperor Maximian (284–305; 307–310). Maximian especially loved his faithful courtiers, but did not know that they were Christians. At last envious men denounced the saints to the autocrat, saying that they did not worship the pagan gods. The emperor held a great festival in honour of the false gods. Maximian noticed that the saints were nowhere to be seen; he had them brought by force and demanded that they offer sacrifice to the idols. The Lord’s chosen ones boldly confessed their faith before him. The enraged Maximian stripped the martyrs of their military ranks, had them dressed in women’s clothes and, with iron collars round their necks, had them led through the streets of the city to be mocked by the crowd. The emperor, who did not wish to torture his beloved courtiers himself, sent them to Antiochus, the governor of the eastern part of Syria, notorious for his hatred of Christ. Antiochus had obtained his post thanks to Sergius and Bacchus. “My fathers and benefactors!” he said to the martyrs. “Have pity not only on yourselves but on me too: I do not want to torture you!” But those who hoped in the Saviour answered: “For to us to live is Christ, and to die for Him is gain.” Then the godless governor ordered Bacchus to be beaten mercilessly and Sergius to be locked up in prison.
Bacchus died under torture in the city of Barbalissus, on the bank of the river Euphrates. His remains, thrown out for the beasts and birds to tear, were secretly carried away by Christians and buried in a cave. That same night Bacchus appeared to Sergius in a vision and strengthened him. The next day Sergius was made to put on iron boots studded with long, sharp nails and forced to run behind Antiochus’s chariot as he travelled from city to city. In the Syrian city of Rosafa new and heavy torments were brought down upon the martyr. The saint bore the torture courageously and sent up psalms and prayers to the King of heaven. At last he was beheaded (between 290 and 303).
