Feast Day: August 4th
& October 22nd
The Life of the Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus: The Lord placed the youths into a Miraculous sleep lasting almost two Centuries…
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Prayers
Troparion: In their sufferings, O Lord, Thy Martyrs received imperishable Crowns from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy Might, they set at nought the tormentors and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. Through their supplications save Thou our Souls.
Troparion: Great is the wonder of faith! The Seven Holy Youths abode in the cave as in a royal chamber, and died without falling into corruption; and after much time they arose as from sleep, as an assurance of the resurrection of all men. Through their supplications, O Christ God, have mercy on us.
Kontakion: Spurning the corrupt things of this world and accepting gifts of incorruption, though they died yet did they remain untouched by corruption. Wherefore, they arose after many years, burying all the unbelief of the wicked. O ye faithful, praising them today in laudation, let us hymn Christ!
Hymn of Praise, by Saint Nikolai Velimirovich: When the last rays of the sun turned the West bloody red, seven youths, to God Prayed, that, on the morrow again find themselves alive and healthy, before Emperor Decius, brought forth to torture. And lay down to sleep a long dream, a deep dream, time walked by a wide step. One morning, from the East, the sun dawned and the Seven from their deep sleep awakened. And Jamblichus the youngest, to Ephesus hurried to see, to hear, about everything he inquired, does Decius, even them, seek to slaughter, and bread to buy for the Seven of them. But behold, what kind of Miracle: this is not the gate! And even the town is totally different! Everywhere, beautiful Churches, domes, Crosses, Jamblichus asks himself: are those not dreams? Nowhere a familiar face, nowhere kinsmen, there are no persecutions; there are no Martyrs. “Tell me brethren, the name of this town, and tell me the name of the Emperor, who now reigns?” Thus Jamblichus inquires. The people, at him, look, and about him, everyone judges differently. “This town is Ephesus, now and before, in Christ, reigns Emperor Theodosius.”This Antipater [The Consul] heard and [Martin] the graying Bishop, the entire town was perplexed, everyone, to the cave hurries. And saw the Miracle, Glorified God, and the resurrected servants of Christ the Resurrected One.
The names of the Seven Holy Youths are…
Saint Maximilian
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Saint Exacudostian
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Saint Jamblicus
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Saint Martinian
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Saint Dionysius
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Saint Antoninus
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Saint John
The Seven Holy Youths were friends who courageously Confessed Christ during a time of persecutions, and they went to a cave to Pray and prepare themselves for Martyrdom. God Blessed them with a Holy Sleep for two Centuries to preserve their precious lives.
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When they awoke they saw their City shining brightly with Churches, Christians speaking of Christ and the Blessings of God abounding throughout the city.
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