†) The Holy Martyrs and Confessors of Nasău: Atanasie Todoran from Bichigiu, Vasile from Mocod, Grigorie from Zagra and Vasile from Telciu; St. Jer. John the Merciful, patriarch of Alexandria; St. Cuv. Nile the Hermittranslated

Orthodox calendar, November 12

The Holy Martyrs and Confessors of Nasău

Holy Martyr Athanasius Todoran He was born in Bichigiu, a village on the Sălăuţi Valley, in the Transylvanian region of Năsăud in a family of Orthodox Christians. We have little knowledge left about his childhood; it is only known that the Saint was a leader in the commune and well versed in books, he was a county judge and tax collector in the communes of Valea Bichigiului and Sălăutai.

Since his youth, for his virtues and for his courage he was part of a military regiment of the kingdom of Vienna. From here, his release being delayed, he left the army of his masters of another faith and returned home.

Pursued by the people of the kingdom, he took refuge in the Ţibleş Mountains, in Maramureş and in Tara Chioarului. In this exile, he prayed to God incessantly for himself and for his fellow men who were in suffering and in all kinds of humiliation.

His needs multiplied even more when he was caught by the unfaithful and was imprisoned for several years in the Tower of the Dogars in the fortress of Bistriţa.

After he was released, he returned to Bichigiu, where the Orthodox faith of his ancestors was...