The Koran speaks of the "people of the cave". What does Orthodoxy know about them?translated

On November 4, the Orthodox Church remembers the seven youths of Ephesus. According to church tradition, fleeing persecution of Christians, they took refuge in a cave, fell asleep and woke up almost two centuries later. Surprisingly, there is a similar story in the Koran. Moreover, it contains details that are not found in our usual presentation of life. How did one story end up in Christian and Muslim traditions and what does it mean?

Maria KHORKOVA

editor, journalist

Young men who did not renounce Christ

In the 3rd century, during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Decius (249–251), seven young residents of Ephesus, an ancient city in modern Turkey, refused to make sacrifices to the pagan gods. Their names were Maximilian, Jamblichus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodian and Antoninus.

Fleeing from persecution, the young men took refuge in a cave at the foot of Mount Ohlon not far from the city. There they fell into a deep sleep. However, the persecutors managed to track them down. By order of the emperor, the entrance to the cave was blocked with stones so that Christians could not get out.

Seven sleeping. Why did the Ephesian youths wake up? A fascinating story about young men who slept for many years and fell asleep again.

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