Память святых мучеников Сильвана епископа, Луки диакона и Мокия чтеца

During the reign of the Roman Emperor Numerian in 1054 there was a great persecution of Christians; the ruler of the city of Emesa in 1055 then received a denunciation against the local bishop, Saint Silvanus; The saint, together with Deacon Luke and Reader Mokiy, bound, appeared before the judge. Having made sure that they confessed Christ the true God, but did not honor idols and reviled them, the ruler became furious, unable to persuade Christ’s confessors to idolatry with flattering speeches, the judge flogged them, and then imprisoned them; The saints languished there for a long time, until the ruler demanded them again. He ordered the passion-bearers to be tormented with hunger and thirst, after which he sentenced them to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. When the holy martyrs were brought to the place of execution, and various animals were released on them, the soldiers of Christ prayed that the Lord would send them to death here. Their prayer was heard, and the Lord accepted their holy souls; animals approached their honest remains, but did not touch them; Christians secretly took the relics of the holy martyrs at night and gave them up for burial, offering thanks to God. Numerian and Karnik reigned in 283 and 284. Emesa - the current Gems or Goms, was located in Phenicia, on the banks of the Orontes, in the coastal part of modern Syria (Asian Turkey). You might be interested in: