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†) Martyr Emilian of Dorostolum; Venerable Pambo the Hermit of Egypt

July 17, 2026 · 1 min read

Orthodox calendar, July 18 Holy Martyr Emilian of Durostorum The Holy Martyr Emilian suffered for Christ during the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). Julian wanted to restore the cult of the pagan gods throughout the Roman Empire, and he issued an edict, according to which all Christians who failed to honor the pagan gods would be subject to death.

Saint Emilian lived in the Thracian city of Dorostorum on the banks of the River Danube. The imperial edict was read in the city square, but the people of Dorostolum declared that there were no Christians in the city.

Saint Emilian was a slave of a cruel and fanatical idolater and was a secret Christian. Some sources state that he was the son of a local officer named Sabbatianus. When the father learned that Emilian believed in Christ, he was so enraged that he insulted him with vulgar words and had him whipped. He pointed out that he could expect even worse things to happen to him if he remained a Christian.

Instead of being intimidated by these threats, Saint Emilian’s faith in Christ was strengthened. The next day he went into a pagan temple and smashed the statues with a hammer.

An angry crowd started to…

Source: Basilica News Agency (English) · Read the full story →

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Daniela Dobre

Saint Emilian smashed the statues with a hammer the day after his father beat and threatened him. Rare courage, especially since he was a slave. I think how hard it was to keep your faith hidden in that Dorostorum, on the banks of the Danube.

Величка Ангелова

Da, și eu m-am oprit la parte cu ciocanul. A doua zi after bătaie și oèmări, să intre în church și să breakgă statues – nu era glumă pentru un sclav. I don't know how to do it, I don't know how to do it.

Даниела Христова

Yeah, I thought about that moment with the hammer too – risking everything the next day after a fight like that isn't for everyone. A little further down in the biography, it is written that after they caught him, they brought him to court precisely in Dorostolum, near the river. I'm curious how you imagine the crowd in the square at that time - were they more scared, or were they just pretending there were no Christians?

Petru Barbu

Yes, Daniela, that courage is impressive. I read that after breaking the idols, he turned himself in to the authorities so that others would not be arrested in his place. I think that on the banks of the Danube, in Dorostorum, it was even more risky to be a Christian in secret, with so many Roman soldiers around.

Тодор Кирилов

Yeah, I thought about that exact moment with the hammer too – risking everything the next day after a fight like that isn't for everyone. I imagine him standing on the banks of the Danube, looking out over the water and gathering his strength before entering the church. What do you think, did he act alone or did he have someone close to him who helped him hide later?