The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste 10 March 320

I can remember when I first moved to Tulsa in 1979 a Christian radio station that used to play a song about "Forty brave soldiers for Jesus". Some of you Tulsa readers remember this song also, I suspect!  I thought it was kind of a odd song, and didn't pay much attention to it until years later when I learned that it was based on real history of forty men who laid down their lives for the Lord.

It was in the year 320 when Valerius Licinius was the Emperor of the eastern part of the Roman Empire, and Constantine was over the west. Constantine had issued the edict of Milan in 313 giving for the first time in it's history, a bit of toleration for Christianity.  Emperor Licinius was pressured to go along, but did not approve of this law, and remained a pagan. The two made an alliance (cemented by the marriage of Licinius to Constantia the sister of Constantine), but Licnius broke the alliance and made a new attempt to suppress Christianity. He ordered his soldiers to repudiate the edict of Milan on pain of death. 

In the "Thundering Legion," stationed near Sebaste in Armenia (now Sivas in Turkey), forty soldiers refused to recant their Faith, and when promises, threats, and beatings failed to shake them, they were stripped naked one evening and herded onto the middle of a frozen lake.  When they where out there, they were told, "You may come ashore when you are ready to deny your faith."  The guards on shore even had warm baths and fires on the shore to tempt the forty to renounce their Lord. (I wonder what tempts us these days to renounce Him?) 

Eventually during the cold, dark night, one poor soldier weakened and made for shore.  The other 39 stayed out on the lake in the dark night, and continued freezing. It is really hard to get an idea of the bitter pain they must have undergone, but out of the whole group only one had the misfortune to be overcome. He went to seek the relief the Roman guards had waiting for those who would falter. Unfortunately, listening to our fears and our lack of faith generally gets us no where, and the ancient records state that when the poor apostate entered the warm water, he was overcome and died anyway.  One of the Roman guards watching on the shoreline was so moved with pity and faith that he chose to throw off his own uniform and join the naked, freezing men on the ice.  They all died out there that night. (One source says that the few who still lived were stabbed to death at sunrise.) 

Though we are not all called to the trial of martyrdom, we are all bound daily to fight, and to conquer too. Our Baptismal Vows call us to multiplied victories;  over our selves and those spiritual enemies we encounter in our lives - lack of meekness, patience, humility, forbearance.  Attaining these we will surely render our triumph complete, and attain to the crown of bliss.

*Many of the words and ideas above are from various sources around the web, not all my own.

O Almighty God, by Whose grace and power Your holy martyrs of Sebaste triumphed over suffering and were faithful even unto death: Grant us, who now remember them with thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to You in this world, that we may receive with them the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Comments

[Father John]

"small things that chip away.." I thought of St. Augustine's mother St. Monica who he says in Confessions had "a furtive fondness for wine" and was snared "by adding to that modest allowance daily modest allowances - for one who allows himself license in little things is ruined little by little (Sir 19:1) - she had fallen at length into the habit of avidly quaffing near goblets-full of wine."

[Milly]

I wonder what tempts us these days to renounce Him?

Small things that chip away at us.

I hadn’t heard this story nor do I remember the song.

My heart did go to the one who gave in. It must have been so difficult and heart breaking. I believe that God understands that moment when a mind goes.

Because I believe that we don’t surprise God I believe that not only did He know that one would give in but He also made room for another in His kingdom in the soldier that took his place.

Touching

[D Tipling]

I remember that song as well. :)