The Seven Brothers of Lazia | |
---|---|
Martyrs | |
Died | 304 |
Venerated in | Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church |
Canonized | Pre-congregation |
Feast | 24 June |
Laz people |
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The Seven Brothers of Lazia are the seven martyred brothers: Orentius, Cyriacus, Firminus, Firmus, Heros, Longinus, and Pharnacius. They were soldiers in the Roman Army, supposedly joined Diocletian's army at Antioch, saw service in Thrace, were condemned for their Christian faith and suffered martyrdom during the persecutions of co-Emperor Maximian. [1] [2]
During the reign of Maximian (r. 284–305) Roman Anatolia faced Scythian invasion. Saint Orentius was ordered to fight against the Scythian warrior Marothom. Orentius defeated Marothom and thus stopped the Scythian invasion. The emperor intended to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods to celebrate the victory and invited Orentius. However, Orentius refused, explaining that he was a Christian. The Emperor gave orders to banish both the saint and his six brothers to the Caucasus. During the journey all seven brothers died from hunger or torture. [3]
Orentius, principal martyr; Longinus, final martyr; exiled to Pityus; and five others, all condemned at Satala. [4]
Saints | Day | Place of Martyrdom |
---|---|---|
Saint Heros | 22 June | Parembol |
Saint Orentius | 24 June | Riza (Rize) |
Saint Pharnacius | 3 July | Kordila (Sivri Kale) |
Saint Firmus | 7 July | Apsaros (Gonio) |
Saint Firminus | 7 July | Apsaros |
Saint Cyriacus | 24 July | Zigania (Anaklia) |
Saint Longinus | 28 July | Pityus (Bichvinta) |
St. Orentius' cult and whole tale of the Seven Brothers which also figures in the Menologion of Basil II, represented a Byzantine attempt to incorporate the Laz and Abkhazians into Orthodoxy by the erection of the Metropolis of the Phasis (and later exarchate of Lazia), which is also paralleled by an attempt to discipline them. [4]
The 300s decade ran from January 1, 300, to December 31, 309.
The 310s decade ran from January 1, 310, to December 31, 319.
Year 286 (CCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Maximus and Aquilinus. The denomination 286 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
The 290s decade ran from January 1, 290, to December 31, 299.
The 280's decade ran from January 1, 280, to December 31, 289.
Zeno was Eastern Roman emperor from 474 to 475 and again from 476 to 491. Domestic revolts and religious dissension plagued his reign, which nevertheless succeeded to some extent in foreign issues. His reign saw the end of the Western Roman Empire following the deposition of Romulus Augustus and the death of Julius Nepos, but he was credited with contributing much to stabilising the Eastern Empire.
Erasmus of Formia, also known as Saint Elmo, was a Christian saint and martyr. He is venerated as the patron saint of sailors and abdominal pain. Erasmus or Elmo is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, saintly figures of Christian religion who are venerated especially as intercessors.
The Theban Legion figures in Christian hagiography as a Roman legion from Egypt —"six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men" — consisting of Christian soldiers who were martyred together in 286, according to the hagiographies of Maurice, the chief among the Legion's saints. Their feast day is held on September 22.
Cyriacus, sometimes Anglicized as Cyriac, according to Christian tradition, is a Christian martyr who was killed in the Diocletianic Persecution. He is one of twenty-seven saints, most of them martyrs, who bear this name, of whom only seven are honoured by a specific mention of their names in the Roman Martyrology.
Victor of Marseilles was an Egyptian Christian martyr. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The Scythian monks were a community of monks from the region around the mouths of the Danube, who played an influential role in Christian theological disputes between the 4th and 6th centuries. The name Scythian comes from Scythia Minor, the classical name of the modern Dobruja region in Romania and Bulgaria, at the time a Roman province. The monks were raised not only from local Christian elements, but also from immigrant Christians who came to live ascetic lives.
Symphorosa is venerated as a saint of the Catholic Church. According to tradition, she was martyred with her seven sons at Tibur toward the end of the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (117–38).
Saint Marcellus of Tangier or Saint Marcellus the Centurion was a Roman centurion who is today venerated as a martyr-saint in both the Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on October 30.
This page is an index of lists of people considered martyrs. A martyr is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, refusing to renounce, or refusing to advocate a belief or cause as demanded by an external party. This refusal to comply with the presented demands results in the punishment or execution of the martyr by the oppressor.
Felicitas of Rome, also anglicized as Felicity, is a saint numbered among the Christian martyrs. Apart from her name, the only thing known for certain about this martyr is that she was buried in the Cemetery of Maximus, on the Via Salaria on a 23 November. However, a legend presents her as the mother of the seven martyrs whose feast is celebrated on 10 July. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates their martyrdom on 25 January.
Alexander of Bergamo is the patron saint of Bergamo, as well as Capriate San Gervasio and Cervignano d'Adda. Alexander may have been a Roman soldier or resident of Bergamo who was tortured and killed for not renouncing his Christian faith. Details of his life are uncertain, but subsequent Christian stories consider him a centurion of the Theban Legion commanded by Maurice.
The 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia refers to victims of persecution of Christians in Nicomedia, Bithynia by the Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian in the early 4th century AD.
In the 9th century, Christianity was spreading throughout Europe, being promoted especially in the Carolingian Empire, its eastern neighbours, Scandinavia, and northern Spain. In 800, Charlemagne was crowned as Holy Roman Emperor, which continued the Photian schism.
Orentius was one of the Seven Brothers of Lazia, which included Cyriacus, Firminus, Firmus, Heros, Longinus, and Pharnacius. They were all soldiers in the Roman Army, who lost their positions for being Christians. They all suffered martyrdom, during the persecutions of co-Emperor Maximian.
Andrew Stratelates, also known as Andrew the Tribune or Andrew the Commander is a 3rd-century Roman soldier who is commemorated with his 2,593 soldiers as martyrs by the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church on 19 August.