April 30 / April 17
The Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Persia, and those with him:
Hieromartyrs Abdechalas and Ananias, priests; Martyrs Ustazad and Azat, eunuchs; Fusicus, Ascitrea, and 1,150 others (341). During the reign of the wicked King Sapor, Simeon was tortured for Christ along with his two presbyters, Audel and Ananias. The king’s eunuch, Ustazan—who had earlier denied Christ but afterward, touched by the rebuke of St. Simeon, had again confessed the true Faith before the king—was executed before them. A thousand other Christians were also led to the place of execution with Simeon. Simeon intentionally moved out of the way in order to be the last one beheaded. He did this to encourage the other Christians so that not one of them would waver out of fear of death. When the presbyter Ananias placed his head on the chopping block, his entire body quivered. The king’s court clerk, Fusik, who secretly was a Christian, began to encourage Ananias saying: “Do not be afraid, old man, close your eyes and be brave, so that you may see the Divine Light.” As soon as Fusik said this, he was recognized as a Christian and was accused before the king. Both Fusik and his daughter, the maiden Askitria, were exhausted through great torture by the king. After St. Simeon saw his flock depart to the other world, he was finally beheaded. The following year on Great Friday, Azat, the beloved eunuch of the king, was also slain for Christ and with him a thousand other faithful. Then the king mourned for his eunuch and suspended the further killing of Christians. They all suffered honorably for Christ the King and Lord in the year 341 or 344.
