The Holy Martyr Emilian of Silistra in Bulgaria (362)
During the reign of Julian the Apostate, in the Thracian town of Durostolon, there lived a young man, Emilian, a servant of the local eparch. When the apostate emperor attempted to destroy Christianity throughout the Roman Empire by fire and sword, his representative came to Durostolon to kill the Christians, but he did not find a single one. Rejoicing at this, he sponsored a great banquet for the citizens of Durostolon, and ordered sacrifices to be offered to the idols. The pagan revelry ensued, day and night, throughout the town. That night, St. Emilian roamed the pagan temples, markets and streets of the town, and smashed all of the idols with a sledgehammer. The next day there was great fear in the city. Everyone sought the destroyer of their gods. A peasant passing by the temple that morning was seized. Emilian, seeing that an innocent man would suffer, said to himself: “If I conceal my works, what benefit would I receive from that which I did? Would I not be found before God to be the murderer of that innocent man?” Therefore, he appeared before the emperor’s legate and admitted all. The enraged legate questioned Emilian, asking who had prompted him to do what he had done. The martyr of Christ replied: “God and my soul ordered me to destroy those lifeless pillars that you call gods.” The judge then ordered that Emilian be flogged—and, after flogging and other tortures, ordered him to be burned with fire. Thus ended the earthly life of St. Emilian. He was received into the heavenly life on July 18, 362.
