The Holy Martyr Emilian

Life

In the time of Julian the Apostate, in the Thracian city of Dorostolum, there lived Emilian, a young man, a servant in the household of the city governor. When the apostate emperor began to destroy Christianity with fire and sword throughout the Roman Empire, the imperial envoy came to Dorostolum as well, to slay the Christians. But he found not a single one. Gladdened by this, he gave a great feast for the citizens of Dorostolum and ordered a great sacrifice to the idols and merrymaking throughout the entire city, day and night. That night, holy Emilian went about the idolatrous temples, marketplaces, and streets of the city and with a mallet smashed all the idols. The next day there was horror in the city. All sought the destroyer of their gods. A certain peasant was seized, having been seen that morning passing by the temple. When Emilian saw that an innocent man would suffer, he said to himself: "If I conceal my deed, then what profit is there to me from what I have done? Shall I not be found before God as the murderer of an innocent man?" He therefore presented himself before the imperial envoy and confessed everything. The envoy, enraged, asked Emilian who had persuaded him to do this. The martyr of Christ answered: "God and my soul commanded me to destroy those dead pillars which you call gods." Then the judge ordered him to be beaten with rods, and after the beating and other tortures, to be burned in fire. Thus did holy Emilian end his earthly life and depart to the heavenly one on July 18, in the year 362.

From the Hymn of Praise

The monks asked Pambo the blessed:Is it good, O Father, to praise one's neighbor?Then Pambo was silent, and to the brethren replied:It is good to praise, but better to be silent.