Venerable Martyrs John and Others

Life

The Venerable Martyrs John and others, from the monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified near Jerusalem. This glorious monastery, visited also by Saint Sabbas of Serbia and endowed by several Serbian rulers, exists to this day. Many times it was attacked by wild Arabs, plundered and ravaged, but by God's Providence it was always renewed and has been preserved to this day. In the time of Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene it was attacked by Arabs and plundered. The monks refused to flee, but taking counsel with their Abbot Thomas, they said: "We fled from the world into this desert for love of Christ — it would be shameful now to flee from the desert out of fear of men. If we are slain here, we shall be slain for our love of Christ, for Whose sake we came here to live." Having resolved thus, they awaited the armed Arabs unarmed, as lambs await wolves. The Arabs killed some of them with arrows, and shut others in the cave of Saint Sabbas, then kindled a fire at the entrance and suffocated them with smoke. And so many of them ended their lives as martyrs for Christ's sake and departed to the kingdom of Him Whom they had loved and for love of Whom they perished. They suffered honorably before Pascha in the year 796, in the time of Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene and the Patriarch of Jerusalem Elias. But soon just punishment overtook the savage attackers. Returning to their tents, they quarreled among themselves and in mutual combat all perished. This occurred in the year 796.

From the Hymn of Praise

### HOLY PHOTINA