The Holy PriestMartyrs Basil, Ephrem, Eugene, Elpidias, Agathodoros, Etherias and Kapiton
Commemorated on March 7
The Holy
PriestMartyrs Basil, Ephrem, Eugene, Elpidias, Agathodoros, Etherias and
Kapiton carried the evangelium (Good News) of Christ into the North Black
Sea region from the Danube (Dunaj) to the Dniepr, including the Crimea, and
they sealed their apostolic activity with a martyr's death during the IV
Century in the city of Tauridian Chersonessus. Long before the Baptism of Rus'
under Saint Vladimir, the Christian faith had already spread into the Crimea,
which in antiquity was called Tauridia and was ruled by the Roman emperor. The
beginning of the enlightenment of Tauridia is attributed to the holy Apostle
Andrew the First-Called (+ 62, Comm. 30 November). Its very enemies even
contributed to the further spread of Christianity, and contrary to their
intent: the Roman emperors banished to this area transgressors against the state,
– which Christianity and the confessors of Christ were considered to be during
the first three centuries. Thus, during the reign of Trajan (98-117) Saint
Clement, Bishop of Rome (+ 101, Comm. 25 November), was exiled for
imprisonment to the Inkermann stone-quarry. There he continued with his
preaching, and there also he accepted a martyr's end.
The pagans inhabiting
the Crimean land stubbornly resisted the spread of Christianity. But the faith
of Christ, through its self-denying preachers, grew strong and was affirmed.
Many an evangeliser gave his life for this struggle.
At the beginning of
the IV Century a bishop's cathedra (presiding-chair) was established at
Chersonnesus. This was a critical period, when Chersonnesus served as a base
for the Roman armies, which constantly passed through in their dependence upon
Byzantium. During the reign of Diocletian (284-305), in the year 300 (that is,
still before the persecution which the emperor started in the year 303), – the
Jerusalem Patriarch Hermonos (303-313) dispatched many bishops for preaching
the Gospel in various lands. Two of them, Ephrem and Basil, arrived in
Chersonnesus and planted there the Word of God. Later on, Saint Ephrem went to
the peoples living along the Danube, where he underwent many tribulations and
sorrows. At the time of the start of the persecution he was beheaded (exactly
known is only the day of his death – 7 March). The preaching at Chersonnesus
was continued by Saint Basil, the companion of Saint Ephrem. He set many
idol-worshippers onto the pathway of truth. Other wayward inhabitants of the
city, enraged at his activity, showed wrathful resistance: the saint was
arrested, mercilessly beaten and thrown out of the city. Having withdrawn to a
mountain and settling in a cave, he incessantly prayed God for those that
expelled him, that He might illumine them with the light of true
Divine-knowledge. And the Lord sent the unbelieving a miracle. The only son of
an important citizen of Chersonnesus died. The dead one appeared to his parents
in a dream and said, that a certain man named Basil by his prayers to the True
God could resurrect him from the dead. When the parents had searched out the
saint and besought him to work the miracle, Saint Basil answered, that he
himself – was a sinful man and had not the power to resuscitate the dead, but
the Lord Almighty could fulfill their request if they were to believe in Him.
For a long time the saint prayed, invoking the Name of the Holy Trinity. Then,
having blessed water, he sprinkled it on the dead one, who then came alive. The
saint returned to the city with honour, and many believed and were baptised.
Soon, by order of the
emperor Maximian Galerius (305-311), the persecution against Christians spread
with renewed force. The Christ-haters rose up also against Saint Basil: on 7
March 309 he was dragged at night from his house; they tied him up, dragged him
along the streets and beat him to death with stones and canes. The body of the
saint was thrown out of the city for devouring by dogs and birds, and for many
days it was left unburied, but remained untouched. Then Christians secretly
buried the body of the holy martyr in a cave.
A year later, having
learned of the martyr's death of Saint Basil, three of his companions –
Bishops Eugene (Eugenios), Elpidias and Agathodoros – left off their preaching
in the Hellespontine region, and arrived at Chersonnesus to continue his holy
work. They underwent many hardships for the salvation of human souls. All three
bishops shared the fate of their predecessor – demon-driven pagans likewise
stoned them on 7 March 311.
After the passing of
several years, a time already during the reign of holy Equal-to-the-Apostles
Constantine the Great (306-337, Comm. 21 May), Bishop Etherias arrived in
Chersonnesus from Jerusalem. At first he also encountered hostility on the part
of the pagans, but the holy emperor in declaring freedom for the Christian
faith would not tolerate acts of violence against the preacher: he issued a
decree, by which it was declared that at Chersonnesus the Christians should be
able to make Divine-services without hindrance. Through the efforts of Saint
Etherias a church was built in the city, where the saint peacefully governed
his flock.
To thank the emperor
for protecting the Christians, Saint Etherias journeyed to Constantinople. On
the return trip he fell ill and died on the island of Amos (in Greece) on 7
March.
In place of Saint
Etherias, the holy emperor Constantine sent to Chersonnesus Bishop Kapiton. The
Christians met him with joy, but the pagans demanded from the new bishop a
sign, so as to believe in the God Whom he preached. Placing all his hope on the
Lord, Saint Kapiton in clergy garb went into a red-hot bonfire, and for a long
while he prayed in the fire and emerged from it unharmed, gathering up in his
phelonion the red-hot coals. Many of the unbelievers were then persuaded in the
power of the Christian God.
About this miracle
and the great faith of Saint Kapiton, reports were made to Saint Constantine
and the holy fathers of the First OEcumenical Council (325).
After several years
Saint Kapiton journeyed on business to Constantinople, but the ship hit a storm
at the mouth of the Dniepr River. The local people (pagans) seized hold of the
ship and drowned all those on board, including Saint Kapiton. This however occurred
on 21 December. The memory of the holy bishop of the Church was set in
conjunction with the other Chersonnesus PriestMartyrs – 7 March.
The preaching of the
priestmartyrs strengthened the faith in Christ in the Chersonnesus. From the
beginning of the V Century this city became a spiritual centre, from which
Christianity spread northwards towards Rus'. And all the more during the
IX Century Chersonnesus exerted influence on the Russians, who had begun
to settle in the city. Present-day archeological excavations have shown, that
in the city were more than fifty churches, dating to the V-XIV Centuries. In
the year 987 it was at Chersonnesus that holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince
Vladimir accepted Baptism. This ancient city was a cradle of Christianity for
Rus'.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.