The Martyrs Dadas, Habeddai and Kazdoa

Commemorated on September 29

The Martyrs Dadas, Habeddai and Kazdoa accepted death for Christ under the Persian emperor Sapor. Dadas was chief court-steward under Sapor, and Saints Habeddai and Kazdoa were the cruel emperor's own children. Not knowing that Saint Dadas was a Christian, the emperor appointed him as governor of one of the Persian districts. When it was discovered, he was stripped of all honours, sent to the court of the cruel torturer Andromelik and was condemned to burning. Approaching the stake, Saint Dadas shielded himself with the sign of the Cross, and the fire went out. Seeing this miracle, the emperor's stunned son Habeddai believed in Christ and in the hearing of all confessed his faith. The judge reported this to the emperor, and he commanded Saint Habeddai to be fiercely tortured. But in all the sufferings Divine strength preserved the saint. An Angel of the Lord comforted him, and each time the Lord restored health and strength to him. Beholding the miraculous healing of the holy martyr, many prisoners situated in the prison with him, and even among them the sorcerer Gargal, became Christians and thus accepted martyrdom. The emperor's daughter Kazdoa, sister of the Martyr Habeddai, secretly visited him in prison and brought him water. Another time Kazdoa saw her brother when the torturers tortured him anew. The holy martyr was hung on a cross, and a flight of arrows shot at him, but the arrows bounced off and fell against the archers. Seeing his sister, he prevailed upon her to believe in Christ. Saint Kazdoa confessed herself a Christian, and by the command of her father the emperor Sapor, she was cruelly beaten and thrown into prison where her brother languished. Suffering from her wounds, Saint Kazdoa asked her brother to pray for her. Saint Habeddai, having said the prayer, assured his sister that she would suffer no more. On the following day during new tortures Saint Gabeddai, having seen in the crowd two presbyters – Dadias and Abdi, asked them to bring oil and water, since he deeply wanted to receive holy Baptism. At this moment a cloud overshadowed the martyr, from which poured out water and oil, and a voice was heard: "Servant of God, thou hast already received Baptism". The face of the martyr became radiant, and in the air was the smell of fragrance. The torturer commanded the saint to be pierced with spears, and after several hours he died with prayer on his lips. His body was divided into three parts, but the priests Dadias, Abdi and the deacon Armazates took the holy remains and buried them reverently. The body of the holy Martyr Dadas, whom they also tortured for a long time and cut in parts, was also secretly buried by Christians. At midnight the Martyr Habeddai appeared to the priest Dadias, gave him a vessel with oil and sent him to the Martyress Kazdoa to anoint her with oil and commune her the Holy Mysteries. The priest did this, at the very last having said to the holy martyress: "Sleep, sister, until the coming of the Lord", and Saint Kazdoa expired to the Lord. The mother of the holy martyress prepared her for burial and with joy buried her with the Martyr Habeddai.