Holy Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius of Constantinople (†c. 355) — October 25 / November 7 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, October 25 according to the Julian Calendar (November 7 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the holy martyrs Marcian and Martyrius. They served in the cathedral church of Constantinople. Marcian was a psalm-reader and Martyrius a subdeacon; in addition, both carried out the obedience of notaries to the holy Patriarch Paul the Confessor (commemorated on November 6), and it was by their hands that the blessed archbishop’s epistles to the flock scattered by the Arians were written.

After the heretics drove Saint Paul out of the imperial city and secretly killed him, his throne was given to the Arian Macedonius. The heretics first tried to win Marcian and Martyrius over with bribes and promises of honor, and then threatened to wrest out their souls by torture, but no effort bore the fruit they desired: the chosen ones of the Lord continued to confess the Orthodox faith unshakably and called the people to hold fast to the purity of the teaching handed down by the Fathers of the Church. The saints were sentenced to death.

Before their end the martyrs fervently besought the Lord: “O Lord God, who didst fashion our hearts and understandest all our works, in peace commend the souls of Thy servants, for for Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter (Ps. 32:15; 43:22). We rejoice that by such a death we depart this world for Thy name’s sake. Make us worthy of communion in Thine eternal life, O fountain of life.” After the prayer the martyrs joyfully bowed their necks to the swords of the lawless (c. 355). Their holy bodies were reverently buried by the faithful.

Later, in the time of the holy archbishop John Chrysostom, the incorrupt relics of these saints, who were well-pleasing to the Lord, were translated to a church built in their name, where many wonderful healings were wrought through the prayers of the saints.