On this day, July 8 according to the Julian Calendar (July 21 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates Holy Martyr Mirdat the King.
Holy Martyr Mirdat the King was the son of Varaz-Bakur, King of Kartli (Georgia). He was raised by his maternal grandfather as a pagan, in the fire-worshipping Zoroastrian faith, and came to the throne as a pagan king.
However, God’s grace worked in the heart of the young king. Through the preaching of Christians at his court and his own sincere seeking, Mirdat came to believe in Christ. He was secretly baptized and became a Christian in his heart, though he initially concealed his faith due to the power of the Persian overlords who dominated Georgia at the time.
When the Persian king Yazdegerd II intensified the persecution of Christians and demanded that the Georgian nobles renounce Christianity, Mirdat found himself at a critical crossroads. Rather than deny Christ, he openly confessed his faith before the Persian authorities.
For his confession of Christianity, King Mirdat was condemned. He endured imprisonment and suffering with great courage. Around the year 410, he was put to death for his refusal to apostatize, receiving the crown of martyrdom.
The Georgian Orthodox Church venerates Saint Mirdat as one of the holy martyrs of Georgia who gave his life for the Christian faith. His feast day is celebrated on July 8 according to the Julian Calendar (July 21 civil calendar).
May the intercessions of Holy Martyr Mirdat the King be with us all.