The Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus (†c. 250) — October 22 / November 4 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, October 22 according to the Julian Calendar (November 4 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates The Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus (†c. 250).

The Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus — Maximilian, Iamblichus, Martinian, Dionysius, Antoninus, Exacustodianus (Constantine) and John — lived in the city of Ephesus. During the persecution of Christians under Decius (249–251), they took refuge in a cave outside the city in order to prepare, through prayer and fasting, for the struggle of martyrdom. The emperor had the entrance of the cave sealed with stones, and the Lord’s chosen ones fell asleep. More than a hundred and seventy years later, in the reign of the pious Emperor Theodosius the Younger (408–450), by God’s providence the cave was opened and a wondrous miracle took place: to refute the heretics who denied the resurrection of the dead, the Ephesian youths awoke. (Their life is given at greater length in the reading for August 4.) According to one account, the saints first fell asleep on August 4 and awoke on October 22; according to another tradition, August 22 is the day of their second falling asleep.