E00255: The Testament of the *Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (S00103) designates the village of Sareim in Helenopontus (northern Asia Minor) as the only legitimate place of burial and veneration for their relics. Written in Greek in Pontus (northern Asia Minor), between the 4th and 7th c.

Testament of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (BHG 1203)

Διαθήκη τῶν Ἁγίων καὶ Ἐνδόξων τοῦ Χριστοῦ Τεσσαράκοντα Μαρτύρων τῶν ἐν Σεβαστείᾳ τελειωθέντων

Μελέτιος καὶ Ἀέτιος καὶ Εὐτύχιος οἱ δέσμιοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ <τοῖς> κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ χώραν ἁγίοις ἐπισκόποις τε καὶ πρεσβυτέροις, διακόνοις τε καὶ ὁμολογηταῖς καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἅπασιν ἐκκλησιαστικοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ χαίρειν.

1. (1.) Ἐπειδὰν τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτι καὶ ταῖς κοιναῖς τῶν πάντων εὐχαῖς τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα τελέσωμεν καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ βραβεῖα τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως φθάσωμεν, τότε καὶ ταύτην ἡμῶν τὴν γνώμην κυρίαν εἶναι βουλόμεθα ἐπὶ τὸ τὰ λείψανα ἡμῶν ἀνακομίζεσθαι τοῖς περὶ τὸν πρεσβύτερον καὶ πατέρα ἡμῶν Πρόϊδον καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν Κρισπῖνον καὶ Γόρδιον σὺν σπουδάζοντι λαῷ, Κύριλλόν τε καὶ Μάρκον καὶ Σαπρίκιον τὸν τοῦ Ἀμμωνίου, εἰς τὸ κατατεθῆναι τὰ λείψανα ἡμῶν ὑπὸ τὴν πόλιν Ζήλων ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ Σαρεῖμ. εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐκ διαφόρων χωρίων τυγχάνομεν πάντες, ἀλλά γε μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῆς καταπαύσεως εἱλόμεθα κατάθεσιν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κοινὸν ἐθέμεθα τὸν τοῦ ἄθλου ἀγῶνα, κοινὴν συνεθέμεθα καὶ τὴν κατάπαυσιν ποιήσασθαι ἐν τῷ προειρημένῳ χωρίῳ. ταῦτα οὖν καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι ἔδοξεν, καὶ ἡμῖν ἤρεσεν. (2.) τούτου ἕνεκεν ἡμεῖς οἱ περὶ Ἀέτιον καὶ Εὐτύχιον καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν παρακαλοῦμεν τοὺς κυρίους ἡμῶν γονεῖς καὶ ἀδελφοὺς πάσης λύπης καὶ ταραχῆς ἐκτὸς γενέσθαι, τῆς δὲ φιλαδέλφου κοινωνίας τιμῆσαι τὸν ὅρον καὶ τῷ βουλήματι ἡμῶν σπουδαίως συνάρασθαι, ὅπως τῆς ὑπακοῆς καὶ τῆς συμπαθείας τὸν μέγαν μισθὸν παρὰ τοῦ κοινοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν κομίσησθε. ἔτι δὲ ἀξιοῦμεν πάντας μηδένα τῶν ἐκ τῆς καμίνου ἀνελομένων λειψάνων ἡμῶν ἓν ἑαυτῷ περιποιήσασθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἐν ταὐτῷ συναθροίσεως φροντίσαντα ἀποδοῦναι τοῖς προειρημένοις, ἵνα καὶ τῆς σπουδῆς τὸν τόνον ἐπιδειξάμενος καὶ τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης τὸ ἀκέραιον αὐτῶν τῶν πόνων τῆς συμπαθείας τὸ κέρδος κομίσηται. καθάπερ ἡ Μαρία προσκαρτερήσασα τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ πρὸ πάντων θεασαμένη τὸν κύριον, πρώτη καὶ τῆς χαρᾶς καὶ εὐλογίας ἐδέξατο τὴν χάριν. (4.) εἰ δέ τις τῷ βουλήματι ἡμῶν ἐναντιωθῇ, τοῦ μὲν θείου κέρδους ἀλλότριος ἔστω, τῆς δὲ παρακοῆς πάσης ὑπόδικος, μικρῷ βουλήματι ἀπολέσας τὸ δίκαιον, τέμνειν ἡμᾶς ἀπ’ ἀλλήλων ὅσον τὸ ἐφ’ ἑαυτὸν βιαζόμενος, οὓς ὁ ἅγιος ἡμῶν σωτὴρ ἰδίᾳ χάριτι καὶ προνοίᾳ τῇ πίστει συνέζευξεν. (5.) εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ παῖς Εὐνοϊκὸς νεύματι τοῦ φιλανθρώπου θεοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦ ἀγῶνος καταντήσει τέλος τὴν αὐτὴν ἡμῶν ἠξίωσεν ἔχειν καὶ καταμονήν· ἐὰν δὲ διαφυλαχθῇ ἀβλαβὴς τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χάριτι καὶ ἔτι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐξετάζοιτο, σχολάζειν αὐτὸν μετ’ ἐλευθερίας τῷ μαρτυρίῳ ἡμῶν παραγγέλλομεν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ φυλάττειν παρακαλοῦμεν, ἵνα ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρᾳ τῆς μεθ’ ἡμῶν ἀπολαύσεως τύχῃ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὢν τὰς αὐτὰς ἡμῖν ὑπέμεινε θλίψεις. (6.) ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν εὐγνωμοσύνη δικαιοσύνην βλέπει θεοῦ, ἡ δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοιογενεῖς παρακοὴ ἐντολὴν θεοῦ πατεῖ· γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἀδικίαν μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν.

2. (1.) Τοιγαροῦν ἀξιῶ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφὲ Κρισπῖνε, καὶ παραγγέλλω, ὡς πάσης κοσμικῆς ἡδυπαθείας καὶ πλάνης γενέσθαι ξένους. σφαλερὰ γὰρ καὶ οὐκ εὔτονος ἡ τοῦ κόσμου δόξα, ἣ πρὸς ὀλίγον μὲν ἀνθεῖ καὶ αὖθις μαραίνεται χόρτου δίκην, ταχύτερον τῆς ἀρχῆς δεξαμένη τὸ τέλος. προσδραμεῖν δὲ μᾶλλον θελήσατε τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ θεῷ, ὃς πλοῦτον μὲν ἀνελλιπῆ παρέχει τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν προστρέχουσι, ζωὴν δὲ αἰώνιον βραβεύει τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύουσι. (2.) καιρὸς οὗτος ἐπιτήδειος τοῖς σώζεσθαι θέλουσι, ἄφθονον μὲν παρέχων τῆς μετανοίας τὴν προθεσμίαν, ἀπροφάσιστον δὲ τῆς πολιτείας τὴν πρᾶξιν, μηδὲν ἀναβαλλομένοις πρὸς τὸ μέλλον. ἀπροόρατος γὰρ ἡ τοῦ βίου μεταβολή. ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ ἐγνώρισας, ὅρα τὸ χρήσιμον καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ ἐπίδειξαι τῆς θεοσεβείας τὸ ἄχραντον, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ καταληφθεὶς τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπαλείψῃς τὸ χειρόγραφον· Ἐν ᾧ γὰρ εὕρω σε, φησίν, ἐν τούτῳ καὶ κρινῶ σε. (3.) σπουδάσατε οὖν ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ εὑρεθῆναι ἄμεμπτοι, ὅπως φύγητε τὸ ἀκοίμητον καὶ αἰώνιον πῦρ· ὅτι γὰρ ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος πάλαι βοᾷ ἡ θεία φωνή. (4.) ἀγάπην οὖν πρὸ πάντων τιμήσατε· αὕτη γὰρ μόνη τιμᾷ τὸ δίκαιον φιλαδελφίας νόμῳ πειθομένη θεῷ· καὶ γὰρ διὰ τοῦ ὁρωμένου ἀδελφοῦ ὁ ἀόρατος τιμᾶται θεός· καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ὁμομητρίους ἀδελφοὺς ὁ λόγος, πρὸς δὲ πάντας τοὺς φιλοχρίστους ἡ γνώμη. καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἅγιος ἡμῶν σωτὴρ καὶ θεὸς ἐκείνους ἔφασκεν (5) ἀδελφοὺς εἶναι, τοὺς οὐχὶ τῇ φύσει κοινωνοῦντας ἀλλήλοις, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀρίστῃ πράξει πρὸς τὴν πίστιν συναπτομένους καὶ τὸ θέλημα ἐκπληροῦντας τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

3. (1.) Προσαγορεύομεν τὸν κύριν τὸν πρεσβύτερον Φίλιππον καὶ Προκλιανὸν καὶ Διογένην ἅμα τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἐκκλησίᾳ. προσαγορεύομεν τὸν κύριν Προκλιανὸν τὸν ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ Φυδελᾷ ἅμα τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἐκκλησίᾳ μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων. προσαγορεύομεν Μάξιμον μετὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, Μάγνον μετὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. προσαγορεύομεν Δόμνον μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων καὶ Ἴλην τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν, Οὐάλην μετὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. προσαγορεύω καὶ ἐγὼ Μελέτιος τοὺς συγγενεῖς μου Λουτάνιον Κρίσπον καὶ Γόρδιον μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων, Ἐλπίδιον μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων, Ὑπερέχιον μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων. (2.) προσαγορεύομεν καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ Σαρεῖμ, τὸν πρεσβύτερον μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων, τοὺς διακόνους μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων, Μάξιμον μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων, Ἡσύχιον μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων, Κυριακὸν μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων. προσαγορεύομεν τοὺς ἐν Χαδουθὶ πάντας κατ’ ὄνομα. προσαγορεύομεν καὶ τοὺς ἐν Χαρισφώνῃ πάντας κατ’ ὄνομα. προσαγορεύω καὶ ἐγὼ Ἀέτιος τοὺς συγγενεῖς μου Μάρκον καὶ Ἀκυλίναν καὶ τὸν πρεσβύτερον Κλαύδιον καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου Μάρκον, Τρύφωνα καὶ τὰς ἀδελφάς μου καὶ τὴν σύμβιόν μου Δόμναν μετὰ τοῦ παιδίου μου. (3.) προσαγορεύω καὶ ἐγὼ Εὐτύχιος τοὺς ἐν Ξιμάροις τὴν μητέρα μου Ἰουλίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου Κύριλλον, Ῥοῦφον καὶ Ῥίγλον καὶ Κυρίλλαν καὶ τὴν νύμφην μου Βασιλείαν καὶ τοὺς διακόνους Κλαύδιον καὶ Ῥουφῖνον καὶ Πρόκλον. προσαγορεύομεν καὶ τοὺς ὑπηρέτας τοῦ θεοῦ Σαπρίκιον <τὸν τοῦ> Ἀμμωνίου καὶ Γενέσιον, καὶ Σωσάνναν μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων. (4.) προσαγορεύομεν τοίνυν πάντες ἡμεῖς οἱ τεσσαράκοντα ἀδελφοὶ καὶ συνδέσμιοι πάντες Μελέτιος Ἀέτιος Εὐτύχιος Κυρίων Κάνδιδος Ἀγγίας Γάϊος Χουδίων Ἡράκλειος Ἰωάννης Θεόφιλος Σισίνιος Σμάραγδος Φιλοκτήμων Γοργόνιος Κύριλλος Σεβηριανὸς Θεόδουλος Νίκαλλος Φλάβιος Ξάνθιος Οὐαλέριος Ἡσύχιος Δομετιανὸς Δόμνος Ἡλιανὸς Λεόντιος ὁ καὶ Θεόκτιστος Εὐνοϊκὸς Οὐάλης Ἀκάκιος Ἀλέξανδρος Βικράτιος ὁ καὶ Βιβιανὸς Πρίσκος Σακέρδων Ἐκδίκιος Ἀθανάσιος Λυσίμαχος Κλαύδιος Ἴλης καὶ Μελίτων. ἡμεῖς οὖν οἱ τεσσαράκοντα δέσμιοι τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπεγράψαμεν τῇ χειρὶ δι’ ἑνὸς ἡμῶν Μελετίου καὶ ἐκυρώσαμεν πάντα τὰ προγεγραμμένα καὶ ἠρέσθη πᾶσιν ἡμῖν. ψυχῇ δὲ καὶ πνεύματι θείῳ εὐχόμεθα, ὅπως τύχωμεν ἅπαντες τῶν αἰωνίων τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν.


'Testament of the Holy and Glorious Forty Martyrs of Christ, who died at Sebastea

Meletios and Aetios and Eutychios, prisoners of Christ, greet in Christ the holy bishops and presbyters and deacons and confessors and all the rest of the church.

1. When, by the grace of God and by the common prayers of everyone, we accomplish the contest set before us, and hasten to the prize of the heavenly calling [Phil. 3:14], we then wish that this our will should come into effect: our relics [leipsana] are to be collected [anakomizesthai] by the companions of the presbyter Proidos, our father, and of our brothers Krispinos and Gordios, together with the zealous people, and Kyrillos and Markos and Saprikios, son of Ammōnios, in order that our relics be deposited at the village of Sareim in the district of the city of Zela. For, although we all happen to come from various villages, yet we have chosen one and the same place of deposition for our rest. Because, as we have fought the struggle of our contest in common, even so have we decided to have the same place of rest built at the said village. This was indeed both decided by the Holy Spirit and approved by us. For this reason, we, the companions of Aetios and Eutychios and of the rest of our brethren in Christ, beseech our honoured parents and brothers to refrain from all grief and distress, to honour the bond of our loving and brotherly relation, and to abide with zeal by our will, that you may receive the great reward for your obedience and affection, from our common Father. We also request from everyone that no one should keep for himself any of our relics removed from the furnace, but that he should take care that they be gathered together, and hand them over to the aforementioned people, so that he may demonstrate the strength of his zeal and the fullness of his gratitude, and that he may earn the reward for the very labours of his affection. Just like Mary who, having abode with perseverance at the tomb of Christ and having seen the Lord before everyone else, received the grace of joy and blessing first. But if anyone opposes our will, let this man be aloof from divine reward, let him face judgement for all his disobedience, for he overturns justice by mere whim, forcing us, as far as is in his power, to be separated from one another, we whom our Holy Saviour united in the faith, by his own grace and providence. Now, should the boy Eunoikos, by the will of the loving God, also arrive at the same end of the contest, he has requested to share the same dwelling with us. But, should he, by the grace of Christ, be preserved unharmed and still remain to be tested in this world, we order that he freely devote himself to our martyrium [martyrion], and we exhort him to keep the commandments of Christ, so that, on the great day of resurrection, he may be granted happiness in our company, for he endured the same tribulations with us while in the world. Indeed, gratitude to the brother looks to God’s justice, whereas disobedience towards one’s fellows tramples God’s commandment. It is namely written, he who loves injustice hates his own soul [Ps. 10:5].

2. Accordingly, I ask and order you, brother Krispinos, to remain aloof from all worldly pleasure and error. Because the glory of this world is precarious and feeble, as it blossoms a little while and withers like grass, reaching end faster than beginning. You should rather take