E01812: The Martyrdom of Abbot *Baršebyā (martyr in Persia, ob. c. 340, S00918) is produced by an anonymous Syriac-speaking writer in Persia during the 5th or 6th century. It describes the martyrdom of the abbot Baršebyā and his eleven companions in the Persian city of Istakhr in the mid 4th century.

Martyrdom of Abbot Baršebyā

Summary:

The narrative opens with the information that at the time of the martyrdom of *Miles (S00919) there was a monastery 'in the land of the Persians,' inhabited by the abbot Baršebyā and his ten disciples. (p. 281)

Some unnamed people accuse the monks of missionary activity, sorcery and undermining the Zoroastrian religion before the chief-priest and judge of the city of Istakhr. The latter orders Baršebyā and his companions to be arrested and submits them to various tortures. As the monks remain steadfast under torture, the judge sentences them to death. (pp. 281-282)

As Baršebyā and his companions are being executed one by one at the outskirts of the city, a certain Zoroastrian priest, who is travelling on the nearby road with his family, notices the crowd of spectators. Curious to see what is going on, the priest approaches the place of execution. As he is watching the monks being killed, the priest has a vision of 'tongues of fire standing up in the form of the cross' above their corpses. Astounded, he changes his clothes for those of his servant and secretly asks the abbot to join the group of martyrs. Baršebyā concedes and lets the priest be martyred together with the monks. The abbot is executed last. (pp. 282-283)

The heads of the martyrs are brought into the city and hung upon the temple of the goddess Anahid, whereas their bodies are devoured by wild animals and birds. The matter of the martyred Zoroastrian becomes known and causes many Persians, including his household, to convert to Christianity. (pp. 283-284)