E04189: The Martyrdom of *Mihršāpur (martyr in Persia, S01582) is written in Syriac in Sasanian Persia during the 5th c. It describes the martyrdom in 421 of the former Zoroastrian Mihršāpur under Bahram V (r. 420-438).

Martyrdom of Mihršāpur

Summary:

The narrative introduces Mihršāpur as an offspring of a noble and renowned family, who converted to Christianity. When the king was informed that Mihršāpur was a Christian, he ordered that he be arrested and imprisoned. This happened during the second year of Bahram's reign. (pp. 535-536 in Bedjan's edition)

After Mihršāpur spent three years in prison, a massive persecution of Christians begins. Mihršāpur is summoned for interrogation by the judge Hormezddāwar, who tries to bring him back to Zoroastrianism, while threatening him. The martyr rebuffs the judge's claim that he has authority over him. (pp. 536-538)

Enraged, the judge orders that Mihršāpur should be thrown into a dark underground pit, without food and water. That happened in the month of Ab (i.e. August). When the pit was opened after two months and ten days, on the tenth of the month of the former Teshri (i.e. October), the jailers saw a bright light coming from the martyr's dead body that preserved the posture of praying on his knees. (pp. 285-286)

Text: Bedjan 1890-1897. Summary: Sergey Minov.