THE HOLY MARTYRS SERGIUS AND BACCHUS

These holy and wonderful martyrs and heroes of the Christian Faith were at first noblemen at the court of Emperor Maximian. The emperor himself esteemed them greatly because of their courage, wisdom and fidelity. But when the emperor heard that his two noblemen were Christians, his love for them turned into rage. Once, when there was a great sacrificial offering to idols, the emperor demanded that Sergius and Bacchus offer sacrifices with him, but they openly refused to obey the emperor in this. Beside himself with rage, the emperor commanded that their military garments, rings and emblems be stripped from them and that they be dressed in women’s clothing. He then placed iron hoops around their necks and paraded them through the streets of the city of Rome, to be mocked by everyone. Afterward, he sent them to Antiochus, his deputy in Asia, for torture. Antiochus had risen to his position with Sergius and Bacchus’s help, as they had at one time recommended him to the emperor. When Antiochus implored them to deny Christ and save themselves from dishonorable suffering and death, these saints replied: “Both honor and dishonor, both life and death–all are the same to him who seeks the Heavenly Kingdom.” Antiochus cast Sergius into prison and ordered that Bacchus be tortured first. His minions took turns beating the holy Bacchus until his whole body was broken. Bacchus’s holy soul departed his broken and bloodied body, and in the hands of angels was borne to the Lord. St. Bacchus suffered in the town of Barbalissos. Then St. Sergius was led out and shod in iron shoes with inward-protruding nails. He was driven, on foot, to the town of Rozapha, in Syria, and was beheaded there with the sword. His soul went to Paradise where, together with his friend Bacchus, he received a crown of immortal glory from Christ, his King and Lord. These two wondrous knights of the Christian Faith suffered in about the year 303 A.D.

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СВЕТИ МУЧЕНИЦИ СЕРГИЈЕ И ВАКХО

Ови свети и дивни мученици и јунаци вере Христове беху најпре први великаши на двору цара Максимијана. И сам их цар уважаваше много због храбрости, мудрости и верности. Али кад чу цар, да су ова два великаша његова хришћани, промени љубав своју према њима на гнев. И једном када беше велико жртвоприношење идолима цар позва Сергија и Вакха, да заједно с њима жртве принесу, али они отворено отказаше цару послушност у томе. Ван себе од јарости цар нареди, те свукоше с њих војничко одело, и прстење, и одликовања, и обукоше их у женске хаљине; још им метнуше гвоздене обруче о врат, и тако их вођаху улицама града Рима на подсмех свима и свакоме. По том их посла цар у Азију, своме намеснику Антиоху, на истјазање. А овај Антиох беше се и дигао до тога положаја помоћу Сергија и Вакха, који га у своје време препоручише цару. Када их Антиох поче саветовати, да се одрекну Христа, и да себе спасу бешчешћа мука и смрти, одговорише ови светитељи: „и чест и бешчешће, и живот и смрт – све је једно ономе ко иште царства небескога.“ Антиох баци Сергија у тамницу, и нареди прво да се мучи Вакх. Слуге се мењаху један за другим тукући Вакха светога, све док му цело тело не раздробише. Из раздробљеног и крвавог тела св. Вакха изађе душа његова света и на рукама ангелским оде Господу. Пострада св. Вакх у граду Варвалису. Тада Сергије свети би изведен, и обувен у гвоздене опанке, с начичканим ексерима, па тако отеран у град Росаф у Сирију, и тамо мачем посечен; и душа му оде у Рај, да тамо заједно са Вакхом, другом својим, приме венце славе бесмртне од Христа Цара к Господа свога. Пострадаше ови красни витези вере Христове око 303. г.