THE HOLY MARTYR SABAS THE SOLDIER

April 24

From the Prologue

This glorious Sabas lived in Rome during the reign of Emperor Aurelian and held the rank of commander. By ancestry, he was of a Gothic tribe. He often visited Christians in prison and assisted them from his own estate. Because of his extreme chastity and fasting, God had given him authority over unclean spirits. When Sabas was accused of being a Christian, he courageously stood before the emperor, threw down his military belt and openly confessed Christ the Lord. Sabas was tortured in various ways: flogged, scrapped with irons and burned with candles. He did not succumb to these deadly tortures but appeared alive and healthy. His military companions, seeing that God was obviously helping him, embraced the Faith of Christ. Those seventy in number were immediately beheaded by order of the emperor. Christ the Lord Himself appeared in a great light to St. Sabas in prison and encouraged His martyr. After that, he was condemned to death by drowning. Sabas was thrown into a deep river where he gave up his soul to God in the year 272 A.D. His soul went to the Lord to Whom he remained faithful through many tortures.