Armenian Church commemorates Sts. Gurias, Samunas, Deacon Abib, Romanos the Hermit, Child the Confessor and Soldier Husikos

Today, the Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates Sts. Gurias, Samunas, Deacon Abib, Romanos the Hermit, Child the Confessor, and Soldier Husikos.

Gurias and Samunas were priests from Yedessia living during the period of reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Gurias and Samunas are imprisoned because of being Christians; they are brought to the judge of Yedessia and are ordered to burn incense before the idols and to worship the picture of the emperor. When they refuse to obey the order, they are subjected to severe torments and are thrown into the deep pit. Gurias and Samunas are beheaded at the beginning of the 4th century.

Deacon Abib served in the Church of Yedessia at the beginning of the 4th century. During the period of Christians’ persecutions, he went from one village to another and preached the Word of God and encouraged those who were subjected to torments. Emperor Likianos, becoming aware of his activity, orders to imprison him. Becoming aware of his mother’s and relatives’ imprisonments, Deacon Abib voluntarily surrenders himself to the authorities. The judge, seeing that he is unable to force the deacon to renounce Christ, ordered to burn him over the fire. The saint first prays and then he is burned in the fire. He is buried in the same tomb where the bodies of Gurias and Samunas martyred during the same period were buried. in the fire in 312. He is buried in the same tomb where the bodies of Gurias and Samunas martyred during the same period were buried.

During the period of reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian when Christians were persecuted, a clergyman named Romanos, who was imprisoned because of his faith, said the judge: ‘Even if you ask a child what is right—to worship the only God—the Creator of the sky and the earth, or to many gods, the child will give the right answer.’ And really, the judge calls a child and asks that question, and that child answers, ‘The people’s God should be the only one God. The God we worship has Only Begotten Son, who is one with God.’ The annoyed judge immediately orders to kill the innocent child.