Symeon and the Hundred Martyrs

So the honorable life of Usthazanes came to its end. When the news was brought to Symeon in prison, he gave thanks to God for him. The next day happened to be the sixth day of the week, and also the day on which, just before the festival of the resurrection, the yearly memorial of the Savior’s suffering is kept. On that day the king ordered Symeon to be beheaded. For he had been brought from the prison to the palace again, had reasoned most nobly with Sapor about the teachings of the faith, and had declared his resolve never to worship either the king or the sun. On the same day a hundred other prisoners were ordered to be put to death. Symeon watched their execution, and last of all he was put to death himself. Among these victims were bishops, presbyters and other clergy of different ranks. As they were being led out to execution, the chief of the Magi came up to them and asked whether they would save their lives by conforming to the king’s religion and worshiping the sun. Since none of them would agree to this, they were led to the place of execution, and the executioners set about killing these martyrs. [a]

Symeon, standing beside those who were to be killed, urged them to stand firm. He reasoned with them about death, the resurrection and godliness, and showed them from the sacred Scriptures that a death like theirs is true life, while to live, and through fear to deny God, is truly death. He told them, too, that even if no one were to kill them, death would certainly overtake them, for our death follows naturally from our birth. What comes after this life lasts forever, and it does not come alike to everyone; but, as though measured by a rule, all must give an exact account of how they have lived here. Each one who has done well will receive immortal rewards and will escape the punishments of those who did the opposite. He also told them that the greatest and happiest of all good deeds is to die for the cause of God. While Symeon was speaking on such themes, and like a household attendant was urging them on about how they were to go into the contest, each one listened and went boldly to the slaughter. After the executioner had killed a hundred, Symeon himself was put to death; and Abedechalaas and Ananias, two aged presbyters of his own church who had been in prison with him, suffered with him.