Azas

Saint Azas the Hieromartyr was a deacon of the Church in Persia in the fourth century and suffered for Christ together with the priest James, during the great persecution of King Shapur II. The Church of Greece commemorates them both on 10 April as hieromartyrs.

Azas came from the village of Bithykora, called Bethnire in other sources, and the priest James from the village of Pharatha. Under Shapur II, who reigned from 309 to 379, the Christians of Persia were regarded as friends of the Christian Roman Empire and were cruelly persecuted, above all their clergy. Greek sources place their suffering in 332, while other calendars link it to the later years of this persecution.

Denounced as Christians, James and Azas were brought before the archmagus Archogaichar, the chief of the Persian priests. They were kept in prison and tormented with hunger for many days, then cruelly beaten. Because they would not offer sacrifice to the sun and to fire, as the Persians did, they were stripped and left outside all night in the bitter cold.

In the morning, when they were barely breathing, they were asked again whether they would deny Christ. They answered that they wished to die for Him. Then the governor ordered them to be beheaded, and so they received the crown of martyrdom.

The Slavonic calendars commemorate on the same day the priest James and the deacons Azadanes and Abdicius, slain in Persia under Shapur; to all appearances this is the same martyrdom. Saint Azas is celebrated on 10 April together with Saint James the Priest.