Dada of Dorostol

Holy Martyr Dada of Dorostol suffered in the year 286, in the time of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), together with his brothers Maximus and Quintilian. They are commemorated on 11 May.

The emperor had ordered that at the great festivals sacrifices be offered to the pagan gods, and that Christians be put to death. The governors Tarquinius and Gavinius arranged in Dorostol a great festival, to which the inhabitants of the city and of the surrounding villages came. After the festival, someone told the emperor that the three brothers, Dada, Maximus and Quintilian, had not obeyed and had gone to their village, Ozovia. Soldiers were sent, who found them at prayer and took them to trial. Questioned by the rulers, the brothers confessed themselves Christians. Tarquinius proposed to Maximus that he become a priest of Zeus, but he called Zeus a foul adulterer and again confessed the true God. Tarquinius tried to persuade Dada and Quintilian, but they said that their brother Maximus knew the Holy Scripture well and that they followed him in everything.

The martyrs were sent to prison, where they thought only of the salvation of their souls. At midnight, when the saints had fallen asleep, the devil appeared to them, armed against them, but, waking, they saw an angel who told them not to fear, because God, their hope, would receive them and was near them. The next day Tarquinius told them that the gods had shown him their will in a dream: that they be put to death if they did not sacrifice. The martyrs answered that the Lord had commanded them to endure torments for His holy Name. For several days the tortures and questionings continued from morning till evening. In the end the martyrs were given the sentence of death and were led under guard to their village and beheaded there with the sword.