John Mavia

Holy Martyr John Mavia, king of Persia, is mentioned in the life of Saint Theodore of Edessa as the caliph of Baghdad Mavia, who received Baptism with the name John. Soon after he openly confessed the Lord Jesus Christ, he was killed by Muslims, in the ninth century after Christ. His veneration is recorded in the Koryazhma calendar, on 3 May: "On the same day, the killing of the holy and much-⁠suffering great martyr Mauvia John, king of Persia, disciple of Saint Theodore of Edessa."

Saint Theodore, bishop of Edessa, made a journey to Baghdad to the caliph Mavia, with a complaint against the unjust oppression of the Orthodox. Coming to Mavia, the saint found him gravely ill. Calling on the Lord for help, the bishop threw a little earth from the Tomb of the Lord into a vessel of water and gave it to the caliph to drink, and the sick man was healed. Grateful, Mavia, inclined toward the saint, gladly listened to his teachings and at last decided to receive Holy Baptism with the name John. At personal meetings Saint Theodore convinced the ruler of the truth of the Christian faith and, after catechesis, baptized him in the river Tigris, with the name John, together with three Alan servants.

After Saint Theodore left, John received a revelation of his approaching death. He asked the priests to serve the Liturgy in the palace, then gathered the people and announced that he had become a Christian, and for this he was torn to pieces by the crowd. A note on the page says that he is not included in the present calendar of the Russian Church. His commemoration is kept on 22 July, in the new style.