Marian the Deacon

Holy Martyr Marian the Deacon suffered at Rome, in the time of the emperor Numerian (283-284), among the many Christians who gathered in the cave near the place of martyrdom of Saints Chrysanthus and Daria. The Azbyka page tells of them in the life of these saints, together with Claudius, Hilaria, Jason and Maurus, the presbyter Diodorus and the deacon Marian.

Chrysanthus came from a pagan family, had a good education and found among the books of the Christians the New Testament, which enlightened his soul. He found the presbyter Carpophorus, hiding from the persecution, and received Baptism from him, and then began to preach the Gospel openly. His father, to turn him aside, married him to the beautiful Daria, a priestess of Athena Pallas, but Chrysanthus persuaded her to believe in Christ, and the two, by common agreement, chose a chaste life. After the father's death they lived in separate houses. Chrysanthus gathered around him some young men, and Daria some devout women. The citizens complained to the eparch Celerinus that they preached against marriage, and Chrysanthus was given over to torments by the tribune Claudius. The torments did not shake the young man's courage, for the power of God helped him. Amazed, Claudius believed in Christ and was baptized with his wife Hilaria, his sons Jason and Maurus and all his household and soldiers. Learning of it, the emperor Numerian ordered all to be killed: Claudius was drowned in the sea, his sons and the soldiers beheaded. Christians buried the bodies in a nearby cave, where Hilaria came constantly to pray; she was tracked and brought to torments. She asked for a few moments for prayer and, finishing it, died. A servant buried her in the cave beside her sons.

Daria was given over to a brothel, but there a lion sent by God guarded her, throwing to the ground, without killing them, those who tried to defile her. The martyr preached Christ to them and brought them to the way of salvation. Chrysanthus they threw into a foul pit into which the filth of the city drained, but heavenly light shone on him and the pit filled with fragrance. Then Numerian gave Chrysanthus and Daria to the executioners; after torments the martyrs were buried alive.

In the cave near the place of execution Christians gathered and kept the day of the martyrs' death, held services and received the Holy Mysteries. Learning of it, the pagan authorities ordered the entrance of the cave in which people were praying to be filled in. So many Christians died in torment, of whom two are known by name: the presbyter Diodorus and the deacon Marian.

They are commemorated on 1 April, in the new style.