Seven Venerable Martyrs of Gareji

The Seven Venerable Martyrs of Gareji are Gerontius, Serapion, Germanus, Bessarion, Michael, Simon and Otar, monks of the David Gareji desert in Georgia, killed by Lezgins in the summer of 1851. They are commemorated on 12 August, old style (25 August, new style).

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the David Gareji desert was repeatedly ravaged by Lezgin raids, which ruined the churches and cells, took the precious objects of worship, and tortured and killed the fathers there. In the summer of 1851 a great band of Lezgins fell upon the Lavra. First the deacon Otar was killed with the sword, then the hieromonk Gerontius was beheaded; the hieromonk Serapion was struck on the head with a sword and died; the monk Germanus was killed, and likewise the monk Bessarion. The deacon Simon, a young man, began to stagger, was touched by the sword and could no longer walk, then was beheaded. Michael, received in silence and very obedient to the community and the monastery, was tormented more than the others. After their death a great light descended and remained over the martyrs. The account was written by the monk Isaac of the Gaenati monastery, who had been taken captive to Dagestan with them and was later ransomed by Emperor Nicholas.