The Seven Holy Brothers

The Seven Holy Brothers, the holy martyrs Orentes, Pharnakes, Eros, Firmus, Firminus, Kyriakos and the soldier Longinus, were Roman soldiers in the army of the emperor Maximian (284-305). When the Scythians attacked the Greeks, Orentes was ordered to fight the Scythian chief Marot, a man of amazing physical strength. Orentes, noted for courage and strength, put his hope in Christ with his six brothers, asked God's help and defeated the chief who had until then been undefeated. The victory decided the battle: the Scythians withdrew.

The emperor prepared to offer a thanksgiving sacrifice to the pagan gods and summoned the victor Orentes too. The saint refused to take part in the sacrifice and boldly confessed that he believed in Christ God and served Him alone. Neither the promise of honour and riches nor threats bent him. Then the emperor ordered them exiled, with his brothers, to the Caucasus. On the way they all died: first, on 22 June, Eros, at Parembole; then Orentes, who had a stone tied around his neck and was sunk in the sea, but the archangel Raphael brought him out onto the shore near the city of Rizus, where he reposed. Pharnakes died on 3 July at Kordyle; Firmus and Firminus on 7 July at Aspar, on the eastern shore of the Black Sea; Kyriakos at Ziganeia on 14 July. The seventh brother, Longinus, gave up his soul on the ship. A storm drove the ship near the city of Bichvinta, where his body was buried. The Church of Georgia commemorates them on 24 June (old style; 7 July new style).