Urban of Antioch

Holy Martyr Urban of Antioch was one of the three boys who accompanied the Holy Hieromartyr Babylas, bishop of Antioch, in the time of the emperor Decius (249-251). The other two are Prilidian and Epolonius, and their mother was Christodula. When the emperor was in Antioch, he had a great festival held in honour of the pagan gods. At that time Bishop Babylas was serving the Liturgy in the church, praying for his flock and teaching it to bear every trial for Christ with courage. After the idolatrous service Decius wished to enter the church to see the Mysteries and to defile the holy place. The bishop went out to meet him and stopped him at the threshold. The emperor tried to come nearer, but Babylas pushed him back with his hand, so that he had to give up. He wished to take vengeance at once, but, seeing the multitude of Christians, he feared an uprising.

The next day the emperor ordered the church to be burned and Babylas brought to him. Asked how he could fail to give due honour and refuse to let the emperor into the church, the bishop answered that whoever rises against God and wants to insult His holy place is not worthy of honour but becomes an enemy of the Lord. The emperor demanded that he bow to the idols, and Babylas remained unmoved and was put in heavy chains and paraded shamefully through the city by the captain Victorinus. The saint answered that the chains were as dear to him as the crown was to the emperor, and that death for the immortal King was as desirable to him as life was to Decius. At the trial the three young brothers accompanied him. Asked whose they were, Babylas answered that they were his spiritual children, born through preaching, fed with teaching and raised by guidance, and that now, in small bodies, they stood before him as great men and perfect Christians.

The emperor tried in vain to lure the youths and their mother Christodula into renouncing Christ. Then he ordered that each be given as many wounds as years of age: first twelve, the next ten and the third seven. The mother and children were released, and the emperor called Babylas again, to deceive him with the lie that they had renounced, but the lie was exposed and did not succeed. Furious, he hung them all on a tree and burned them with fire, and then, seeing their steadfastness, finally sentenced them to be beheaded (about the year 251).

Saint Urban is commemorated on 17 September, in the new style.