Zanifa of Persia

Holy Martyr Zanifa of Persia (also called Zanifan) was one of the martyrs imprisoned at Varavokh in Persia, in the time of King Shapur (310-331), whom Saints Jonah and Barachisius found and strengthened.

The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians and lived in the village of Yasy in Persia. Learning that Christians were being tormented in the city of Varavokh, they went there and found in prison the martyrs Zanifan, Lazarus, Marufan, Narsin, Elijah, Marinus, Aviv, Sivefin and Sabbas, and urged them to remain firm in the faith to the end. The brothers were seized and brought to the judgment of the Persian princes Masdraph, Siroph and Marmisius, who tried to force them to worship the sun, fire and water. The martyrs confessed their faith in Christ and refused, and for that were cruelly tormented. Jonah was bound to a tree and beaten for a long time, dragged over the ice of a frozen lake, his fingers and toes, his tongue and the skin of his head were cut off, and in the end he was sawn in two. Barachisius was put in fetters heated red-⁠hot, molten tin was poured into his nose, ears and mouth, he was tormented on a turning wheel and gave up his spirit after boiling pitch was poured into his mouth. The bodies of the martyrs were buried by a Christian named Avdisot.

Saint Zanifa is commemorated on 10 April, in the new style, together with those beside him.