Synaxarium
Daily Stories of the Saints
for the Blessed Month of Baramhat
The Eleventh Day of the Blessed Month of Baramhat
Baramhat 11
Martyrdom of St.Basil (Basilaos) The
Bishop
On this day St. Basil (Basilaos) the bishop
was martyred. In the year 298 A.D., Abba Armon, Patriarch of Jerusalem,
ordained this holy man among others to be bishops without stated Sees.
He sent them to preach the Kingdom of Heaven in pagan cities. This Saint
preached in many cities where they beat him and drove him out. When he
entered the city of Sharsunah, in Syria, he preached the Gospel, some of
its people believed but the others became angry and drove him out. He went
outside the city and dwelt in a cave where he gave himself to perpetual
prayers and supplications to God that the people of the city might believe
in Christ. The son of the Governor of that city died, he was his only child,
and he grieved on him exceedingly. On the day that the Governor buried
his son, he saw him in a vision at night, standing before him saying: "Call
St. Basilaos and ask him to pray to the Lord Christ on my behalf because
I am in great darkness." The Governor woke up from his dream and took the
nobles of the city, went to the cave of St. Basilaos and asked him to enter
the city to pray for his son. The Saint agreed to their request and went
with them to where the Governor's son was buried. He prayed to God with
fervent supplication and the son rose up alive with the power of God. The
Governor, his household, and many of the people of the city believed, and
were baptized by the hands of this Saint. There were in the city a congregation
of Jews who were envious of the Saint. They joined with the men of the
city who did not believe, and rose up against the Saint and beat him and
dragged him until he yielded up his soul in peace.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.