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Shortly
after, Yares, his wife and his son were baptized and they were given new names.
Yares became Noah, his wife became Saphina and Philopateer became Merkorious.
The news of their baptism spread quickly in the city and the prince ordered them
to be arrested and thrown to the wild animals. But the Lord, who shut the mouths
of the lions at the time of Daniel, tamed the wild animals and they did not harm
them. The prince and his soldiers were astonished and decided to release Yares
and his family.
When the
Berbers attacked Eskentos, Noah went to fight them. He was taken prisoner and
was brought to their foreign country, where he served them for seventeen months.
When the war finally ended, he went back to his city and joined his family, but
he died shortly after.
After the
death of Noah, the pagan king Dicius chose Merkorious to replace his father. He
led the army against the Berbers. After several days of fighting, the archangel
Michael appeared to Merkorious holding a shining sword. He said, "Merkorious,
servant of Jesus Christ, don't be afraid. Take this sword from my hand and fight
the Berbers with it. Don't forget your God when you come back victoriously. I am
Michael the Archangel, whom God sent to inform you that you should suffer for
the Lord's name. I shall be with you and support you until you complete your
testimony. The name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in you. "
The saint
took the sword from the Archangel. He went to fight the Berbers with two swords.
He conquered them as he felt the divine strength fill his heart. When Dicius
heard the news about the triumphant victory, he was very pleased. He appointed
Merkorious prince and gave him many honorable medals.
In 249 A.D.
Dicius blasphemed against Christ and started persecuting the Christians. He
issued a decree compelling everyone to offer sacrifices to his pagan gods. The
Archangel Michael appeared to Merkorious and told him to remember his Lord and
not to be scared of the persecutions. The saint was happy of the encouragement
he received from the Lord and spent the whole night praying fervently, and
confessing his weakness to God.
The next
morning, the king sent some messengers to summon Merkorious to the palace, but
he excused himself, saying that he was tired. The day after, the king sent for
Merkorious again. He told him, "Dear Merkorious, let's go offer incense to the
gods who helped us attain victory in the war." Being kind, Merkorious didn't say
anything but as they were going, he slipped through the crowd and went away.
However, one of the king's guards reported his absence, and the king called
Merkorious and asked him, "Is it true that you refused to worship the idols who
helped us during the war?"
Merkorious
answered with courage, "Your Majesty, the victory was not due to dumb idols made
by human hands. It was accomplished by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ who sent his Archangel to give me a sword and strengthened me. I cannot
deny my God and worship statues."
The king
was mad, but held himself back, because he didn't want to loose a courageous
hero like Merkorious. He tried to persuade him by promising him a higher
position, and large sums of money, but to no avail. So he stripped him from all
his gold medals and ranks. In all that, Merkorious' faith was unshaken. Then the
king ordered him to be thrown in jail.
That did
not stop the saint from praying and singing hymns in prison. During the night,
Michael the Archangel appeared to him and told him, "Don't be afraid of the
tortures. Confess your faith in Jesus publicly because He's the only One able to
save you."
The next
morning, the king called Merkorious and tried again to convince him to give up
his faith. When he refused, the king decided to start the torturing. The
soldiers hung the saint between two poles, higher than the ground so that they
could hit him with sharp nails. They tried also to cut his body with sharp
blades and burn it, but because of the Lord's grace, Merkorious was able to
endure all these tortures in silence. Back in jail, the Archangel appeared and
touched Merkorious' body. He was instantly healed.
The next
day, when the king saw that the saint was in perfect health, he attributed it to
witchcraft. Merkorious told him that it was Jesus who is the true healer of the
soul and the body. Nevertheless, after Dicius tried so many tortures without any
success, he decided to have him beheaded.
Merkorious
lifted up his arms and prayed fervently, asking the Lord-to accept him in
paradise. Then, all of a sudden, he saw The Lord Jesus in a glorified vision,
surrounded by many angels. Jesus said, "My chosen son, Merkorious, come to your
eternal rest with the saints. Your prayers have risen up to me like the aroma of
good-smelling incense. Miracles will be performed in any church bearing your
name. And I will save those who ask Me through your intercession. Whoever writes
or reads the story of your life will have their names written in the Book of
Life."
Then, after
the Lord had blessed him, Merkorious was so happy that he ran to his
executioners, and begged them to carry out the king's orders immediately. Then
he knelt down and said, "Lord, do not count this sin against them." Merkorious
was martyred on the 4th of December in the year 250 A.D. He was only 25 years
old.
After the
end of the first persecution, God wanted to reveal the place of the saint's
burial. Merkorious appeared to a poor man in the city, and told him that he was
Merkorious the martyr of the Lord. "My body is buried in Cappadocia Gardens,
under the old house on the way to the royal palace. My body looks as white as
snow, because Jesus was present at the time of my martyrdom," said the saint.
The next
morning, the man went to dig under the old house. Then he smelled perfume, and
at the same time he saw the body of the saint. The news spread quickly and many
people came to take a look at the blessed body. They moved it to the village's
Church until they built a new church bearing his name, and Merkorious' body was
buried there with respect and devotion.
A few years later, the
Armenian patriarch visited Egypt and met with the Egyptian patriarch. The latter
asked him if Egypt could have part of the relics of Saint Merkorious to be
placed in the church that bears his name in old Cairo. On the 9th of Baouna
(June 16) part of the blessed body was offered to Egypt.
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