Lives of the Saints Celebrated on August 1
Holy Seven Maccabees: Martyrs Abimus, Antoninus, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusabonus, Alimus, and Marcellus, and their mother Solomonia, and their teacher Eleazar (166 B.C.):
The Holy Seven Maccabees were not simply martyrs but emblematic heroes of faith who lived during one of the most turbulent periods of Jewish history, under the rule of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This king sought to forcibly Hellenize the Jewish people, suppressing their religion, desecrating the Temple, and imposing pagan worship. The seven brothers—Abimus, Antoninus, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusabonus, Alimus, and Marcellus—together with their mother Solomonia and their elder teacher Eleazar, embodied defiance against this oppression by remaining faithful to the Torah and Jewish law. They endured tortures that tested both body and spirit: their limbs were torn, their skin scraped, and their very lives threatened, yet they refused to bow to idols or eat forbidden foods. Solomonia, their mother, was a pillar of strength, encouraging her sons to endure suffering for the sake of faith and to look beyond temporal agony toward eternal life. Their martyrdom was a profound witness to God’s enduring covenant with His people, a foreshadowing of the New Testament martyrs who would follow. Their memory is celebrated not only for their heroism but also for their role in inspiring resistance to tyranny and unwavering loyalty to God’s commandments.
Holy Nine Martyrs of Perge in Pamphylia: Leontius, Attius, Alexander, Cindeus, Minsitheus (Mnesitheus), Cyriacus, Mineon (Menaeus), Catanus, and Eucleus (3rd c.):
In the bustling city of Perge, located in the ancient Roman province of Pamphylia, nine Christians bore witness to their faith in Christ during the 3rd century's wave of persecution. These men—Leontius, Attius, Alexander, Cindeus, Minsitheus, Cyriacus, Mineon, Catanus, and Eucleus—faced imperial pressure to renounce their belief and offer sacrifices to Roman gods. Instead, they boldly proclaimed the Christian faith, becoming beacons of hope for their fellow believers. Their arrest led to prolonged tortures intended to break their resolve: they were scourged, imprisoned, and threatened with death. Through it all, they encouraged one another and remained united in their confession of Christ. Their martyrdom was a collective act of faith that reinforced the spiritual strength found in Christian community and brotherhood. After their deaths, their relics were revered and became focal points for pilgrimage, reminding the faithful that steadfastness in persecution leads to eternal reward.
