Απολυτίκιο Αγ. Σέργιου, Βάκχου – 07 ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ

 TROPARUL ŞI VIAŢA SF. M. MC. SERGHIE ŞI VAH

 7  octombrie 

Pomenirea Sfintilor Mari Mucenici Serghie si Vah.

Acestia au trait la Roma pe vremea împaratiei lui Maximian (catre anul 296). Serghie era primicer din scoala centiliilor, iar Vah era secundicer din aceeasi scoala. Deci, învatându-se si urmând din început credintei crestinilor, si dumnezeiestilor Scripturi, si fiind pârâti la împaratul, îi silira sa faca împreuna cu dânsul jertfa de idoli; si ei neprimind nicidecum aceasta, i-au descins de brâie si le-au luat portul cel de podoaba, ce purtau împrejurul grumajilor, si i-au îmbracat cu port femeiesc, si i-au dus în mijlocul târgului, ca sa-i ocarasca, încarcati de lanturi. Apoi au fost trimisi la guvernatorul Antioh – un dregator cu deosebire crud – în cetatea Barbalison pe Eufrat. Aci apropiindu-se, din aratare îngereasca s-au umplut de îndrazneala si de putere dumnezeiasca, si întâi Vah fiind batut cu vine de bou crude multa vreme, si-a dat duhul în aceste chinuri. Iar lui Serghie facându-i-se strânsori în multe chipuri, si bagându-i în picioare încaltaminte de fier, si silindu-l sa alerge departe, dupa aceea bagându-l în temnita, si iarasi pironindu-se cu aceleasi rani de încaltaminte, i s-a taiat capul.

Ὑπηρετοῦσαν στὶς στρατιωτικὲς τάξεις τοῦ αὐτοκράτορα Μαξιμιανοῦ. Τοὺς διέκρινε μεγάλη ἀνδρεία στὰ πεδία τῶν μαχῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σωφροσύνη στὴν καθημερινή τους ζωή. Γι’ αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ αὐτοκράτορας τοὺς ἀπένειμε τὰ ἀξιώματα τοῦ πριμικηρίου καὶ τοῦ σεκουνδουκηρίου, ἀντίστοιχα.

Ὅταν ὅμως ἔμαθε ὅτι οἱ δυὸ ἐπίλεκτοι στρατιῶτες του ἦταν χριστιανοί, δὲν ἤθελε μὲ κανένα τρόπο νὰ τὸ πιστέψει. Γιὰ νὰ πεισθεῖ λοιπὸν χειροπιαστά, ὀργάνωσε τελετὲς μὲ θυσίες σὲ εἰδωλολατρικὸ ναὸ καὶ κάλεσε νὰ παραστοῦν σ’ αὐτὲς οἱ Σέργιος καὶ Βάκχος. Οἱ δυὸ χριστιανοὶ στρατιῶτες ἀρνήθηκαν καὶ ὁμολόγησαν τὸν Χριστὸ μὲ θαρραλέο φρόνημα. Ἐξοργισμένος τότε ὁ αὐτοκράτορας, διέταξε καὶ τοὺς ἀφαίρεσαν τὰ διάσημα τῶν ἀξιωμάτων τους. Ἔπειτα, ἀφοῦ τοὺς ἐνέπαιξαν καὶ τοὺς διαπόμπευσαν μὲ διάφορους τρόπους, τοὺς ἔστειλαν σὲ ἕνα σκληρὸ δοῦκα τῆς Ἀνατολῆς, τὸν Ἀντίοχο.

Αὐτὸς μὲ πρωτοφανὴ ὠμότητα μαστίγωσε μέχρι θανάτου τὸ Βάκχο. Στὸν δὲ Σέργιο, ἐπειδὴ κάποτε τὸν εἶχε εὐεργετήσει , πρότεινε, ἀφοῦ ἀρνηθεῖ τὸν Χριστό, νὰ τοῦ χαρίσει τὴν ζωή. Ἡ γενναία ἀπάντηση τοῦ Σεργίου ἦταν τὰ λόγια του Ἀπ. Παύλου: «Ἐμοὶ τὸ ζῆν Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεὶν κέρδος». Σὲ μένα, εἶπε ὁ Σέργιος, ζωὴ εἶναι ὁ Χριστός. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ νὰ πεθάνω εἶναι κέρδος, διότι ἔτσι θὰ ἑνωθῶ πλήρως μὲ τὸ Χριστό.
Τότε, ὁ Ἀντίοχος ἀμέσως ἔδωσε διαταγὴ καὶ τὸν ἀποκεφάλισαν.

Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος α’. Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος.
Τριάδος τῆς Ἁγίας ὁπλῖται τροπαιοῦχοι, ἡ λαμπρὰ δυὰς τῶν Μαρτύρων, ὡράθητε ἐν ἄθλοις, Σέργιος ὁ θεῖος ἀριστεύς, καὶ Βάκχος ὁ γενναῖος ἀθλητής· διὰ τοῦτο δοξασθέντες περιφανῶς, προΐστασθε τῶν βοώντων· δόξα τῷ ἐνισχύσαντι ὑμᾶς, δόξα τῷ στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τῷ ἐνεργοῦντι δι’ ὑμῶν, πᾶσιν ἰάματα.

Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος γ’. Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον.
Τοὺς γενναίους Μάρτυρας, καὶ ἀδελφοὺς ἐν τῇ πίστει, συνελθόντες στέψωμεν, ἐν ἱεραῖς εὐφημίαις, Σέργιον, τὸν τῆς Τριάδος στερρὸν ὁπλίτην, Βάκχον τε, τὸν ἐν βασάνοις συγκαρτεροῦντα, τὸν Χριστὸν θεολογοῦντας, τὸν ἀθλοθέτην καὶ Ποιητὴν τοῦ παντός.

Μεγαλυνάριον.
Χαίροις τῶν Μαρτύρων ἡ ξυνωρίς, Σέργιος ὁ θεῖος, καὶ ὁ Βάκχος ὁ εὐκλεής, οἱ τὸν Θεῖον Λόγον, δοξάσαντες ἐν ἄθλοις, ᾦ νῦν συνδοξασθέντες, ἡμᾶς φρουρήσατε.

The Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus in Syria were appointed to high positions in the army by the emperor Maximian (284-305), who did not know that they were Christians. Envious people informed Maximian that his two trusted counsellors did not honor the pagan gods. This was considered to be a crime against the state.

The emperor, wanting to convince himself of the truth of the accusation, ordered Sergius and Bacchus to offer sacrifice to the idols, but they replied that they honored the One God and worshiped only Him. 

Maximian commanded that the martyrs be stripped of the insignia of military rank (their belts, gold pendants, and rings), and then dressed them in feminine clothing. They were led through the city with an iron chains around their necks, and the people mocked them. Then he summoned Sergius and Bacchus to him again and in a friendly manner advised them not to be swayed by Christian fables, but to return to the Roman gods. The saints refuted the emperor’s words, and demonstrated the folly of worshiping the pagan gods. 

The emperor commanded that they be sent to the governor of the eastern part of Syria, Antiochus, a fierce hater of Christians. Antiochus had received his position with the help of Sergius and Bacchus. „My fathers and benefactors!” he said. „Have pity on yourselves, and also on me. I do not want to condemn my benefactors to cruel tortures.” The holy martyrs replied, „For us life is Christ, and to die is gain.” The enraged Antiochus ordered Bacchus to be mercilessly beaten, and the holy martyr surrendered his soul to the Lord. They shod Sergius with iron sandals with nails in their soles and sent him to another city, where he was beheaded with the sword.