MARCIAN AND MARTYRIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE

November 7, one of the most tragic days in secular and church history, is extremely poor in the remembrance of saints. There are no famous saints in the month of this day. Unlike most days of the church year, in which there are many memories in the Orthodox church calendar, on this November day there are only a few names. Among them are Martyrius and Marcian of Constantinople. The ancient historian Sozomen (400–450) mentions the saints in his “Church History”.

Martyrius and Marcian were lawyers by profession and close associates of Bishop Paul I the Confessor (337–339, 341, 347–350). The latter was the second bishop of Constantinople since the founding of the city (330), and a staunch supporter of Nicene Orthodoxy. Pressed by the sons of Constantine the Great, who had been on the imperial throne for decades, and supported the Arian heretics, Paul was deposed from his see three times between 337 and 350, and each time was forced to flee. He ended his days in exile in Cappadocia, where around 351 he was strangled by guards while serving the liturgy.

Martyrius and Marcian helped Paul not only in secular matters, but also in church affairs, since the first was a subdeacon, and the second a lecturer. After the death of Paul, under the heretical Bishop Macedonius of Constantinople (342–346, 351–360), and the pro-Arian Emperor Constantius II (337–361), the saints were arrested. They were accused of participating in a popular revolt, murdering the magister equitum Hermogenes, and attempting to overthrow Macedonius.

Realizing that all these accusations were only a pretext for reprisals against the surviving supporters of the murdered Bishop Paul, they made a confession of faith in the Holy Trinity, after which on October 25, 355, for formal resistance to the orders of the emperor, they were beheaded outside the city walls. Subsequently, under John Chrysostom (+407), who himself exposed the injustice and hypocrisy of the imperial court, and therefore needed the heavenly intercession of the saints, a church was erected at the site of their burial.

Martyrius and Marcian are a great example of lay martyrdom in suffering for loyalty to Nicene Orthodoxy. Like many of the new martyrs of our Church who suffered shortly after November 7, 1917, the saints were killed on false charges that were not directly related to matters of faith. They did not renounce their friend and teacher Bishop Paul, for whose spiritual closeness they were executed. In fulfillment of the words of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel, they gave their lives for their friend (cf. John 15:13) and were killed by their brothers.