Holy Martyrs Severus and Memnon and the Thirty-Seven With Them at Bizye

Sts. Severus and Memnon and the Thirty-Seven Martyrs (Feast Day - August 20)

Verses

To the Thirty-Seven.

Three were bound to those who were burned,
On Your behalf the three times ten plus four were perfected.

To Severus.

Severus was found worthy to suffer the sword,
Brilliantly gaining the prize through the suffering of the sword.

To Memnon.

Memnon was in the fire for a short time,
But he remains crowned ever lasting.

Of the Holy Thirty-Seven Martyrs, some were from Byzantium, while others were from Philippopolis. They were apprehended in Bizye of Thrace by the accursed Apellianos, who was the governor then, and they were tortured with various tortures, because they boldly confessed Christ. Finally, a furnace was lit below ground, and after cutting off the feet and hands of the Saints, they were cast into the furnace, and in this manner they delivered their souls to God, from whom they received the unfading crowns of martyrdom.

Severus, the unconquerable athlete of Christ, was from Side of Pamphylia, the son of a Thracian named Petronius, and his mother was Mygdonia. Having gone to Philippopolis, he saw the above Holy Thirty-Seven Martyrs struggling for Christ. Therefore he also boldly confessed Christ. For this reason he was harshly lacerated, and red-hot iron rings were placed on the fingers of his hands. Then he was stretched to four wooden poles, where they sawed off his limbs, then they put a red-hot belt around him, by which the renowned one was beheaded, and he received the crown of martyrdom.

Saint Memnon, who was called the Centurion, was first stretched out on two poles, and they removed three strips of skin from his head to his feet. Then they cut off his feet, and cast him into a furnace, where he delivered his holy soul into the hands of God, from whom the renowned one received the unfading crown of martyrdom.