(St. Sergius & Bacchus) Martyrs, c.-303
Saint Sergius (d. 303). His legend has Sergius an officer in the Roman army and Bacchus an officer under him, and both were serving under Maximian, the emperor, on the Syrian frontier. They were two favorites of the emperor and they were the respected commanders of recruits.
One day, Sergius and his Lieutenant Bacchus were with the emperor when he entered the temple of Jupiter to offer sacrifice. When he saw that they remained outside, he ordered them to come in and worship.
They refused because they were Christians, and no command of a military or civil official could induce them to disobey God’s laws.
Maximian instantly forgot all their past loyalty and ordered that the officers be stripped of their arms and badges of rank, dressed in women’s clothes, and paraded through the streets.
Then he sent them to be tried by the governor, who had them so severely beaten that Bacchus died under the lash, October 1st. Sergius lived to be beheaded on October 7, 303.
These two saints are still popular in the East, where their names are a common baptismal name, especially in Tourza, North Lebanon, where they pray for their Patrons, St. Sarkis & Bakhos.
Prayer
Saints Sarkis & Bakhos, the martyrs who knew the Christianity with the grace of the Lord, and believed in his Son Jesus Christ.
You were the commanders in the Roman army, where you prayed to the Lord and your friends worshiping the pagan gods.
And when they discovered that you were Christians, you were ordered to deny Jesus, you refused and you declared that you worship Jesus only and him only you adore, you died as martyrs for your love for Jesus.
We ask you to intercede for us with God our Lord.
Be an example of courage and obedience, and teach us to long for the heaven similar to you.
And as you loved Jesus and bear witness to him in front of kings and governors, bestowing your lives because of your love for him, we ask you to pray for us that we also love Jesus and bear witnesses to him with our acts in front of everyone. Renew our Christian people in the East, and sow the seeds of faith in their hearts.
Let your blood that was shed on the lake of Forat, be a pledge for a new covenant and new peace for the Church , so we can glorify God our Lord with you forever and ever.
Amen.