Bademus of Persia,
Also known as Bademe
Feast day: April 10
Born in Persia;
Died there 380.
The rich and noble Saint Bademus founded and governed an abbey near Bethlapeta in Persia. There he passed whole nights in prayer, and sometimes went several days together without eating: bread and water were his usual fare. With sweetness, prudence, and charity, he conducted his religious in the paths of perfection. God crowned the virtues of Bademus with suffering by allowing the abbot and seven of his monks to be arrested for their faith, thrown into a dungeon, and whipped daily for four months.
Prince Nersan of Aria, a Christian member of the Persian court, was captured and imprisoned about that same time. He could not withstand the repeated torture and apostatized. To test Nersan's resolve, King Shapur promised to release Nersan and restore his former dignities, if the prince would murder Bademus with his own hands. Thus the wretch, fearing the he himself would be martyred, accepted the sword but frozen in fear as he was about to thrust it into the abbot's breast.
The undaunted Bademus stood before him and said: "Unhappy Nersan, to what a pitch of impiety do you carry your apostasy. With joy I run to meet death; but could wish to fall by some other hand than yours: why must you be my executioner?"
Nersan vacillated between fear of King Shapur and fear of the King of kings. Finally he struck with a trembling hand that made his sword unsteady and forceless. Thus, Bademus was pierced numerous times before Nersan could deliver the ultimate thrust that severed the head of Bademus. The martyr's body was cast outside the city gates, but was secretly retrieved and buried by the Christians. His disciples were released from their chains four years later at the death of Shapur
Also known as Bademe
Feast day: April 10
Born in Persia;
Died there 380.
The rich and noble Saint Bademus founded and governed an abbey near Bethlapeta in Persia. There he passed whole nights in prayer, and sometimes went several days together without eating: bread and water were his usual fare. With sweetness, prudence, and charity, he conducted his religious in the paths of perfection. God crowned the virtues of Bademus with suffering by allowing the abbot and seven of his monks to be arrested for their faith, thrown into a dungeon, and whipped daily for four months.
Prince Nersan of Aria, a Christian member of the Persian court, was captured and imprisoned about that same time. He could not withstand the repeated torture and apostatized. To test Nersan's resolve, King Shapur promised to release Nersan and restore his former dignities, if the prince would murder Bademus with his own hands. Thus the wretch, fearing the he himself would be martyred, accepted the sword but frozen in fear as he was about to thrust it into the abbot's breast.
The undaunted Bademus stood before him and said: "Unhappy Nersan, to what a pitch of impiety do you carry your apostasy. With joy I run to meet death; but could wish to fall by some other hand than yours: why must you be my executioner?"
Nersan vacillated between fear of King Shapur and fear of the King of kings. Finally he struck with a trembling hand that made his sword unsteady and forceless. Thus, Bademus was pierced numerous times before Nersan could deliver the ultimate thrust that severed the head of Bademus. The martyr's body was cast outside the city gates, but was secretly retrieved and buried by the Christians. His disciples were released from their chains four years later at the death of Shapur
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