The Martyrdom of St. Christopher

On this day St. Christopher was martyred. He was from the country, whose people were cannibals, those who believed on the hands of St. Matthias the apostle (As mentioned in the eighth day of the month of Baramhat). He had unsightly look and the body of a giant but his soul was good and gentle.

    When he was captured by the soldiers of Emperor Decius the infidel he admonished them for afflicting the Christians. The captain of these soldiers beat him severely, and St. Christopher told him: "If it was not the command of Christ which teaches me not to do unto others as they do unto us, other wise you and your soldiers could not be delivered from me." The captain sent to inform Decius concerning him, who sent two hundred soldiers to bring him. On their way, the bread they had was consumed except for a little of it. He prayed and blessed that little of bread and became in abundance. The soldiers marvelled exceedingly and believed on the Lord Christ the God of Christopher. When they arrived to Antioch they were baptized by the hands of Abba Paul the Patriarch.

    When St. Christopher came before Decius, who became frightened from his appearance, tried to charm, persuade and deceive him to deny Christ. Then he sent two beautiful women to make him fall into sin with them. He rebuked and preached them and they believed on the Lord Christ. They confessed their faith in the Lord Before the Emperor, who ordered them to be beheaded and they received the crown of martyrdom. As of this Saint, he was cast into a huge cauldron over hot fire, but no harm whatsoever came to him. The people present were amazed and they believed on the Lord Christ. They came forward to remove him out of the cauldron but the Emperor ordered them to be cut off with the swords. The emperor finally ordered to cut off St. Christopher's neck and he received the crown of martyrdom.