The Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus

The Seven Youths of Ephesus were Christian soldiers of the imperial guard at Ephesus during the persecution of Decius in 250 — Maximilian, Iamblicus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodianus, and Antoninus, the sons of seven noble families of the city. When Decius came to Ephesus to enforce his edict of universal sacrifice, the seven were denounced as Christians. They surrendered their imperial belts before the emperor, withdrew from the city, and fled to a cave on Mount Coelius outside the walls to pray and prepare for death.

Decius, learning where they had taken refuge, ordered the entrance of the cave walled up with great stones so that they should die of hunger and thirst within. The seven, in prayer when the stones were rolled into place, fell asleep at once and did not waken. By the providence of God they slept on, untouched by decay, for nearly two centuries. In the reign of Theodosius the Younger (408–450), at a time when the doctrine of the resurrection of the body was being questioned in some quarters of the imperial court, a workman opening the cave discovered the seven still asleep.

They woke as if from a single night and sent one of their number into the city for bread; he was astonished to find the city full of crosses where he had left it full of idols, and his old coins were brought to the bishop as evidence. The Emperor Theodosius came to the cave in person, the seven recounted their vigil, and after this testimony they once again gave up their spirits — this time finally. Their relics are honored at Ephesus, and their joint feast falls on August 4.