Saints Jonah and Barachisius

Jonah and Barachisius were brothers from Beth-Asa, in the Persian Empire, who had become monks. In the early 4th century King Shapur II launched one of the longest and harshest persecutions of Christians in history. Around 327, hearing that a group of Christians had been condemned to death, the two brothers went to the prison to comfort them and urge them to remain faithful, and nine of those prisoners went bravely to martyrdom.

For this, Jonah and Barachisius themselves were arrested. Ordered to worship the sun, fire and water, they refused and were tortured with great cruelty over several days. Their account, preserved in ancient Syriac acts, describes how they answered their judges with calm faith and prayed for strength. Jonah was crushed in a wooden press, and Barachisius died after boiling pitch was poured into his mouth. A Christian purchased their remains to give them honorable burial.

They are remembered in the Roman Martyrology and in the churches of the Syriac tradition. Their feast reminds Christians to pray for those persecuted today in the Middle East and around the world.