Today, the Church honors the memory of Saint Martyr Babylas, Bishop of Antioch.
Saint Babylas lived during the reign of Numerian, who killed the son of the king of Persia, whom he was holding hostage.
The Bishop Babylas of Antioch strongly condemned this action. When at some point Numerian wanted to attend the service in the Holy Temple of Antioch, Babylas barred him from entering, telling him that there was no place for criminals like him in the temple. The emperor then angry, ordered his arrest and imprisonment. The next day he was beheaded. Three of his students ran to support him. They were also arrested and beheaded, as they refused to deny their faith.
The straightforwardness and consistency of the words and deeds of the clergy is a great gift. The steadfastness of Christians, and especially of the hierarchs, in principles that are not sold in the face of unjust decisions or actions of the rulers, gain justification both before God and before the history of mankind.
Source: Church of Cyprus
