THE SEVEN SLEEPERS OF EPHESUS
Maximilian, Iamblicus, Martinian, John, Dionysius,
Exacustodianus (Constantine) and Antoninus, lived in the third century. Saint
Maximilian was the son of the Ephesus city administrator, and the other six
youths were sons of illustrious citizens of Ephesus. The youths were friends
from childhood, and all were in military service together.When
the emperor Decius (249-251) arrived in Ephesus, he commanded all the citizens
to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods.
Torture and death awaited anyone who
disobeyed. The seven youths were denounced by informants, and were summoned to
reply to the charges. Appearing before the emperor, the young men confessed
their faith in Christ.Their
military belts and insignia were quickly taken from them. Decius permitted them
to go free, however, hoping that they would change their minds while he was off
on a military campaign. The youths fled from the city and hid in a cave on
Mount Ochlon, where they passed their time in prayer, preparing for martyrdom.The
youngest of them, Saint Iamblicus, dressed as a beggar and went into the city
to buy bread. On one of his excursions into the city, he heard that the emperor
had returned and was looking for them. Saint Maximilian urged his companions to
come out of the cave and present themselves for trial.Learning
where the young men were hidden, the emperor ordered that the entrance of the
cave be sealed with stones so that the saints would perish from hunger and
thirst. Two of the dignitaries at the blocked entrance to the cave were secret
Christians. Desiring to preserve the memory of the saints, they placed in the
cave a sealed container containing two metal plaques. On them were inscribed
the names of the seven youths and the details of their suffering and death.
The
Lord placed the youths into a miraculous sleep lasting almost two centuries. In
the meantime, the persecutions against Christians had ceased. During the reign
of the holy emperor Theodosius the Younger (408-450) there were heretics who
denied that there would be a general resurrection of the dead at the Second
Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Some of them said, “How can there be a
resurrection of the dead when there will be neither soul nor body, since they
are disintegrated?” Others affirmed, “The souls alone will have a restoration,
since it would be impossible for bodies to arise and live after a thousand years,
when even their dust would not remain.” Therefore, the Lord revealed the
mystery of the Resurrection of the Dead and of the future life through His
seven saints.
The
owner of the land on which Mount Ochlon was situated, discovered the stone
construction, and his workers opened up the entrance to the cave. The Lord had
kept the youths alive, and they awoke from their sleep, unaware that almost two
hundred years had passed. Their bodies and clothing were completely undecayed.
When
he paid for the bread, Iamblicus gave the merchant coins with the image of the
emperor Decius on it. He was detained, as someone who might be concealing a
horde of old money. They took Saint Iamblicus to the city administrator, who
also happened to be the Bishop of Ephesus. Hearing the bewildering answers of
the young man, the bishop perceived that God was revealing some sort of mystery
through him, and went with other people to the cave. At
the entrance to the cave the bishop found the sealed container and opened it.
He read upon the metal plaques the names of the seven youths and the details of
the sealing of the cave on the orders of the emperor Decius. Going into the
cave and seeing the saints alive, everyone rejoiced and perceived that the Lord,
by waking them from their long sleep, was demonstrating to the Church the
mystery of the Resurrection of the Dead. Soon
the emperor himself arrived in Ephesus and spoke with the young men in the
cave. Then the holy youths, in sight of everyone, lay their heads upon the
ground and fell asleep again, this time until the General Resurrection. The
emperor wanted to place each of the youths into a jeweled coffin, but they
appeared to him in a dream and said that their bodies were to be left upon the
ground in the cave. In the twelfth century the Russian pilgrim Igumen Daniel
saw the holy relics of the seven youths in the cave. There
is a second commemoration of the seven youths on October 22. According to one
tradition, which entered into the Russian PROLOGUE (of Saints’ Lives), the
youths fell asleep for the second time on this day. The Greek MENAION of 1870
says that they first fell asleep on August 4, and woke up on October 22.
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The
seven sleepers were born in the city of Ephesus. And when Decius the emperor
came into Ephesus for the persecution of Christian men, he commanded to edify
the temples in the middle of the city, so that all should come with him to do
sacrifice to the idols, and did do seek all the Christian people, and bind
them for to make them to do sacrifice, or else to put them to death; in such
wise that every man was afeard of the pains that he promised, that the friend
forsook his friend, and the son renied his father, and the father the son.
And then in this city were founden seven Christian men, that is to wit,
Maximian, Malchus, Marcianus, Denis, John, Serapion, and Constantine. And
when they saw this, they had much sorrow, and because they were the first in
the palace that despised the sacrifices, they hid them in their houses, and
were in fastings and in prayers. And then they were accused tofore Decius,
and came thither, and were found very Christian men. Then was given to them
space for to repent them, unto the coming again of Decius. And in the
meanwhile they dispended their patrimony in alms to the poor people; and
assembled them together, and took counsel, and went to the mount of Celion,
and there ordained to be more secretly, and there hid them long time. And one
of them administered and served them always. And when he went into the city,
he clothed him in the habit of a beggar.
When Decius was come again, he commanded that
they should be fetched, and then Malchus, which was their servant and
ministered to them meat and drink, returned in great dread to his fellows,
and told and showed to them the great fury and woodness of them, and then
were they sore afraid. And Malchus set tofore them the loaves of bread that
he had brought, so that they were comforted of the meat, and were more strong
for to suffer torments. And when they had taken their refection and sat in
weeping and wailings, suddenly, as God would, they slept, and when it came on
the morn they were sought and could not be found. Wherefore Decius was
sorrowful because he had lost such young men. And then they were accused that
they were hid in the mount of Celion, and had given their goods to poor men,
and yet abode in their purpose. And then commanded Decius that their kindred
should come to him, and menaced them to the death if they said not of them
all that they knew. And they accused them, and complained that they had
dispended all their riches. Then Decius thought what he should do with them,
and, as our Lord would, he inclosed the mouth of the cave wherein they were
with stones, to the end that they should die therein for hunger and fault of
meat. Then the ministers and two Christian men, Theodorus and Rufinus, wrote
their martyrdom and laid it subtlely among the stones. And when Decius was
dead, and all that generation, three hundred and sixty-two years after, and
the thirtieth year of Theodosius the emperor, when the heresy was of them
that denied the resurrection of dead bodies, and began to grow; Theodosius,
then the most Christian emperor, being sorrowful that the faith of our Lord
was so felonously demened, for anger and heaviness he clad him in hair and
wept every day in a secret place, and led a full holy life, which God,
merciful and piteous, seeing, would comfort them that were sorrowful and
weeping, and give to them esperance and hope of the resurrection of dead men,
and opened the precious treasure of his pity, and raised the foresaid martyrs
in this manner following.
He put in the will of a burgess of Ephesus that
he would make in that mountain, which was desert and aspre, a stable for his
pasturers and herdmen. And it happed that of adventure the masons, that made
the said stable, opened this cave. And then these holy saints, that were
within, awoke and were raised and intersalued each other, and had supposed
verily that they had slept but one night only, and remembered of the
heaviness that they had the day tofore. And then Malchus, which ministered to
them, said what Decius had ordained of them, for he said: We have been
sought, like as I said to you yesterday, for to do sacrifice to the idols,
that is it that the emperor desireth of us. And then Maximian answered: God
our Lord knoweth that we shall never sacrifice, and comforted his fellows. He
commanded to Malchus to go and buy bread in the city, and bade him bring more
that he did yesterday, and also to inquire and demand what the emperor had
commanded to do. And then Malchus took five shillings, and issued out of the
cave, and when he saw the masons and the stones tofore the cave, he began to
bless him, and was much amarvelled. But he thought little on the stones, for
he thought on other things. Then came he all doubtful to the gates of the
city, and was all amarvelled. For he saw the sign of the cross about the
gate, and then, without tarrying, he went to that other gate of the city, and
found there also the sign of the cross thereon, and then he had great marvel,
for upon every gate he saw set up the sign of the cross; and therewith the
city was garnished. And then he blessed him and returned to the first gate,
and weened he had dreamed; and after he advised and comforted himself and
covered his visage and entered into the city. And when he came to the sellers
of bread, and heard the men speak of God, yet then was he more abashed, and
said: What is this, that no man yesterday durst name Jesu Christ, and now
every man confesseth him to be Christian? I trow this is not the city of
Ephesus, for it is all otherwise builded. It is some other city, I wot not
what.
And when he demanded and heard verily that it was
Ephesus, he supposed that he had erred, and thought verily to go again to his
fellows, and then went to them that sold bread. And when he showed his money
the sellers marvelled, and said that one to that other, that this young man
had found some old treasure. And when Malchus saw them talk together, he
doubted not that they would lead him to the emperor, and was sore afeard, and
prayed them to let him go, and keep both money and bread, but they held him,
and said to him: Of whence art thou? For thou hast found treasure of old
emperors, show it to us, and we shall be fellows with thee and keep it
secret. And Malchus was so afeard that he wist not what to say to them for
dread. And when they saw that he spake not they put a cord about his neck,
and drew him through the city unto the middle thereof. And tidings were had
all about in the city that a young man had found ancient treasure, in such
wise that all they of the city assembled about him, and he confessed there
that he had found no treasure. And he beheld them all, but he could know no
man there of his kindred ne lineage, which he had verily supposed that they
had lived, but found none, wherefore he stood as he had been from himself, in
the middle of the city. And when St. Martin the bishop, and Antipater the
consul, which were new come into this city, heard of this thing they sent for
him, that they should bring him wisely to them, and his money with him. And
when he was brought to the church he weened well he should have been led to
the Emperor Decius. And then the bishop and the consul marvelled of the
money, and they demanded him where he had found this treasure unknown. And he
answered that he had nothing founden, but it was come to him of his kindred
and patrimony, and they demanded of him of what city he was. I wot well that
I am of this city, if this be the city of Ephesus. And the judge said to him:
Let thy kindred come and witness for thee. And he named them, but none knew
them. And they said that he feigned, for to escape from them in some manner.
And then said the judge: How may we believe thee that this money is come to
thee of thy friends, when it appeareth in the scripture that it is more than
three hundred and seventy-two years sith it was made and forged, and is of
the first days of Decius the emperor, and it resembleth nothing to our money;
and how may it come from thy lineage so long since, and thou art young, and
wouldst deceive the wise and ancient men of this city of Ephesus? And
therefore I command that thou be demened after the law till thou hast
confessed where thou hast found this money. Then Malchus kneeled down tofore
them and said: For God's sake, lords, say ye to me that I shall demand you, and
I shall tell to you all that I have in my heart. Decius the emperor that was
in this city, where is he? And the bishop said to him there is no such at
this day in the world that is named Decius, he was emperor many years since.
And Malchus said: Sire, hereof I am greatly abashed and no man believeth me,
for I wot well that we fled for fear of Decius the emperor, and I saw him,
that yesterday he entered into this city, if this be the city of Ephesus.
Then the bishop thought in himself, and said to the judge that, this is a
vision that our Lord will have showed by this young man. Then said the young
man: Follow ye me, and I shall show to you my fellows which be in the mount
of Celion, and believe ye them. This know I well, that we fled from the face
of the Emperor Decius. And then they went with him, and a great multitude of
the people of the city with them. And Malchus entered first into the cave to
his fellows, and the bishop next after him. And there found they among the
stones the letters sealed with two seals of silver. And then the bishop
called them that were come thither, and read them tofore them all, so that
they that heard it were all abashed and amarvelled. And they saw the saints
sitting in the cave, and their visages like unto roses flowering, and they,
kneeling down, glorified God. And anon the bishop and the judge sent to
Theodosius the emperor, praying him that he would come anon for to see the
marvels of our Lord that he had late showed. And anon he arose up from the
ground, and took off the sack in which he wept, and glorified our Lord. And
came from Constantinople to Ephesus, and all they came against him, and
ascended in to the mountain with him together, unto the saints in to the
cave.
And as soon as the blessed saints of our Lord saw
the emperor come, their visages shone like to the sun. And the emperor
entered then, and glorified our Lord and embraced them, weeping upon each of
them, and said: I see you now like as I should see our Lord raising Lazarus.
And then Maximian said to him: Believe us, for forsooth our Lord hath raised
us tofore the day of the great resurrection. And to the end that thou believe
firmly the resurrection of the dead people, verily we be raised as ye here
see, and live. And in like wise as the child is in the womb of his mother
without feeling harm or hurt, in the same wise we have been living and
sleeping in lying here without feeling of anything. And when they had said
all this, they inclined their heads to the earth, and rendered their spirits
at the command of our Lord Jesu Christ, and so died. Then the emperor arose,
and fell on them, weeping strongly, and embraced them, and kissed them
debonairly. And then he commanded to make precious sepulchres of gold and
silver, and to bury their bodies therein. And in the same night they appeared
to the emperor, and said to him that he should suffer them to lie on the
earth like as they had lain tofore till that time that our Lord had raised
them, unto the time that they should rise again. Then commanded the emperor
that the place should be adorned nobly and richly with precious stones, and
all the bishops that would confess the resurrection should be assoiled. It is
in doubt of that which is said that they slept three hundred and sixty-two
years, for they were raised the year of our Lord four hundred and
seventy-eight, and Decius reigned but one year and three months, and that was
in the year of our Lord two hundred and seventy, and so they slept but two
hundred and eight years.
Islamic interpretation
Qur'an and Islamic scholarly
interpretation
The flag of Kelantan in the
19th century, located in present-day Malaysia. The
historical flag incorporated elements from the Islamic interpretation of the
story. In the surah,
the dog is believed to act as a guardian, looking out for the believers until
they are awoken.
The story of the Companions of the
Cave is referred to in Surah 18 (verses
9-26 According to Muslim scholars, God revealed these verses because the
people of Mecca challenged
Muhammad with questions that were passed on to them from the Jews of Medina in an
effort to test his authenticity. They asked him about young men who disappeared
in the past, about a man who traveled the earth from east to west, Zulqurnain,
and about the soul. The story parallels the Christian version, recounting the
story of a group of young believers who resisted the pressure from their people
and/or king to worship others beside God, and took refuge in a cave, following
which they fell asleep for a long time. When they woke up they thought that
they had slept for only a day or so, and they sent one of them back to the city
to buy food. His use of old silver coins revealed the presence of these youths
to the town. Soon after their discovery, the People of the Cave (as the Qur'an
calls them) died and the people of their town built a place of worship at the
site of their burial (the cave). The Qur'an does not give their exact number.
It mentions that some people would say that they were three, others would say
five and some would say seven, in addition to one dog, and that they slept for
300 years, plus 9, which could mean 300 solar years or 309 lunar years (300
solar years are equal to 309 lunar years).
Location of the cave and duration of
stay
Muslims firmly believe in the story
as it is mentioned in the Qur'an; however the location of the cave is not mentioned.
Some allege that it is in Ephesus, Turkey; others cite
a place filled with carved sarcophagi from the late Roman and Byzantine
periods, called the Cave of Seven Sleepers in the village of Rajib south
of Amman, Jordan.[13] Uyghur Muslims
even suggest Tuyukhojam, Turpan is
the location of the cave, because they believe that place matches the Qur'an's
description. The dates of their alleged sleep are also not given in the Qur'an;
some allege that they entered the cave at the time of Decius (250 AD)
and they woke up at the time of Theodosius I (378–395) or Theodosius II
(408–450), but neither of these dates can be reconciled with the Qur'an's
account of sleeping 300 or 309 years. Some Islamic scholars, however, assert
that the 300 or 309 years mentioned in the Qur'an refers to periods of time
alleged by those telling the tale, rather than a definitive statement by Allah
as to how long they were actually there or this difference can be of solar and
lunar years
In Southern Tunisia, a masjid of Chenini is
called "masjid of the Seven Sleepers" (Masjid al-Ruqood al-Sebaa)
where the sleepers are allegedly buried: in the surroundings of the masjid some
uncommonly large tombs (about 4 meters long) are visible. It is a popular
belief that during their long sleep they did not stop growing, so when they
woke up they had become giants.
 Other Tunisian places where the Seven Sleepers' cave is located are Mides, Tozeur, El-Oudiane (al-Udyān) and Talālat. According to the traveller Abu Salim al-Ayyashi (17th century), the place where they lie is a mountain over the village of Degache (which he calls Daqyūs)
Another place where popular beliefs
locate the Seven Sleepers is Azeffoun, in Kabylia (Algeria), where a
legend collected by Auguste Mouliéras speaks of seven shepherds who
fled into a cave trying to escape the persecution of Decius (Deqyus) and
slept forty years there. According to this version, they did not realize that
their sleep was so long (but a baker did, since they tried to pay him with an
old coin), and decided to get back to sleep. Accordingly, they are reputed to
be still sleeping, in a bush difficult to reach, "an hour's walk east of
Azeffoun". Their dog, watching over them, can be heard barking by passers-by.
A "mosque of the Seven Sleepers" also exists in the Algerian village of N'Gaous (Aures), but here the legend is somewhat modified, since the tradition speaks of seven people living there in historical times, who mysteriously disappeared and were miraculously found asleep many years later by the pious Sidi Kacem (d. 1623), who consequently ordered that a mosque be built in that place. It should be noted, however, that the mosque itself incorporates some columns of Roman age, with two inscriptions mentioning Trebonianus Gallus, the successor of Decius
Another interpretation is based on
the earlier legend of Joseph of Arimathea having come to Glastonbury and
the cave has been identified as the Chalice Well.
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