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Holy Martyr Arethas 11/6/2013
This holy Martyr suffered for the faith of Christ together with over forty thousands Christians, priests, monks and nuns, citizens, women and children. Arethas was the Governor of the city of Najran in the land of Homerit (south Arabia) and he was ninety-five years of age when he suffered his martyr’s death. The land of Homerit was at the time in the hands of Dhu-Nuwas who converted to Judaism and was a cruel persecutor of the Christians. Determined completely to wipe out the Christians from his country, he laid siege to the Christian city Najran and warned the inhabitants that he would put them all to death if they did not renounce Christ. The inhabitants closed the gates, so Dhu-Nuwas attacked the city walls without success. Then the dishonest Prince swore that he would do no harm to anyone, if the inhabitants opened the gates to let him in only to collect the taxes they owned him and then he would leave straight away. The Christians believed him and opened the gates. Then the impious Jew called for the Elder Arethas together with all the clergy and had them all killed by the sword. And he went on and made a terrible massacre in the city. When the notorious news came to the notice of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian he was greatly distressed and he wrote a letter to the Ethiopian Emperor Elesbaan urging him to raise his army against Dhu-Nuwas and revenge the innocent Christian blood. Elesbaan obeyed Justin, led his army against the Prince of Homerit, and won a victory over him, destroyed all his army and killed him by the sword. According to God’s revelation a pious man called Abraham was crowned Prince of Homerit, while Saint Gregory (December 19) was consecrated Archbishop of Homerit. The Christians in Najran reconstructed the Church of the Holy Trinity that Dhu-Nawas had burnt down and built another church dedicated to the holy Martyr Arethas and his companion martyrs from Najran. They suffered and received wreaths of martyrdom in the year 523.
