Martyr Varus and Seven Monastic Martyrs

Varus was a Roman soldier stationed in Egypt who secretly practised Christianity during the period of persecution under Emperor Licinius (r. 308–324). He regularly visited imprisoned Christians and ministered to their needs. Seven monks had been arrested and were being held awaiting trial; weakened by their ordeal, they were dying one by one in their cell. Moved by their example and faith, Varus crept into the prison by night to strengthen and care for them.

When one of the seven monks died and only six remained alive to be brought before the governor, Varus presented himself and declared that he would take the place of the deceased, completing the number of seven confessors. He was subjected to severe torture—stripped and beaten with dry rods, then tied to a tree and cut piece by piece—before being executed. His relics were secretly gathered by a devout Christian widow named Cleopatra, who concealed them in her house and later, emigrating to Palestine, carried them with her. At her new home she built a church and enshrined the relics of Varus there; her son John, who had sought a military career, died shortly after the church's consecration and was himself later commemorated together with his mother.