MartyrUnknown

Martyr Ananias of Persia

Also known as Ananias

A Persian Christian tortured for confessing Christ, who in his final vision saw a ladder leading to a city of light.

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Commemorated as

The Holy Martyr Ananias of Persia

Life

Ananias of Persia is an early Christian martyr commemorated in the Orthodox Church on December 1. According to the synaxarion, he was from Arvila, a city of Persia, and was arrested for confessing his faith in Christ. He endured many severe tortures and, as he was dying, related a vision of a ladder reaching to the heavens and radiant figures calling him to a city full of light, after which he surrendered his spirit. Little else is recorded of his life; the surviving accounts preserve chiefly his place of origin, his martyrdom, and this final vision.

Kontakion & Troparion2 hymnsReadHide

KontakionTone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”) You appeared as a bright star announcing Christ with your radiance,
which is repulsive to this world, O Martyr Ananias;
extinguishing the allure of false gods,
you enlighten the faithful,
always interceding for us all.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

TroparionTone 4

Your holy martyr Ananias, O Lord,
through his sufferings has received an incorruptible crown from You, our God.
For having Your strength, he laid low his adversaries,
and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.
Through his intercessions, save our souls!

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Contributions & Legacy

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Martyrdom and vision

The synaxarion relates that Ananias was arrested for his faith in Christ and endured many and vicious tortures. At the moment of his death he is recorded as saying that he saw a ladder which extended to the heavens, with radiant youths standing upon it inviting him to come with them to a city full of light and ineffable rejoicing; as soon as he had spoken these words he gave up his spirit. The Orthodox Church in America's brief commemoration likewise preserves this dying vision as the distinguishing detail of his account.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints