Emilian Dorostolsky / Sf. Emilian de la Durostorum

Emilian Dorostolsky - Christian martyr of the 4th century. The Byzantine emperor Julian the Apostate tried to restore the cult of the pagan gods and cruelly persecuted Christians. Saint Emilian lived in the city of Dorostol on the Danube. He was a slave to the ruler of the city and a secret Christian. Angered by the executions of Christians, Emilian made his way at night to a pagan temple and smashed the idols standing there. After seeing after a while that the inhabitants of the city had seized some peasant, accused him of destroying the temple and were going to kill him, Emilian openly said that it was he who destroyed the idols. They decided to burn Emilian at the stake, but he did not burn, while the fire pounced on the executioners themselves. When the flame was extinguished, Emilian quietly with prayer lay down on the ashes and died.