Forty Martyrs of Sebastea

This tragic story took place when the emperor Licinius commanded all Christians to repudiate their religion, forty soldiers of the twelfth legion ( thunder struck ), refused that. They were of different nationalities and at that time camped at Sebastea ( modern Sivas, Turkey ). All attempts to win them over failed and the commander of the army ordered that they should be stripped naked and herded on a frozen pond and kept there until they change their minds. To help break down their resistance, a fire was burned and warm baths prepared around the pond. By the next day, almost all of them were dead frozen, those who were not were killed, including Melito the youngest of soldiers who was encouraged by his widowed mother to the very last. Only one of the forty failed in the ordeal, and was replaced by another soldier who declared himself a Christian.