Ngomhla wama- 22 Matshi, ngokwemiqathango emitsha, amaKristu angama-Orthodox agubha umthendeleko we-Forty Saints okanye, njengoko kubizwa nangokuthi, Usuku lwababantu abangama-Forty Saints of Martyrs of Sevastia.
Kuthetha ntoni umthendeleko we-Forty Saints?
Imbali yomthendeleko we-Forty Saints uvela kumaKristu okuqala. Ngomnyaka we-313, kwezinye iindawo zoBukumkani boBukumkani bamaRoma, inkolo yobuKristu yayisemthethweni, kwaye intshutshiso yamakholwa yaphela. Nangona kunjalo, le nto yayingekho imeko yonke indawo. ESebastia, eyayisemgangathweni yeArmenia yanamhlanje, uMlawuli we-Emperor Licinius wayala ukuhlanjululwa kwemikhosi yemikhosi kumaKristu, eshiya kuphela iintlanga. ESevastia wakhonza u-Agriolius ongumhedeni, kwaye phantsi komyalelo wakhe kwakukhona amasosha amane aseKapadokiya, ebiza ngokuba ngumKristu. Umkhosi wamkhosi wayefuna amajoni ukuba aqiniseke ukuzinikela kwabo oothixo, kodwa bavuma ukwenza oku kwaye baboshwa. Apho bazinikezela ngokuzithandela emithandazweni baza bava ilizwi likaThixo, ababethebileyo waza wabayala ukuba bangaxolelani phambi kwezilingo. Ngentsasa elandelayo, u-Agricolius wazama kwakhona ukuwaphula amajoni, asebenzise zonke iintlobo zobuqhetseba nokubethekisa, ezukisa imikhosi yawo yemikhosi aze abakhohlise ukuba abuyele elukholweni lobuhedeni ukuze athole inkululeko. Abantu abangama-Fort Cappadocians baphinda bavavanywa, kwaye ngoko u-Agricolius wabayalela ukuba bavaliwe kwakhona emgodini.
Emva kweveki kamva, uLisiya, ohloniphekileyo, wafika eSevastia, owabacebisana namajoni, kodwa emva kokuba aphinde avume ukunyaniseka kwiinthixo zobuhedeni, wayala ukuba amaKapadosiya atyitywe ngamatye. Nangona kunjalo, ngamatye awazange awele kumajoni, ahlakaze ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. Uvavanyo olulandelayo, oluye lwaphula ukuxhatshazwa kwabafel 'ukholo bakaSevastian, lwalumelele e-ice, apho uLisiya ayebagwebe khona. Kwaye amajoni ayenzima nakakhulu, kufuphi nomlambo unyibilikisa i-sauna. Ebusuku, omnye wamaKapadoki akakwazanga ukuma waza wagijima waya kwindlu engatshitshisiyo, nangona kunjalo, ukuwela phezu komda walo kuphela, wafa. Abanye baqhubeka behlala bemi phezu kweqhwa. Kwaye kwenzeka ummangaliso. INkosi yayithetha kunye nabafel 'ukholo baseSebastean, kwaye yafudumala yonke into ejikeleze kuyo, ukuze iqhwa lidilika kwaye amanzi afudumala.
Omnye wabalindi, u-Aglalia, owayeyedwa kuphela ongazange alale ngelo xesha, xa ebona ummangaliso, wamemeza wathi: "Kwaye ndingumKristu!" Wema ngokuhambelana namaKapadosiya.
Ukufika kusasa ekuseni ukuya emlanjeni, u-Agricolius noLisiya babona ukuba amasosha awazange aphile kwaye akaphuli, kodwa phakathi kwabo kwakungomnye wabagadi. Emva koko bayalela ukuba babulale izibonda zabo ngesando ukuze bafe ngokuxhalabisa. Kamva izidumbu zabafel 'ukholo bakaSebastean zatshiswa, kwaye amathambo aphonswa emlanjeni. Nangona kunjalo, uMbhishophu waseSevastia, owamsikelela uPetros, kwisikhokelo sikaThixo, wakwazi ukuqokelela aze angcwabe iinqwelo zabanamandla.
Iimpawu zeMthendeleko yabangcwele abangamashumi amane
Ukubaluleka kweholide yeCawa ye-Forty Saints kukuba umkholi wenyaniso akayikungabaza ukholo lwakhe, kwaye ke uyamsindisa, nokuba uyabuhlungu okanye ahlupheke nokufa kabuhlungu. UmKristu oyinyaniso kufuneka aqiniseke kwiimfundiso zakhe aze angaphambuki kubo nakweyiphi na imeko.
Ngaloo mini kuyinto yesiko ukukhumbula amasosha amane aseKapadoki anika ubomi bawo ngenxa yokholo lwabo kuThixo. Ngozuko lwabo, unyango olukhethekileyo lunikwa kwiintsapho ze-ordodox-buns ngendlela yeelarks. Ezi ntaka, ukuhamba kwazo, zidibene nokuziphatha kwabafel 'ukholo bakaSevastian. Le ntaka ikhupha ngokukhawuleza ijonge elangeni, kodwa iyaziyeka phambi kobukhulu beNkosi uThixo ize ihlahlele ngokukhawuleza. Ngako-ke abaMartyrs abangcwele abangama-40, behlanganisene nokufa okungenakukuphepheka nokukrakra, bakwazi ukunyuka eNkosini baze bamkele ubabalo lwakhe.