Martyr Simeon Bar Sabbae, Bishop of Persia

Hieromartyr Simeon Bar Sabbae (Shemon bar Sabbae), Catholicos-Bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, head of the Church of the East in Sasanian Persia during the 4th century. He was martyred during the persecution of Christians launched by the Persian King Shapur II. Around 339–341, Shapur II imposed a double tax on Christians, suspecting them of secret loyalty to the rival Byzantine Empire; Simeon, as head of the community, refused to collect this unjust levy from his impoverished flock and was arrested on charges of treason. Brought to trial in iron chains together with the priest-martyrs Abdiesus and Ananias, he refused to bow before the king, declaring that he had honored the king's office before, but would not do so now that he was being made to renounce God. According to tradition he witnessed the execution of many of his clergy, whom he encouraged with Scripture, before being beheaded last, around 344 AD (13 April). He was venerated as a saint by the early 5th century, appearing in the Syriac Martyrology of 411 — one of the earliest records of the Persian martyrs. Feast: 17/30 April.