The holy martyrs Bishop Disa, Presbyter Mariav, Avdies, and 270 others suffered martyrdom († ca. 362–364) under the Persian king Shapur II. In captivity they refused to renounce the Christian faith. Among them was the martyr Ia, who is commemorated on September 11.
Their martyrdom took place during a period of intensified persecution of Christians in the Persian Empire. King Shapur II, seeking to strengthen the Zoroastrian religion, persecuted Christians, seeing in them a threat to his authority. The most severe repressions were directed against the clergy and active members of Christian communities.
The city of Bet-Zabda, where the martyrs were held, was one of the centers of Christian life in Persia. Despite the persecutions, Christian communities continued to exist, preserving the faith and handing it down to future generations.
