In the days of the most holy Patriarch Elias, when Jerusalem was under the rule of the Agarians, the holy fathers John, Sergius, and Patricius did not leave their monastery, despite the threat of barbarian attacks. They relied on God and were not afraid of death, awaiting the martyr's crown.
The Agarians, ravaging the surroundings, did not harm the monks until the time of trial came. At the end of Great Lent, on March 13, the Ethiopian barbarians attacked the lavra, killing thirteen fathers and wounding others. The monks, despite their fear, did not flee but prepared for death, relying on God's will.
On March 20, Great Thursday, the barbarians attacked again, cruelly torturing the holy fathers in various ways. The venerable Sergius was captured and killed, while other monks, including John and Patricius, also suffered cruel tortures. Some of them perished from smoke when the barbarians tried to force them to reveal the church treasures.
The surviving monks gathered the bodies of the martyrs and spent the night in sorrow, after which they gave them an honorable burial. The barbarians, having left the lavra, were struck by God and perished, while the souls of the holy fathers attained martyrdom glory.
