Saint Michael the Martyr was born in Edessa and belonged to a Christian family. After the death of his parents, he distributed all his possessions to the poor and travelled to Jerusalem, where he visited the Holy Places and became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Savvas.
Later, while travelling once more to sell the handiwork of the monks, he encountered the eunuch of Queen Seida. When the queen saw the young monk, she behaved toward him in a provocative manner. Michael, however, refused to reply back to her seduction and preserved his purity, declaring that he served the Lord and desired nothing that could disturb his spiritual clarity.
Enraged, the queen ordered that he be tortured and sent to the king, who attempted to persuade him to embrace Islam. The saint responded with courage that he would never abandon his God. He also asked either to be released or to be beheaded.
Feeling shame by the saints steadfastness, the king ordered that he be put to death by poison. However, the saint miraculously survived. He then commanded that Michael be beheaded in Jerusalem.
The monks of Saint Sabbas’ Monastery buried his body with great honour, glorifying Christ.
