Saint Sargis the General or Sergius Stratelates (; died 362/3) is revered as a martyr and military saint in the Armenian Apostolic Church. The name Sargis (Sarkis) is the Armenian form of Sergius (Sergios).
Sargis was a general (stratelates) in the Roman Army stationed in Cappadocia. He went into exile in Persia during the reign of the pagan Roman emperor Julian. There he fell foul of Shah Shapur II and was killed along with his son, Martiros, during Shapur's Forty-Year Persecution.
Sargis the General is not to be confused with Sergius, the companion of Bacchus, who was martyred in the Roman Empire early in the fourth century. An Armenian hagiography of Sergius and Bacchus also exists.
Hagiography
The History of the Life of Saint Sargis the General, the main account of Sargis's life and martyrdom and that of his son, was commissioned by the Patriarch Nersēs Šnorhali (1102–1173). According to his own account, Nersēs received a request from Grigor Tutēordi, a monk of the Monastery of Haghpat, for an account of the saint's life because the Georgians had been questioning the saint's origins. Nersēs then procured an Armenian translation of a Syriac life from the monastery of Mar Bar Sauma in Melitene. Nersēs made some slight emendations to this text and sent it to Grigor.
The prominence of the supernatural and divine providence suggest that the History of the Life as it has come down to us originates long after the events it narrates purportedly took place.
Life
Little is known of the origins and early life of Sarkis. He lived during the 4th century and was a Greek from Cappadocia. Sarkis was appointed by the Roman emperor Constantine the Great as General in Chief of the region of Cappadocia bordering Armenia. He was reputed to possess the characteristics of piety, faith, and valour, and used his position to promote spiritual growth, teaching the gospel and encouraging church building.
Constantine's nephew Julian the Apostate became emperor in 361 and set about persecuting Christians throughout the Roman Empire. Sarkis was deeply concerned about these events and prayed for a solution. Jesus is said to have appeared to Sarkis and uttered the words: "It is time for you to leave your country and your clan, as did Abraham the Patriarch, and go to a country which I will show you. There you will receive the crown of righteousness prepared for you." Sarkis then left his military position and authority and, with his son Saint Martiros, sought refuge in Armenia under the protection of King Tiran (Tigranes VII). As Julian and his army advanced towards Antioch, Syria, slaughtering Christians, Tiran urged Sarkis and Martiros to leave Armenia for the Sassanid Empire.
Sassanid emperor Shapur II, hearing of Sarkis' reputation as a skilled military commander, appointed him to command the Sassanid army. Sarkis credited God for his military victories, which included fending off Julian's troops, preventing their entry into Shapur's kingdom. Sarkis urged troops serving with him to believe in the Creator of Heaven and earth, that their hearts might never be shaken.
Some of Sarkis’ soldiers were baptized by travelling priests with the Sassanid army, but some who were not baptized went to Shapur II and told him about the religious beliefs of Sarkis. Having realised that Sarkis was a Christian, Shapur summoned Sarkis, his son Martiros, and their 14 soldier companions who were newly baptized back to his palace, with the intention of testing their faith.
Martyrdom
Shapur ordered Sarkis, Martiros, and their 14 companions to participate in a Zoroastrian ceremony in a fire temple, and offer sacrifices there. Sarkis refused Shapur's orders and said: ‘We should worship one God – the Holy Trinity, which has created the earth and the heaven. Whereas fire or idols are not gods and the human being may destroy them’.
After Sarkis had responded to the Sassanid King, he destroyed all the items in the fire temple. This annoyed the surrounding crowd who fell upon him and his son. Shapur, outraged by Sarkis’ actions, had his son Martiros killed before his eyes and had their 14 companion soldiers beheaded. Sarkis was put in prison, but when Shapur heard that Sarkis was strengthened by his relationship with his Lord in prison, he was outraged and ordered Sarkis’ execution.