Varus | |
|---|---|
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| Martyr | |
| Born | Unknown Egypt |
| Died | c. 304 Alexandria |
| Venerated in | Coptic Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast |
|
| Attributes | Martyr; Soldier holding a cross. |
| Patronage | Unbaptized who die outside the Church; Unbaptized Children |
Saint Varus (Greek Οὔαρος) (died ca. 304, Alexandria, Egypt) was an early Christian saint, soldier and martyr.
According to his generally reliable and authentic Acts, he was a soldier stationed in Upper Egypt who had the task of guarding a group of 7 monks awaiting execution. It is stated that Varus was already a Christian at this point, but had weak faith. After witnessing one of the monks perish, the faith of Varus became reinvigorated, and he joined the monks. For this, Varus was tortured, and had his body hung from a tree.
During the Time of Troubles, many children of Russian Orthodox families were dying before they could be baptized. This led Patriarch Hermogenes of Moscow to declare that the Canon of Saint Varus should be sung in churches on behalf of dead, unbaptized children. This makes Varus a popular saint in Russia, as he is remembered as an intercessor on behalf of the suffering Russian people.
