Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates Dorostol martyrs on June 21

On 21 June, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked the Assembly of the Dorostol (Silistra) martyrs, observing the feast on the third Sunday after Pentecost. The celebration honors a group of early Christian saints—including St Dasiy, St Emilian, St Quintilian, St Dadas, St Pasikrat, St Vitalian, St Valentinian, St Julius, St Nikandar, St Martian, St Maxim, St Isihiy, St Kalinik, and St Cyril—who suffered martyrdom in the 3rd‑5th centuries under Roman persecution.

The commemorations follow a 2016 Synod decision that reinstated the first local assembly in Silistra, the modern site of ancient Dorostol. Historical sources note that after the 5th‑century Avar‑Slav incursions, many Dorostol inhabitants fled to Italy, taking the relics of St Dasiy to Ancona, where his stone sarcophagus is still displayed. The saints were executed for refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods, with St Emilian reportedly burned on a pyre in 362 AD after a secret Christian woman among the governor’s household intervened to allow his burial.

The church’s liturgy highlighted the enduring legacy of these martyrs, emphasizing their role in spreading Christianity in the region during the early formation of the First Bulgarian State.