Who were the Orthodox Martyrs of Yemen?

The Forgotten Names of Our Holy Church in Distant Lands

Martyr Arethas of Nagran and Saint Kaleb of Axum (Nov 6 OC / Oct 24 NC)

In what is now Yemen, there existed a nation called Himyaritia (Otherwise known as Omir or Homer). During the time of Emperor Justin of Rome and Emperor Kaleb of Axum, there arose a man named Dunaan (Dhū Nuwās) who conquered Himyaritia and declared himself the king. He was a convert to Judaism and persecuted the Orthodox Christians of that land to force them to convert to his false faith. In the city of Nagran, where the majority of the Christians lived, Dunaan entered by deceit and compelled each man, woman, and child to blaspheme the Lord Jesus Christ. To a man, they all maintained their faith. They all suffered martyrdom except for the ones who were appointed to die but were rescued by Saint Kaleb of Axum. The full story can be read here: “The Life of Saint Kaleb of Axum, Saint Arethas, and 4299 Martyrs of Nagran.”

Of the 4300 Martyrs of Nagran, not all are known by name. Even in the official hagiography, only a few are named. The names of them all are known to God, but by His revelatory grace, we have been blessed with the knowledge of the names of 272 people who were martyred in Himyaritia:

These are the names of the martyred men of Nagran:

1. Saint Arethas the Martyr, the 95-year-old Prince of Nagran
2. Saint Dabbas (Dabb) the Judge, who was a persecutor of Christians for a time, but converted to the True Faith and was crowned with martyrdom.
3. Saint Aswar, son of Numan (Nu’man), who was the child that was asked by Dunaan if he would like to be adopted. Saint Aswar rebuked him and accepted martyrdom. His mother was burned at the stake, and Saint Aswar ran to her while she burned. He was 5 years old.
4. Saint Numan, father of Saint Aswar
5. Saint Harith
6. Saint Harith, brother of Jabir (Jabr)
7. Saint Jabir, brother of Harith
8. Saint Harith, brother of Numan
9. Saint Numan, brother of Harith
10. Saint Harith, brother of Qadas (Q D)
11. Saint Qadas, brother of Harith
12. Saint Harith, 5th
13. Saint Harith, 6th
14. Saint Harith, 7th
15. Saint Harith, 8th
16. Saint Harith, 9th
17. Saint Jabir, 2nd
18. Saint Jabir, 3rd
19. Saint Amir (‘Amr)
20. Saint Amir, brother of Numan
21. Saint Numan, brother of Amir
22. Saint Amir, brother of Taim
23. Saint Taim, brother of Amir
24. Saint Amir, 4th
25. Saint Amir, 5th
26. Saint Amir, 6th
27. Saint Amir, 7th
28. Saint Amir, 8th
29. Saint Abdallah and his little baby brother, who he carried on his shoulder and yet was killed
30. Saint Abdallah, 2nd
31. Saint Abdallah, 3rd
32. Saint Abdallah, 4th
33. Saint Abdallah, 5th
34. Saint Abdallah, 6th
35. Saint Abdallah, 7th
36. Saint Abdallah, 8th
37. Saint Abdallah, 9th
38. Saint Abdallah, 10th
39. Saint Numan, 4th
40. Saint Numan, 5th
41. Saint Numan, 6th
42. Saint Numan, 7th
43. Saint Numan, 8th
44. Saint Numan, 9th
45. Saint Humama
46. Saint Humama, brother of Aufius (‘Auf)
47. Saint Aufius, brother of Humama
48. Saint Habira, son of Aufius
49. Saint Aufius, 2nd
50. Saint Aufius, 3rd
51. Saint Mawiyus (Mu Awiya), son of Dhuhl
52. Saint Mawiyus, 2nd
53. Saint Mawiyus, 3rd
54. Saint Mawiyus, 4th
55. Saint Mawiyus, 5th
56. Saint Mawiyus, 7th
57. Saint Tamim
58. Saint Tamim, 2nd
59. Saint Addai (Add)
60. Saint Thalabai (Tha’laba), nephew of Addai
61. Saint Thalabai, 2nd
62. Saint Ghanam
63. Saint Ghanam, 2nd
64. Saint Bar Dabbas
65. Saint Zawariban (ZWRBN)
66. Saint Malik,
67. Saint Malik, 2nd
68. Saint Malik, 3rd
69. Saint Malik, 4th
70. Saint Malik, 5th
71. Saint Samir (S… four lines missing)
72. Saint Abu Afir
73. Saint Bar Hazaiqa
74. Saint Sadai
75. Saint Sergius
76. Saint Yazid (‘YZD)
77. Saint Yazid, 2nd
78. Saint Yazid, 3rd
79. Saint Badda
80. Saint Badda, 2nd
81. Arar, brother of Badda
82. Saint Bishaq (‘BYSh)
83. Saint Bishaq, 2nd
84. Saint Aswar, 2nd
85. Saint Busar (Busr), son of Aswar
86. Saint Busar, son of Dhuhl, brother of Mawiyus
87. Saint Busar, 3rd
88. Saint Busar, 4th
89. Saint Abdul Yawafir (A b d YWFR)
90. Saint Abd, 2nd
91. Saint Qabilanas (Q a ‘ b ‘ n)
92. Saint Dhuhl, son of Qabilanas
93. Saint Dhuhl, father of Mawiyus and Busar
94. Saint Dhuhl, son of Shalim
95. Saint Shalim, father of Dhuhl
96. Saint Dhuhl, 4th
97. Saint Dhuhl, 5th
98. Saint Dhiba
99. Saint Dhiba, 2nd
100. Saint Haufamas (Haufa ‘amm)
101. Saint Haufamas, 2nd
102. Saint Salima
103. Saint Asad, nephew of Salima
104. Saint Liyalab (LYLWB)
105. Saint Faman
106. Saint Ishuhl
107. Saint Arbai
108. Saint Saraq (Sar)
109. Saint Sumurah
110. Saint Kuraib
111. Saint Abad
112. Saint Abad, 2nd
113. Saint Kufas (KF)
114. Saint Kuytawil (KYTWL), brother of Kufas
115. Saint Asfar
116. Saint Jadan
117. Saint Nimarah, N’Mrah
118. Saint Azmam
119. Saint Habib, (HB)
120. Saint Ashab
121. Saint Milizin
122. Saint Jarir
123. Saint Jarir, 2nd
124. Saint Jarir, 3rd
125. Saint Naufas
126. Saint Azfar and his sons
127. Saint Azraq
128. Saint Azraq, 2nd
129. Saint Abraq
130. Saint Shalim, 2nd
131. Saint Qais, brother of Shalim
132. Saint Shalim, 3rd
133. Saint Shalim, 4th
134. Saint Habib, 2nd
135. Saint Amir, brother of Habib
136. Saint Duwaid
137. Saint Khalil
138. Saint Khalil, 2nd
139. Saint Aswar, 3rd
140. Saint Aswar, 4th
141. Saint Ahmam
142. Saint Dakari (DKY’)
143. Saint Mahawari (M H W Y N)
144. Saint Abraham
145. Saint Hani
146. Saint Hani, 2nd
147. Saint Makuradi (MKRDY)
148. Saint Wa-il
149. Saint Wa-il, 2nd
150. Saint Namirah
151. Saint Ausiyah (Aus)
152. Saint Rhabias
153. Saint Alamundarius (Ala . . . r)
154. Saint Sarib (S R H B)
155. Saint Alastor (A l a u)
156. Saint Khalif (Kahf)
157. Saint Zafariyas (Z F R Y)
158. Saint Hiyarim (H Y R M)
159. Saint Taimai
160. Saint Qais
161. Saint Faludaim (Fluldai)
162. Saint Lamiras (L . . a)
163. Saint Duwaid
164. Saint Muhammad (M . . .)
165. Saint Laimalik (L Y L)
166. Saint Khutun ( . . Y N)
167. Saint Sariyas (S R Y)
168. Saint Dhuwab
169. Saint Karib
170. Saint Mukaridi (M K R [ D Y ])
171. Saint Marthad
172. Saint Dabbas, 2nd
173. Saint Diyari (D Y ‘)
174. Saint Shadai (Sha d)
175. Saint Ralib (“ R l i B)
176. Saint Hanna
177. Saint Habsa
178. Saint Hayya
179. Saint Hayya, 2nd
180. Saint Hayya, 3rd
181. Saint Hittan
182. Saint Numan, son of Ruhm
     
     These are the names of the martyred women of Nagran:
183. Saint Syncletica, with her 12-year-old daughter and younger daughter
184. Saint Tahnah
185. Saint Hadia, daughter of Tahnah
186. Saint Aumah, handmaiden of Tahnah
187. Saint Elishba the Deaconess
188. Saint Ammai the Nun
189. Saint Ruhm the Older, daughter of Azma
190. Saint Aumah, daughter of Ruhm
191. Saint Ruhm the Younger, granddaughter of Ruhm
192. Saint Aumah, 2nd, and her daughter and her mother
193. Saint Aumah, 3rd, and her four sisters
194. Saint Aumah, 4th
195. Saint Masha (MH(S?)a)
196. Saint Dara (Da) the Nun
197. Saint Thummaliki
198. Saint Thummaliki, 2nd
199. Saint Hinter (Hint)
200. Saint Hinter, 2nd
201. Saint Hinter, 3rd
202. Saint Hinter, 4th
203. Saint Amma
204. Saint Amma, 2nd
205. Saint Amma, 3rd
206. Saint Amma, 4th
207. Saint Humama
208. Saint Ushana and her mother
209. Saint Ruhm, sister of Ushana
210. Saint Ruhm, 3rd
211. Saint Arqas
212. Saint Ruhin and her three daughters
213. Saint Jabrah
214. Saint Hayya
215. Saint Hayya, 2nd
216. Saint Hubbah
217. Saint Hubbah, 2nd
218. Saint Uzafa
219. Saint Aqtam
220. Saint Aqtam, 2nd
221. Saint Waddah and her daughter
222. Saint Sariba (SRHB)
223. Saint Salma
224. Saint Yla and her three daughters
225. Saint Salawima (SLWma)
226. Saint Ausa
227. Saint Ausa, 2nd
228. Saint Ausa, 3rd
229. Saint Mannah (Ma’na)
230. Saint Taminah (TMNya)
231. Saint Taibah
232. Saint Taibah, 2nd
233. Saint Hamdah
234. Saint Hamdah, 2nd
235. Saint Auda
236. Saint Ummu Bayyah
237. Saint Ummu Busara
238. Saint Ummu Jabala
239. Saint Ummu Shaishala
240. Saint Ummu, 5th
241. Saint Ummu, 6th
242. Saint Busara (Busr)
243. Saint Yahibah (YHWbah)
244. Saint Habibah (HBB)
245. Saint Habibah, 2nd
246. Saint Habibah, 3rd
247. Saint Durrah
248. Saint Maria
249. Saint Asma
250. Saint Asma, 2nd
251. Saint Asma, 3rd
252. Saint Amira
253. Saint Mawiyah
254. Saint Mawiyah, 2nd
255. Saint Jadida
256. Saint Jadida, 2nd
257. Saint Hasana
258. Saint Hasana, 2nd
259. Saint Khalila
260. Saint Alhan
261. Saint Kabsha
262. Saint Halimah (H L H)
263. Saint Jaushanah
264. Saint Hawalinah (H W L H)
265. Saint Durrah
266. Saint Namlah
267. Saint Mahmida
268. Saint Mayyah
269. Saint Dabbah
270. Saint Ihiyah (YHyah)
271. Saint Umayya
272. Saint Fatima

Holy Martyrs of Nagran, pray to God for us!

Saint Kaleb of Axum, pray to God for us!

Saint Arethas and the 4299 Martyrs of Nagran

Notes on the Names:

• The above-mentioned names come from the Book of the Himyarites.
• For some of the names, I have localized them in translation; their original names, as recorded in the text, are placed to the side of the first iteration of that name’s appearance in parentheses.
• Everyone mentioned above was martyred in Nagran, even if they dwelt in another city, such as the blessed woman Thummaliki, who suffered in Masruq but escaped to Nagran, where she was martyred. There were many other martyrs who were killed in other cities, however, such as in Marib, Hadramut, Hajaren, and Zafar.
• Some of the names have been given epithets to distinguish them from others with the same name. The ones without epithets could be called “of Nagran,” “of Omir,” “of Yemen,” or some variation of these.
• All repetitions of names are of unrelated people unless otherwise specified.