Augustine Sokolovski
The passion of the martyr tells us that Zosima came from the city of Apollonia in Thrace. In the historical region of Anatolia, Pisidia, he served in the Roman army. Then a denunciation was made against him on the charge of confessing Christianity.
By that time, the pagans had learned to distinguish Christians from Jews. According to Roman law, the latter were considered an ancient religion, and Christianity was new, and therefore unlawful. Christians were persecuted, they were constantly denounced, interrogated, tortured, killed. Often this happened simply because the pagans wanted to take their place, especially in the army.
A ruler named Domitian seven times persuaded the saint to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods. Seven times he was refused, and each time he tortured and tormented the saint so much that it became obvious that only a supernatural force could keep him alive. Christians thanked God, and the pagans considered it magic. Their anger at the sight of the saint's miracles only increased. As a result, Zosima was taken to the city of Comana and, as a Roman citizen, beheaded. The name of the saint was later included in the ancient calendars in Greek, Latin and Georgian. His memory is celebrated by the Church on July 2.
Saint Zosima is one of the earliest martyrs. He suffered for Christ under Emperor Trajan (98-117) at the turn of the first and second centuries.
The Apostles' Creed says that the saints are in Communion. This is Communion with God, mutual Communion and intercession for the faithful.
There is a legend that Saint Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, after whom the Orthodox Presanctified Liturgy is named, decided to pray for the Emperor Trajan during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, for his wise rule and military virtue.
God in a vision announced to Gregory that He had forgiven Trajan but strictly forbade him to perform such commemorations in the future. Thus, the ancient church practice of invoking martyrs during the service, in the belief that their intercession, in conjunction with the Eucharist, is truly omnipotent, was combined with the rule of praying only for those who were Christians their lifetime.