[Page 77]
The Life of Shushanik
in the 1708 edition
of the Menologion (10)
Kaghots 17 and December 27
Today is the remembrance of Saint Shushanik, daughter of Saint Vardan, who was given in marriage to Vazgen the margrave of Georgia.
After the martyrdom of Saint Vardan and his companions, Vazgen went to Persia and forsook Christ. And Saint Shushan despised him for his apostasy and refused to share with him either food or marriage. The impious husband annoyed and tortured her for six years, with many blows of the cudgel and with hunger until she was full of worms because of the fetters and the severe beatings. The faithless husband would always curse her and Saint Vardan, addressing her with outrage as the "daughter of the man who destroyed the country."
One day Vazgen struck Saint Shushan with a club with intent to kill her. But Jojik,
[78]
Shushan's brother-in-law and the accursed Vazgen's brother, rescued her from his brother and left her behind half dead. With such tortures he [Vazgen] afflicted Saint Varduhi—for this was her actual name, whereas the name Shushanik was given to her out of affection—for six years. And after six years of torture, in the seventh year she found rest in Christ, at which [time] many priests and bishops gathered and buried Saint Varduhi Shushan with many honors as she deserved, to the Glory of Christ our God.
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