In an era filled with mystique and legend amidst the gilded stories of conquest, Sergius & Bacchus stood as illustrious officers of the Roman legions. Electrifying stories of their bravery swirled throughout Mesopotamia’s vibrant cities and sprawling farmlands they had helped bring into the Roman empire. Legends of bold and remarkable military campaigns spread their names far and wide.
The pair was inseparable. History rarely records mention of one without the other. More than a strategic alliance, the bond of Sergius & Bacchus borne light in the middle of darkness and chaos - two souls connected by love.
But the pair held secrets.
Fate challenges the strongest, and fate challenged the dearest morals and convictions of our heroes. When a high ranking Roman official Sergius & Bacchus were escorting insisted on visiting a pagan temple, the two lovers found themselves outed as secret converts to Christianity. This, at a time when mere rumor and innuendo of such was cause for execution. Controversy surrounded the duo as they began refusing to make sacrifices to Jupiter, Their celebrity became more and more of a problem for the emperor.
Arrested. Persecuted. Tortured. Sergius & Bacchus found themselves held up as an example for the masses by a cruel and unrelenting tyrant.
The infliction of pain and suffering was harsh. As the heavens dimmed and shadows lengthened, calamity unfurled its cruel hand. Dear Bacchus, having braved the empire's fiercest tempests, succumbed to (death) first leaving a weakened and battered Sergius behind at the mercy of his captors.
Yet, even in the cold embrace of mortality, their souls remained intertwined. Amidst the silence of night, Sergius sensed an ethereal aura. There, radiant and undying, was Bacchus, his spirit illuminating the abyss, whispering to his beau to endure the pain so that in the end they could spend eternity together, "My crown of justice is for you, and yours for me." It was an oath, a sacred pledge of a love so profound that not even the veil of death could sever.
Sergius never succumbed to the brutal torture as he clung to the encouragement from the spirit of Bacchus. Finally, upon orders of the military commander he was executed.
Upon their death stories of miraculous happenings began to be heard throughout the realm. Such credible miracles that the memories persisted long enough for the church to ultimately ordain sainthood on our heroes.
Likewise, legends of their ethereal connection resonated through the corridors of time. A venerable scroll, known as the “Passion of Sergius & Bacchus,” hailed them as “erastai,” lovers whose souls were intertwined by the very fabric of the cosmos. It unveiled chronicles of a clandestine rite, where rings, imbued with age-old magic, were exchanged, sealing vows that transcended lifetimes.
But as stories often go, there was more heartbreak to come. In 2017, amidst whispers and debates, the Catholic Church, swayed by the Russian Orthodox Church's claims, removed sainthood from Sergius & Bacchus. Many believe prejudice cast this shadow.
True legends never fade, though. Nearly two millenia passed, the legend of Sergius & Bacchus, with their brave, bold, remarkable tale of love and defiance, illuminates the hearts of those brave enough to love in the face of adversity, and reminding all that love's flame can pierce through the darkest nights.