On Valaam, in honor of the feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, the pastry workshop of the monastery’s cellarer service traditionally bakes skylark-shaped pastries. This task requires a lot of time and effort, but it brings joy, primarily because it is done to bring consolation to our neighbor.
“It’s quite amusing to see what kind of birds you end up making,” says one of the brethren. “Some turn out small, others plumper; one has a fanned-out tail, while another’s is tucked neatly in. Some tuck their heads into their shoulders, while others have large pigeon-like heads. Then, in the oven, they rise and puff up, as if filling their tiny lungs with air to sing a joyful spring hymn. In general, they should be made with love—then it will be pleasant for both the baker and tasty for the brethren.”
The Tradition of Baking Skylarks
In Russia, there has long been a tradition of shaping and baking lark-shaped pastries on the Feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.
Why skylarks?
Russian peasants used to watch how singing skylark would soar high into the sky and then plummet back to the earth like a stone, and saw this as a symbol of boldness and humility before God. The skylark swiftly rises upward but, overwhelmed by the greatness of the Lord, bows down in deep reverence.
Thus, according to our pious ancestors, skylarks symbolized the hymn of glory to God sung by the martyrs, their humility, and their striving for the Kingdom of Heaven—toward the Sun of Righteousness, Christ.
The feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste was also a sign for peasants that the long and harsh winter was coming to an end, that Great Lent—the “spring of the soul”—was in full swing, and that Pascha was approaching.
Skylark pastries were typically made by the whole family, sometimes molded along with nests and eggs. These little birds were placed on windowsills, distributed in churches, and given to children.
These lark-shaped buns became a symbol of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, and the feast itself got the folk name, “Forties” (Soroki).
The Suffering of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine the Great signed a decree granting freedom of religion. His co-ruler, Emperor Licinius, also signed the decree, but persecution of Christians continued in his territories.
Around 320 AD, a Roman military unit was stationed in the city of Sebaste, Armenia. Among the soldiers were forty Christian warriors from Cappadocia (now part of modern Turkey).
The military commander, Agricolaus, ordered them to offer sacrifices to pagan idols, but the warriors refused.
As punishment, they were stripped naked and forced to stand in the freezing waters of a lake near Sebaste on a bitterly cold night.
On the shore, a warm bathhouse was heated, and their torturers tempted them, saying that anyone who renounced Christ could immediately warm themselves inside.
Throughout the night, the soldiers endured the unbearable cold, encouraging each other. Despite their frostbite, they sang psalms, enduring suffering that was as excruciating as burns from fire.
Eventually, one soldier could no longer bear it. He ran to the shore and entered the bathhouse, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, the sudden temperature change caused his skin and flesh to separate from his bones, and he died instantly.
Meanwhile, one of the guards, named Aglaius, was unable to sleep. He was astonished. How could these Christians, despite their unimaginable suffering, never stop praying?
At around the third hour of the night, he saw a brilliant light spread over the lake, making it feel as warm as summer. The ice melted, and above the heads of the martyrs, glowing crowns appeared—but there were only thirty-nine.
Realizing that the fortieth crown was left unclaimed, Aglaius tore off his armor, woke his fellow guards with a cry, saying:
“I am also a Christian!”
He then ran into the freezing water, joining the remaining martyrs.
At dawn, the authorities ordered that the soldiers’ legs be smashed with hammers to intensify their suffering. But even as they died in agony, they never ceased praying and glorifying God.
Their bodies were then burned on a pyre, and their bones thrown into a river.
Three days later, the martyrs appeared in a dream to Bishop Peter of Sebaste, instructing him to recover their relics from the river. That night, the bishop and several priests secretly went to the river, where they saw the bones shining in the water like stars.
The Christians gathered the remains and buried them with honor.
