Does anyone know about the seven sleepers of Ephesus?

Question

There is a tradition about them that they slept for about 300 years and then woke up. They had to save themseleves from persecutions being the true followers of Jesus(peace be upon him). The christinas(Heretics) in those days did not believe in the day of reserruction.

Answer 1

The story is one of the many examples of the legend about a man who falls asleep and years after wakes up to find the world changed.

Answer 2

http://www.ephesustours.biz/ephesus/sevensleepers.htm

Located on the northern slopes of Mount Pion, near Ephesus, The Grotto of Seven Sleepers has been discovered by both Christians and Moslems with a growing interest. According to the Christian legend seven young men were walled in during the reign of Decius (250) and yet were seen alive in the streets of Ephesus during the reign of Theodosius II some years after the Council of Ephesus (431). In the Koran, it is claimed that the sleepers slept 309 years in their tombs. A church has been built above this Grotto by the Christians.

During excavations in the area, the church and several tombs have been brought to daylight. Some inscriptions of Seven Sleepers have been noticed on the walls of the church.


http://www.ephesus.us/

Ephesus which was established as a port, was used to be the most important commercial centre. It played a great role in the ancient times with its strategic location. Ephesus is located on a very fertile valley.

Ephesus, once, the trade centre of the ancient world, a religious centre of the early Christianity and today, Ephesus is an important tourism centre in Turkey.

The ancient city Ephesus is located in Selcuk, a small town 30km away from Kusadasi.

Answer 3

The burial churches built in a natural cave on the skirt of Mount Pion (Panayir), to the north of Ephesus, are known as Seven Sleepers' Grotto. The legend of Seven Sleepers in the Christian tradition is as follows: Probably in the reign of Emperor Decius (250 - 253), seven young Christian men fled from the forced participation in the pagan cults and hid in a cave.

Having slept for 200 years, they woke up in the reign of Theodosius II (408-450). Their names were Maximian, Malchus, Martinian, Dionysius, John, Serapion and Constantine


Having woken up from their long sleep, these seven young men lived and died as Christians in a Christian Empire. On the order of the emperor the cave where they had fallen asleep was rearranged with a funerary church with catacombs beneath and around and they were buried there when they died. Later when notables and religious leaders also wanted to be buried here, the area was expanded and the number of tombs was increased.


The earliest text of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus is found in the writings of Syrian authors (5th and 6th c. Monophysites). The heroes became Orthodox martyrs and the legend is known in the Latin church since 6th c. It is mentioned as 'The Shrine of Seven Sleepers' in the pilgrimage guide by Theodosius who visited Ephesus in 530 CEo FI. Abradas and Leon, two religious men, built a domed funerary church in the shrine ca. 600.

In the following years all the available room around was used for burials and even rock was hewn for this. The location of Ephesus on pilgrimage routes to the Holy Land helped the cult of Seven Sleepers spread. Pilgrims from close by or far away lands all visited the Seven Sleepers from the beginning of 12th century on.


Daniel, a pilgrim, who visited the site about the beginning of 12th c., writes that there were the tombs of many saints here. Perhaps the name of the mount, Panayir" (fair), comes from the pilgrims visiting the site all along the Middle Ages. In the Koran, verses 8-16 of Sura 18 are about the Seven Sleepers who were a topic in Islamic art as well. There are two more sites in Turkey, that are also called Seven Sleepers' Grotto (in Tarsus and Kahramanmaras).


The Grotto of Seven Sleepers was excavated by Austrian Archaeological Institute under the supervision of J. Keil and F. Miltner between 19261928. The noteworthy point about the excavations is that whatever was unearthed conformed with whatever was told by the locals. Funerary churches dated to the 4th and 5th centuries do not have a regular plan. The floors have mosaic pavement under which there are catacombs.


The superstructure has entirely collapsed but it is understood that in the middle was a dome surrounded by vaults. Frescoes on the walls and vaults have mainly vegetal decoration. There are graffiti done by pilgrims from the West. Most of these are in Greek and Latin, telling about the Seven Sleepers, and some give the names of the pilgrims. The latest dates of graffiti are between 1397 - 1442.

Consequently, tombs and funerary church for the Seven Sleepers were built here first and then gradually other pious people were buried, forming a holy cemetery. In the excavations more than 2000 oil lamps were recovered, that were left as gifts. Most of the oil lamps have cross motifs as decoration.

Answer 4

never heard of the 7 sleeper where is that found in your Bible but the reserrections there are 2.
Re 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Re 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Re 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
AND the second resurection:
Re 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Re 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Re 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Notice Hell which means ( the Grave ) was cast into the lake of fire!

Answer 5

The story is one of the many examples of the legend about a man who falls asleep and years after wakes up to find the world changed.

please check this also

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/7sleepers.html

Answer 6

i can give u full details, plus more such as if u find something happened against yr expectation, that is yr thinking, but there is power working behind; that was exhibited before prophet ..Moses..ALYHI SALAAM.

if u are a Muslim..read Surat qahaf, and if not, get somebody to read 2 u. and if of no avail, then drop me a note on me mail,

GOD BLESS U
AND ME TOO.