St. Vahan of Goghtn
As a young child, Vahan was taken into custody with many other children of Armenian nobility who had been killed because of their Christian belief. He was taken to Damascus where he was taught, together with other children, the Islamic faith. He was well liked by the Arab leaders and attained a high position in the court. While serving in court, the Arab overlords granted the Armenian children, who had grown to adulthood, the right to return home. Vahan promised his overlord that he would return but, after returning to Armenia, his overlord died and Vahan felt he was released from his promise.
Vahan married and established himself over the lands of his father who was killed prior to his captivity. The Arab overlords, however, demanded Vahan’s return and started to pursue him. He fled from place to place for many years, leaving his family and home. At each place he went, the people became endangered because of his presence so he finally decided to surrender himself, explain his desire to remain in Armenia, and practice his own religion. The policeman governing Armenia had him immediately thrown into prison and, after many different kinds of torture, he was finally beheaded. His life and martyrdom were recorded and, according to some traditions, the melody and lyric of the sharagans dedicated to this saint were written by his sister.