Saint Emilian Dorostolski is a martyr honored by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on July 18.
According to his biography, he was born in the town of Dorostol (today's town of Silistra), where he spent his life as a servant (or slave) to the mayor. He lived in the time of Emperor Julian.
Emperor Julian sends a new governor to Dorostol charged with the task of eradicating Christianity from the city. Frightened by his fame as a very cruel ruler, the local inhabitants hide from him that there are Christians among them and declare that they all worship the pagan gods.
Satisfied, he gives a feast to the citizens, but for the zealous Christian Aemilianus, the boasting of the pagan governor is unbearable and during the feast he smashes the statues of the pagan gods in the sanctuary with a hammer.
An innocent person is accused of the act, but knowing this, Emilian appears before the governor and confesses his guilt. The city was fined for harboring Christians, and Emilian himself, after torture, was burned at the stake near the Danube on July 18, 362. This date is today the day of his veneration by the church.
Today is the name day of Emil, Emilia, Emilian.