Прмч. Михаил Зовийский, игумен монастыря Зовия близ Севастии Армянской, подвизался в VIII веке с 36 иноками. Во время нападения агарянского эмира Алима все они были захвачены. Эмир склонял их к принятию ислама, но преподобные отцы отказались отречься от Христа. После того как все иноки были усечены мечом, казнили и самого игумена.

The Monastic Martyr Michael was the Igoumen of Zobē Monastery (Μονή Ζώβη), near Sebastopol in Armenia. There he labored in asceticism with thirty-six other monks at the end of the VIII century, during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI and his mother Empress Irene. When the land was invaded by the Hagarenes (Saracens), Emir Alim seized the Monastery and tried to persuade the monks to deny Christ and convert to Mohammedanism. However, strengthened from above, the Holy Fathers paid no attention to the words of the infidels.

Standing in the midst of his monks, Saint Michael encouraged them to face death courageously for the sake of Christ. First, the monks were beheaded with swords, and then Saint Michael was tortured and beheaded. Thus, they all received crowns of glory from Christ around the year 790.