The story begins during the Decian persecution of the third century. Seven young Christians who refuse imperial worship withdraw to a cave outside Ephesus. In later versions the entrance is sealed and, rather than simply dying, the young men fall into an extraordinary sleep. Their names and details vary between languages, but the central shape of the story remains recognisable.
When one sleeper returns to buy food, his ancient coin exposes the passage of time. Generations have gone by and Christianity is no longer outlawed. Their awakening is read as a dramatic sign in debates about bodily resurrection; they then fall asleep again in death. A burial complex near Ephesus became associated with them, and the account lived in both Christian and Islamic tradition. It is a Late Antique story of resurrection hope, not a verified report of an event.