ON SAINT CRESCENS
MARTYR, AT MYRA IN LYCIA.
UNDER THE PAGAN EMPERORS.
CommentaryCrescens, Martyr, at Myra in Lycia (St.)
G. H.
Lycia, a region of Asia, beyond the island of Rhodes, on the Mediterranean sea, from which not far distant is the metropolis of this region, Myra, more widely known throughout the Christian world for this reason, that it had St. Nicholas as the most worthy Bishop of its See, who took part in the first Ecumenical Council held at Nicaea against Arius: The location of Myra, before whose times, there, under the pagan Emperors, St. Crescens, of whom we now treat, was crowned with the palm of martyrdom: The time of martyrdom. and first we set forth the notice drawn from the manuscript Menology of Basil Porphyrogenitus the Emperor, in which he is celebrated on April 13: Cult on April 13. which translated into Latin runs thus.
[2] The struggle of the holy Martyr Crescens. Crescens, the Martyr of Christ, from the city of Myra, reverend at once in piety and in old age, Notice from the Menology of Emperor Basil. when he saw many worshippers of idols, rising up in their midst, exhorted them to abhor their old error, and to come to Christ, and so provide for their own salvation. This being known, the Prefect ordered him to be arrested and brought before him: and he inquired of him his family, country, and name: to whom he answered nothing else except, "I am a Christian." But the Prefect said:
"At least in outward appearance sacrifice to the gods, but in your heart and mind worship your God." But the Saint in no way approved of this: rather with a great voice he confessed Christ, rejecting and despising the idols. Therefore, first being suspended on a beam, he was beaten long and hard, and his sides burned with torches. Then, being compelled to come down from the beam, he was again ordered to sacrifice to idols. When he refused to do this, he was cast into an enormous fiery furnace, And in other manuscripts. and gave up his spirit to God. So the notice. The same is recorded on April 13 in the Milan Menaia of the Ambrosian library, marked with the letter O, no. 148, and in the Turin ones of the Duke of Savoy.
[3] Cult on April 15 in the Menaia. In the Great Menaia of the Greeks, on this April 15, St. Crescens is venerated, and this history of his martyrdom is recorded: On the 15th day of the month of April, the festival of the holy Martyr Crescens, who suffered at Myra in Lycia. He was from the city of Myra in Lycia, born of a noble family, and mature in age. Seeing impiety exulting he exhorts them to the faith of Christ and the worship of idols triumphing, and many enslaved to this error in miserable servitude, who attributed divinity and adoration to idols that lacked soul, he advanced into their midst, exhorting all to cast aside the vanity of idols and return to God, who is accustomed to be worshipped by Christians, as the sole Creator of all things and the author of all life and spirit. Then the Prefect called this Saint a cacodemon, because willingly and knowingly he was borne on to worse things. On the contrary, the Saint testified that it was the highest glory for whom to suffer is glorious. and the highest felicity to suffer for Christ. When asked then where he was from, what his name, in what fortune and state he was, to all questions he answered nothing else but that he was a Christian. The Prefect urged him at least in body and outward worship to pretend to worship the idols. But he denied that he would do this, asserting that the body is the servant of the mind, and that what the mind decrees, the body ought to follow, as being moved and directed by the mind: and therefore that God is to be perfectly worshipped and confessed with body and soul. Therefore being hung up he was beaten and burned: then condemned to a burning pyre: in which, though untouched by it, so that not even a hair of his head was harmed, he gave up his spirit to God. And cast into the fire, he dies. Thus far the notice: which is also found in the manuscript Greek Synaxarium of the College of Clermont in Paris, and in various manuscript Menaia. Likewise in the new Anthology dedicated to Clement VIII by Antonio Arcudi, and in Maximus, Bishop of Cythera, in his Lives of Saints: from which some extract is read in the Menology of Sirleto. Cult in other Greek offices, On whose citation these words are inscribed in today's Roman Martyrology: At Myra in Lycia, of St. Crescens, who consummated his martyrdom by fire: and Galesini has nearly the same. That the chief cult of this day is given to him is testified by the metrical Ephemeris, naming him alone: and among the Latins: as also to him alone is the Canon of the Ecclesiastical Office, whose last Stanza is this: Today the city of Myra most splendidly celebrates your festival, joyfully singing of your labors, struggles, and contests. Miracles at his body. He is also invoked in the penultimate Ode, as having received the grace of loosing diseases and putting demons to flight: and in Ode VI, as glorified by many signs, miracles, and wonders by him who glorifies those who glorify him: nay, as bountifully bestowing immortal gifts on the faithful who come to him, it is said in Ode V: and of the second of the Stichera preceding the Canon, it mentions his Sacred relics, which all the people reverently adore.