Calocerus of Brescia

ON SAINT CALOCERUS OF BRESCIA,

MARTYR AT ALBENGA IN LIGURIA.

YEAR 119.

Calocerus of Brescia, Martyr at Albenga in Liguria (Saint)

G. H.

Five athletes, joined together by a great bond of mutual friendship,

obtained the illustrious palm of martyrdom under the Emperor Hadrian.

The first of these were the brothers of Brescia, most widely known

throughout the universal Church, Saints Faustinus

and Jovita. When Saint Calocerus, Fellow Martyrs, Saints Faustinus and

one of the chief ministers of the Emperor Hadrian, with whom we are here

dealing, saw them cast to lions, leopards, and bulls and unharmed,

he embraced the faith of Christ. We have given various Acts

of Saints Faustinus and Jovita on February 15. The third is Saint Marcian, Bishop

of Tortona, of whom we have treated on March 6. This one, by means of Saint Secundus,

as will be shown below, Jovita, Marcian, Secundus, took care that his peace

should be carried from prison to his brother in Christ Calocerus. The fourth is Saint Secundus,

a leading man of the city of Asti, instructed in the faith by Saint Calocerus,

whose martyrdom we have illustrated on March 30. Calocerus: Acts of Martyrdom from MS.

The fifth and last is Saint Calocerus, whose acts to be given here

we ourselves transcribed in Burgundy, in the most celebrated Cistercian

monastery, from the second codex of the Lives of the Saints. Fuller Acts are inserted into the triple

Life of Saints Faustinus and Jovita, illustrated by us on February 15;

and the one which is given there in the third place, Mombritius published

as pertaining to Saint Calocerus. Since we judged that it is part of the

fuller Acts concerning Saints Faustinus and Jovita, we gave it there,

and do not wish to repeat it here, since it can be read there.

Excerpts from the Life of Saint Secundus. But in its place we append some extracts from the Life

of Saint Secundus; and thus we judge that we have presented a full

account of Saint Calocerus.

[2] Among the manuscript books of the Most Serene Christina, Queen of Sweden,

we found a Martyrology of Ado, once augmented among the people of Brescia,

and later transcribed for the Church of Toulon in Provence about

the year 1170 under Peter, Bishop of that same city,

from which we have copied these items inserted at the 15th day before the Kalends of May:

Natal day of Saint Calocerus the Martyr, who, as was said

above on the 15th day before the Kalends of March, when the most blessed Martyrs

Faustinus and Jovita were preaching in the

city of Brescia under the Emperor Hadrian, seeing

the constancy and virtues which with the

Lord's help they displayed before the Emperor Hadrian,

was baptized through their preaching,

with his attendants, to the number of twelve thousand, by Saint

Apollonius, Bishop of Brescia; and at the command of the same

Emperor he suffered many and various torments,

and in the city of Albenga by the cutting off of his head

was made a Martyr of Christ the Lord Almighty,

and was first buried there, but now in the monastery

of Civate rests laid up in our time.

[3] Burial, Albenga, anciently Albingaunum, is an episcopal

maritime city of Liguria between Savona and Ventimiglia, translation,

concerning which consult Ughelli, volume 4 of Italia Sacra, who relates

that Saint Calocerus suffered martyrdom for Christ outside the city

near the sea shore, opposite the city and island of Gallinaria;

perhaps first buried in that very place or the vicinity, and, as Peter de Natalibus

book 3, chapter 298 adds, by the faithful beside the city itself;

thence carried to the monastery of Civate. But by this seems to be

understood a certain monastery in a town of Piedmont commonly

called Chiavas, Clavasium to Ferrarius,

next to the Po 12 miles below Turin. Further, according to

the same Ughelli, Lanfranc, the 28th Bishop of Albenga,

in the year 1286 translated from an underground

tomb of confession the body of Saint Calocerus

the Martyr, magnificently raised in honor of the same

Saint, as the following verses especially declare:

A thousand years run their course together with two hundred,

And eighty-six are joined to the same,

When the translation was made and celebrated

Of Saint Calocerus, solemnly here interred.

Bishop Lanfranc is known as his translator,

And of his discovery Abbot John himself was the finder.

But at present the sacred bones of Saint Calocerus at Albenga are said to be

in the monastery of the Nuns of the Order of Saint Clare. Relics at Brescia:

[4] We have, by a gift of the same Ughelli, a certain recent

Martyrology of the Church of Brescia, in which this eulogy is found:

At Brescia, of Saint Calocerus the Martyr, who, having been converted

to the faith by Saints Faustinus and Jovita, under the Emperor Hadrian,

by order of the Prefect Sapricius, was tortured with torments,

most constant in his confession of Christ Jesus,

and eminently crowned. His holy

body is held in the church of Saint Afra together with the holy

Martyrs Marcian and Severinus. Another eulogy Bernardino

Fayno gives in the Brescian Martyrology, who

in his notes adds that a great part of this body is kept in the

high altar of the lower church of Saint Afra;

as appears in an authentic record, brought hither from Albenga

by Sapricius, as a certain ancient manuscript

Chronicle has it, inscribed Martyrium Brixianorum.

But that Chronicle is fabulous. And

who is this Sapricius? Could he be the Prefect by whose order he had been slain?

The foundations of the Albenga tradition are more certain. [Entered in various calendars on April 18, February 15, and March 19, the day he was killed]

The sacred memory of the same

Saint Calocerus is inscribed in today's Roman Martyrology, as

formerly in the Calendar of the ancient Ambrosian Breviary and Missal,

likewise in the Martyrologies of Bellinus, Maurolycus,

Galesinius, Canisius, Greven, and Molanus in the Additions to Usuard.

But on February 15 in the Anglican Martyrology of Whitford; and on March 19

in the Martyrologies of Usuard, Bellinus, Molanus, Galesinius, and

in many manuscripts, with Peter de Natalibus, who adds that his body

was buried with honor on the fourteenth day before the

Kalends of April, on which day his Acts have him suffering;

year 119, and the day April 18 was assumed because of the Translation of his Body.

That he indeed suffered in the year 119 is manifest from what we

have said concerning the Acts of Saints Faustinus and Jovita and chiefly of Saint Secundus.

PASSION.

From a Manuscript of the Cistercian Archimonastery.

Calocerus of Brescia, Martyr at Albenga in Liguria (Saint)

BHL Number: 1530

FROM A MANUSCRIPT.

[1] When ^a the Emperor Hadrian was traveling through Italy,

there met him the Count of the Rhaetias, Italicus by

name, at the river which is called Adda, who, worshiping

the Emperor, said: O most invincible King and triumphator of the Romans,

come to the aid of your empire, and avenge

the injury to our gods. There are two men

in a certain city called Brescia, namely Faustinus

and Jovita, Italicus the Count inciting, who preach that there is a God

living and true in the heavens, and assert that our

gods are not to be adored but are to be despised as nothing;

and on this account they have already seduced no small multitude of people

to desert your gods and transfer themselves to the worship of the one

God whom they preach. Hearing this,

Hadrian the Emperor, because the aforesaid Count

had great love for the gods, gave him permission not only

to afflict Faustinus and Jovita but also all despisers

of the gods with punishments. This Count Italicus,

coming, sent word to the aforesaid Martyrs, through

Tiberius his counsellor, of Emperor Hadrian's decree

against the despisers of his gods.

To whom Blessed Faustinus and Jovita said: We will not obey the precepts of your Prince,

so as to desert the living God

and worship hand-made idols. Hearing these things Italicus the Count,

Saints Faustinus and Jovita seized, disturbed with extreme indignation, commanded

that Faustinus and Jovita, having been seized, be handed over

to the darkness of prison, until the Emperor

should come to Brescia. ^b

[2] ^c It came to pass that on the fourth day the Emperor entered

Brescia, and Italicus the Count made known to him those things that had

been done in regard to Faustinus and Jovita.

When the Emperor had heard this and had asked of what

ancestry the aforesaid Martyrs were, brought to the Emperor Hadrian, and it was answered

him that their father had been head of the Senate in

the same city, he replied: These men are most necessary

to us, that through them many may be converted to

the worship of our Gods; whereupon, having been brought into

his presence, he addressed them thus: You have had noble

parents, who are said to have worshiped our gods with great

veneration; it is good for you to follow them,

lest you be considered degenerate. To which Faustinus and Jovita

said: Our parents were deceived by an abominable falsehood

into worshiping gods of gold and wood, in which

there is no feeling or any power. they spurn the worship of the gods. To whom Hadrian

said: Is there another god besides the sun, or is any

better than it? To whom Faustinus and Jovita answered:

You have spoken a foolish thing, to call the sun better than

the creator of the sun himself; and of the sun: for there is a God who made

the sun to illuminate the day, and the moon to illuminate

the night, who also created all things out of nothing,

whom we worship, and in whom we have placed the hope of our salvation;

for despising your gods, we count them

as nothing. Then the enraged Hadrian ordered that they be brought

to the temple of the sun; now there was a statue of the sun

overlaid with gold, having rays of pure gold on its head:

to which Hadrian said: You see the glory of the invincible

sun; approach and sacrifice, that you may be found glorious in the sight

of the sun. To this the holy Martyrs said:

We are rational men; we adore God,

who created us in his image. Then the

Saints, turning to the statue of the sun, said: Know

that we adore God, who made all things, and

who is in heaven and on earth and everywhere; by a word they cast down his statue and strip its glory. wherefore we command

that the false appearance of your brightness be turned into the blackness

of pitch, and that the golden rays be turned into the likeness of dead

coals. And when they had said these things,

immediately the statue of the sun fell in the sight of the people, and its glory

suddenly disappeared, and the holy Martyrs said:

See, Hadrian, what has been done to the god whom

you worship.

[3] Then the Emperor, filled with wrath, ordered

Italicus his Count to have the fiercest wild beasts brought in,

namely lions and leopards, by which at once the holy Martyrs

might be devoured; but they not only did not devour them,

but even at the bidding of the Saints shattered the statue of Saturn, These being unharmed among the lions, leopards,

and brought it to nothing, so that they also killed Italicus and

Orphitus the Priest, brother of Hadrian, along with all

the Priests of Saturn. When this had been done,

the Emperor ordered five bulls of wondrous size to be brought in, and bulls, to slay the holy

Martyrs. But the holy Martyrs made the sign of the Cross,

and immediately the bulls threw themselves upon the ground

before their feet. Seeing which, the people with one voice

cried out: Great is the God of the Christians.

To whom Hadrian said: O people of Brescia, why

do you magnify Christ, whom the Jews crucified?

To whom the holy Martyrs said: See, my fellow citizens,

how great wonders the Lord has wrought through his servants, and

be not seduced by the perfidy of Hadrian: 3,000 are converted, of whom almost three

thousand believed and received the grace of baptism

from Bishop Apollonius. Then the holy Martyrs

said: We say to you, sheep of God, who are wild beasts,

go forth and harm no one. Then the people, seeing

the wild beasts made tame, going forth, were struck with

exceeding fear. But Hadrian, seeing what had happened,

said to his ministers: You see how many things Faustinus and

Jovita do by magic art; shut them up in

prison. When afterwards they were led out and tortured with various

punishments, Faustinus is said to have said: Most impious one,

we perceive that you take much delight in the sufferings of the Christians.

When they were most vehemently tortured by the ministers,

lifting their eyes to heaven, they spoke to no one.

Seeing which, one of the ministers of the Emperor, Calocerus by

name, entering to Hadrian, said: and Saint Calocerus, Truly

great is the God of the Christians, whom Faustinus and

Jovita proclaim by worshiping, and who bestows great benefits

on those who believe in him. To whom Hadrian replied:

Why are you mad, Calocerus? Take heed and beware lest

your blood be shed along with their blood. Calocerus

answered: Good Emperor, for what cause

do you prepare the racks, or whom do you wish to torture on the racks?

Hadrian said: Faustinus and Jovita. Calocerus

said: You are deceived by a false vision. The ministers also

cried out: Now we are exhausted by torturing, but they in no

way feel the pains.

[4] Calocerus, seeing this, grieved greatly, and going

outside wept bitterly; and there appeared to him

Faustinus and Jovita, saying: Calocerus, why do you grieve

for us? Go to Hadrian and see what the ministers

are doing. To whom Calocerus answered: I will not depart

from you until you give me the sign of Christ

by which I may be made free and safe. he asks instruction from the Martyrs, Faustinus,

questioning him, said: Confidently hope to receive the sign

of Christ, by which the devil is put to flight. And he said,

I earnestly beseech you, that I may be deemed worthy to come to sound

faith and so great brightness, through your intercession.

To whom Jovita said: O Calocerus, keep the faith to your

Creator, and take care to follow the examples of the Redeemer

of your soul. Then Calocerus, coming before Hadrian

and seeing the ministers heaping as it were coals upon

the Martyrs of Christ, tore the cloak with which

he was clothed, and cried out: Truly great is the God of the

Christians, whom you, Hadrian, deny, he reproves the Emperor and you persecute those

who serve him. To whom Hadrian replied:

Calocerus, by saying these things you have become vain-headed.

And Calocerus said: Truly your head is vain,

for no rational sense seems to be in you,

since, acting against God and the Creator of heaven, you are not ashamed

to worship a statue made by hand. But hearing

the outcry of Calocerus, Hadrian ordered him to be

sent outside, grieving because through him the name of the Lord was

magnified. Meanwhile the Blessed Martyrs, being

shut up in prison, were refreshed in the silence of midnight

by a divine visitation. There was in the prison a very

great light and a fragrance of sweetness, so that the guards

of the prison fled to the house of Calocerus, who had charge

of the palace, and related to him all that had happened in the prison.

To whom Calocerus said: Let us go to

the prison, that I may see whether what you relate is true. he approaches the prison illumined at night,

As they went, they could in no way on account of the splendor

approach the prison; but Calocerus alone,

strengthened by the gift of faith, approaching the door of the prison,

said: Remember me, Martyrs of Christ, obtaining

from the Savior that he may not disdain to receive me into

the number of his sheep, so that I may be able to

resist the wiles of the devil. And soon a voice came to him, saying:

Calocerus, animated by a heavenly voice: know that your prayer has been heard;

for tomorrow you shall come with my Martyrs

before Hadrian, to reproach and denounce

his perfidy. And because Calocerus remained at the door of the prison

until morning, when morning came the ministers

came to him, saying: Behold, Hadrian is going to the

temple of Mars to hear Faustinus and Jovita.

[5] Then Calocerus, turning to his attendants,

said: Until today I have sacrificed to demons; from now on

I will faithfully worship, not hand-made idols, but the living

and true God; wherefore I admonish you to hear me, and to

become my companions, since the warfare of this world is

not only loss, he converts those subject to his office: but is also death to the soul.

Therefore believe most firmly that great is God in

the heavens, whom the Blessed Faustinus and Jovita worship. This

he said so that they, being made strong, might be beheaded with him,

and receive the palm of martyrdom. For

when all those of his office had said to

him: Whence may it be ours, that we may be able to attain

to such great glory, and see that God whom your glory sets

forth? Calocerus is said to have answered: If with all

your heart you seek God, by the gift of his grace

your minds will be illumined, and there will be given you

habitations of eternal rest. To which all with one

mind answered: Lord, until now we have been

as sheep without a shepherd, having no guide;

now let your mercy come before us, that our

hearts may be illumined, so that we may not fear Hadrian,

the prince of iniquity, but rather you, who are the author

of all truth. These things having been said, Hadrian sent to

Calocerus, that he should come to the temple of Mars; to whom Hadrian said:

Is that which I had ordered you to do prepared?

Calocerus said: To your confusion you speak these things,

that your iniquity may be confuted. Hadrian

said: Calocerus, I hold you worthy of honor among all;

but because you speak thus for Faustinus and Jovita,

you make me an enemy to your soul. To whom Calocerus said:

By no means shall your wicked propitiation lead

my soul to death.

the Bishop had ordained Blessed Faustinus Priest and Jovita

Deacon, he is baptized, and they were baptizing a multitude

of believers in the Lord, Calocerus came

with all his office, with his subordinates, and, prostrate upon the ground,

beseeching said: Have mercy on me, for the fear of the Lord

has taken hold of me, who dwells on high and looks upon lowly things

in heaven and on earth. Whom Saint Apollonius

the Bishop, seeing that he eagerly wished to be baptized,

said to him: Calocerus, do you believe that God can raise you up

from the dead? Calocerus replied: Truly

I believe, that now souls are raised up by the font of baptism,

and afterwards bodies, raised up from the dust of the earth by divine

command, are made alive. All those of his office also,

being asked, said: We believe in one

God, and in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Then Saint Apollonius received Blessed Calocerus and made him a catechumen,

and baptized him in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But all of his

office Faustinus and Jovita baptized, along with those who

from the people believed. Now all who were

baptized were about twelve thousand men, and of others to the number of 12,000,

which happened about the twelfth hour. And because

there was no altar on which the mysteries of the Body and Blood

of the Lord could be consecrated, it was divinely provided

and with them he is refreshed by the sacred Eucharist. that the Body and the Chalice of the Blood

of the Lord should be shown upon a linen cloth as though upon an altar, by which the baptized

might be confirmed; moreover four lights also

were seen to drive away the darkness of night. Thus,

confirmed by the heavenly Sacraments, all followed

Saint Apollonius the Bishop. ^e But the Blessed

Martyrs, returning to the prison, and entering in to the holy

Martyrs, greeted them, and willingly shut up in prison and said: Behold,

we have been confirmed by the Body and Blood of our

Lord Jesus Christ, that our blood also may be shed for the confession

of his name. strengthened by a heavenly voice, When they prayed together,

they heard a voice saying to them: Be of strong

heart, for your prayer has been heard; but you, Calocerus,

know that you have been sent by Almighty God to

the unbelievers, that through you they may be converted from the

worship of idols to the living and true God, so that for their

salvation you may receive the fruit of eternal salvation.

But when Calocerus, hearing these things, had declared himself

a sinner after the example of Paul, and unworthy

to work the salvation of others, he was admonished

by the Angel not to despair, because divinely there would be given

him power to preach to the people, and constancy in suffering,

so that he might receive the crown of martyrdom.

[7] Finally, when Hadrian had sent to the prison

for the sake of inspecting whether the seal of his ring

was intact, or whether anyone had entered in to the holy Martyrs,

the ring was found whole, and Calocerus

was found with his office within together with the holy Martyrs.

When this had been reported to Hadrian, before the Emperor he professes the faith: wondering

greatly, he ordered them to be led bound to the Circus, and speaking out,

said: Calocerus, what have you done, why have you

made yourself weak, who were illustrious in my palace? And

to his office he said: And you, by what madness

are you deceived, that with Faustinus and Jovita you desire death? and his subordinates of his office being beheaded,

But they with one voice said: Hadrian, we do not

fear the death of the flesh, for we have a helper

who reigns in the heavens. When Hadrian had asked them

how they knew that God was in heaven, they answered:

Illumined by the font of baptism, we understand God,

whom before we did not know. Then Hadrian ordered that,

with their hands bound behind their back, their heads should be cut off;

but Calocerus together with Faustinus and Jovita he commanded

to be bound with iron chains, whom also after

three days he ordered to set out from the city of Brescia to Milan.

They at once set out, praising God. he is led with Saints Faustinus and Jovita to Milan, Hadrian,

coming to Milan after three days,

addressed them: Behold, you have been transferred under guard from

your city; now either be converted to the gods and do

my will, that you may be free from punishments:

sacrifice to Hercules and Saturn, and you will be noble

in the Italic realm. But Calocerus said: O tyrant,

persecutor of Christians, we do not sacrifice to the gods,

for we worship God, the Creator of heaven and earth.

[8] Hadrian answered: Quickly I shall see whether

your God can free you. Then he commanded the ministers

to bring racks before the people, and

to torture them suspended, until they should render up their souls.

As the ministers were thus torturing them, Blessed Calocerus

cried out: O Saints of God, I beseech you, suspended on the rack he asks for prayers: pray that in

these torments I may not fail, for the devil grievously tempts me.

To whom Faustinus said: Endure a little,

for behold, the Angel of the Lord will come to your aid.

And soon Calocerus answered: Pray; for I see that

with God's help I have overcome the devil, who was bringing pains

upon me; behold, I count the torments of Hadrian as nothing,

since I am strengthened by divine help. Then

Hadrian commanded the ministers to bring lamps before the Martyrs,

and to place them around their sides. Let

Calocerus feel, he said, our sentence. lamps applied to his sides,

But Calocerus cried out: Hadrian, it is not yet

the third hour; and how has darkness seized

you, that you should command lamps to be brought to you? Hadrian

said: Calocerus, it seems to me that you do not yet

feel the fire. To whom Calocerus: Truly I say

to you, that I count your torments as nothing. Then Hadrian

ordered the ministers to bring tow, pitch,

and oil, and to place them around the racks, and to put

fire beneath, so that with the racks themselves they might be burned.

There was a flame of fire around the racks, but

the Saints of God were not at all harmed by the fire; wherefore Calocerus

cried out from the fire: Hadrian, worshiper of idols, he remains unharmed.

prepare another punishment, since this has no power to harm us.

Hearing these things, Hadrian said to the ministers:

Increase the tow, pitch, and oil, that they may feel

the heat of the gods. Faustinus said: Hadrian,

you see that we stand in the midst of the flame; soon you will see

your confusion. Now there were statues of Saturn

and Hercules where Hadrian was sitting; but at the command

of the Saints themselves, the fire so burned the statues,

that soon they ran down like wax. Hadrian, seeing

these things, fled outside; whom the Blessed Martyrs

pursued and said to him: Where now are your threats,

Hadrian? The Lord our God will confound you, and

we count as nothing the punishments you bring upon us.

[9] Fastened with them in vain to the bulls, Then Hadrian said to the ministers: Bring untamed

bulls, and take these evildoers away. The ministers,

fulfilling his orders, took Faustinus, Jovita,

and Calocerus, tying them behind untamed bulls,

and leading them out into the desert, abandoned them in the

forest. The bulls stood in the forest as though tied

to a manger, and by divine order the bulls returned

to the city with the holy Martyrs. Hearing

which, Hadrian, extremely angry, ordered that the holy Martyrs

be brought into his presence; and when the bulls

followed them, they return to the Emperor, they were forbidden by the guards of the palace;

but they broke the doors of the palace, and killed all whom

they found, until they reached the Martyrs

of Christ. Hadrian marveled at the savagery

of the bulls toward others and their gentleness toward

the Martyrs, and said, Calocerus, I see that in you is

the great grace of our god Silvanus, he mocks the god Silvanus, to such a degree that

the bulls, which we had set on you as fierce lions,

have been made as lambs; come then, and sacrifice

to the great god Silvanus, for he has freed you, lest you be

killed by the bulls. To whom Calocerus replied: Whom do you call

the god Silvanus? Whose likeness boys make for themselves

from branches, and put fire to, and he nowhere

appears?

[10] When they were being urged by Hadrian to worship the

gods before being given over to the bites of wild beasts,

Calocerus answered: We do not hear, Hadrian,

your counsels; but if you have any kind of punishment prepared,

apply it, that those who have not seen may see. Then

Hadrian said to the ministers: See how great things they do through magic

art. But the people cried out: Take the magicians

from the midst of the brethren. To whom Calocerus said:

Hear us, citizens of Milan, attend to the truth,

and do not hope in the lies of Hadrian. He exhorts the Milanese to the faith of Christ And added:

Where are your threats, Hadrian? The most savage bulls or bears,

which you had sent to devour us, behold they lie meekly

in your sight. Then Calocerus exhorted the Milanese

to turn from the worship of the gods to the veneration of the

one God, who frees those hoping in him, and

punishes those who despise him with eternal damnation.

Then a voice came to Blessed Calocerus saying:

he is taught by a heavenly voice of things to come, I say to you, Calocerus, today you shall be delivered into the hand

of a Judge, that you may be led through desert places, until

you come to a city, in which many through your

preaching will be freed from the darkness of unbelief;

and there you will receive the desired crown of Martyrdom. While

these things were being done, at Hadrian's command Calocerus was led

to the palace and handed over to Antiochus the Governor.

Antiochus, receiving Calocerus, handed him over

to his men for safe-keeping; he bids farewell to Saints Faustinus and Jovita: but Calocerus, kissing Faustinus

and Jovita, begged them to pray continually

for him, that he might be able to overcome the snares of the devil.

To whom Faustinus addressing said: Brother Calocerus, go

in the name of the Lord, and prepare a habitation for us;

for a grave contest awaits you, and we also,

having run our course, will follow you, to rejoice forever

with you in the land of the living.

[11] Then Antiochus said: Calocerus, go out.

When he had been led by the ministers of Antiochus to the palace,

Hadrian said to him: Calocerus, see

that by magic art you have departed from us, though you had been appointed

leader of our palace. Then Antiochus the Governor

requested that by the Emperor's command a council chamber be prepared for him,

in which either the Martyrs of God might be overcome, or

destroyed by various tortures. he is handed over to a certain Antiochus, Then Hadrian ordered

that a council chamber be prepared for Antiochus in the capitol, that

he might hear Faustinus and Jovita. But Calocerus

he ordered to proceed to ^f the Tuscan Alps. When Antiochus

had said: that the Martyrs, if they could be converted, were necessary

to him; and that he ought to proceed with them;

Antiochus replied: But what shall be done about Calocerus,

whom you have enjoined to proceed to the Tuscan Alps? To

this Hadrian said: We shall send someone in your

place as long as you are with us. And at once

Antiochus replied: then to Sapricius: Let such things be ordained by your piety,

which most cruelly punishes despisers of your laws.

And on this account Hadrian directed a certain cruel man,

Sapricius by name, who served in the palace and was

chief of the Candidati, to take the place

of Antiochus, and gave him the command that whomsoever

Christians he should find, he should kill with the sword.

When Sapricius had entered the city of ^g Asti,

he said to Blessed Calocerus: Calocerus, sacrifice to the gods, that

you may obtain pardon. Calocerus said: I shall sacrifice

to my God and will adore in his sight. Sapricius

said: Why do you call him God, whom no one sees? at Asti, constant in the faith,

For the gods whom we worship are seen by men, and

the things that are asked of them are granted in the same hour.

Wherefore sacrifice to the gods, before torments are

applied, which have been prepared. But Calocerus

answered: You will not see me, the servant of God, grieved in

anything, but you will incur eternal sadness. unharmed by pitch, resin, Then

at Sapricius's command the ministers brought pots with pitch

and resin, and when these were poured over his head,

they bounced back upon themselves, he remaining unharmed. Again

he ordered boiling fish-sauce to be brought, and boiling fish-sauce, and commanded

it to be put in his mouth. He so delighted in the Lord

when these things were done, that with joy, lifting up his voice,

he said: How sweet in my mouth are your words,

beyond honey and the honeycomb to my mouth. Then, turning

to the people, he said: Brethren, let not Sapricius seduce you,

since the torments which he inflicts can in no way

harm me. Wherefore I exhort you, he exhorts the people of Asti to the faith:

to look upon your Creator, and be converted to

him, who created all things out of nothing; and do not adore

gods of gold, wood, and stone, in which it is manifest

there is no salvation.

[12] Hearing these words, Sapricius ordered Calocerus

to be beaten with clubs, and shut up in prison; and seized

with exceeding fury, he pronounced this sentence upon him: that

as soon as he had been brought to Albenga, he should be beheaded.

When he had gone outside the walls of the city of Asti, he is beheaded at Albenga, the Angels singing psalms:

he is said to have poured out this prayer: Lord God,

grant to me your servant, that I may see Faustinus and Jovita

in your sight. Then, having received the sentence,

he was led to Albenga, that he might receive the end of this life.

When he was being punished with capital sentence and had rested

in peace, suddenly there came a not small multitude

of Angels singing psalms. Sapricius

then transmitted to Prince Hadrian all that had been done

concerning Calocerus the Martyr of Christ. When all

these things had been read in his presence, he became

extremely joyful, so that he ordered Faustinus and Jovita

to be brought, and said to them: Why do you not give me

your assent, to sacrifice to the gods, and be made free?

To whom the Holy Martyrs, answering, said: We do not

sacrifice except to our Lord, who reigns in the heavens.

Then Hadrian gave sentence that they should be punished.

Who, answering, said: We give thanks

to our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose precious blood

we have been redeemed, and for the confession of whose name

our blood too is shed. The most blessed

Martyr Calocerus suffered ^h on the fourteenth day before

the Kalends of April, our Lord Jesus Christ reigning,

to whom be honor and glory, world without end.

NOTES.

EXCERPTS

From the Life of Saint Secundus, Martyr of Asti, published on March 30.

Calocerus of Brescia, Martyr at Albenga in Liguria (Saint)

FROM THE LIFE OF SAINT SECUNDUS

FROM A MANUSCRIPT.

[13] There was in the city of Asti a certain illustrious man, named

Secundus, Saint Secundus, instructed in the faith by Calocerus, who greatly venerated the idols.

This man had learned many things from Saint Calocerus, because

he frequently came to him in prison... And when he had found

an opportunity, he entered to Calocerus

in the prison, and thus addressed him: Calocerus, pray for

me to your God, who is in the heavens, that I may see

his glory. Calocerus said: Secundus, go, and

the Lord of heaven be with you; and as you hope, you will receive the baptism

of Christ, and come into your city, and receive

the crown of martyrdom. Then Secundus kissed

the hands of Blessed Calocerus, saying: Now have I merited to kiss

your hands. When I shall have returned, let me merit to receive

your peace. After bidding him farewell, Secundus departed... into the city

of Tortona... Then, having received conveyances, Secundus

departed with two of his servants to Milan.

Now the Angel of the Lord went to the prison and said:

Faustinus and Jovita, our Brethren and Companions,

come with me: for a wise man has come to you, to

receive the baptism of Christ; for he is very learned

from Calocerus.

[14] Faustinus and Jovita said: We give you thanks,

O Lord, because you have visited us, and have sent to us

the salvation of your servant Calocerus. Then they rose up with

the Angel to the place where Secundus was... and behold, suddenly

there appeared as it were a pillar of cloud, sending forth water.

Then the Angel of the Lord said: baptized by Saint Faustinus, Behold the water,

Faustinus, which you desired. Seeing, therefore, Faustinus

that God's command was present, because Secundus

had come, took hold of Secundus, and placed him

under the flowing water, saying: In the name of the Father and

of the Son and of the Holy Spirit I baptize you. And lifting him from

the font, he receives the Eucharist, also to be carried to Saints Marcian and Calocerus. he sealed him. Then he gave him the Body and

Blood of the Lord, saying: Go, endure, and receive

the palm of justice in your city. And giving him peace,

they said: May we hear a good account of the completion

of your faith. And they again gave him peace, saying:

Carry the Body mingled in the Blood of the Lord

to our brethren, Calocerus and Marcian,

and let them know that you have been renewed through the font of the Lord...

And the Angel of the Lord led Blessed Secundus through

the whole night, until he came to the city

of Tortona; then the Angel led him to the place

where Blessed Marcian was in custody. When they had entered

the prison, they greeted Blessed Marcian,

saying: Rejoice and be glad, wise man and worshiper of God. Secundus

said: Behold what the Lord has sent to you,

from Faustinus and Jovita. Receiving the

Body and Blood of the Lord, Marcian took them to himself

saying: May the Body and Blood of the Lord preserve my

soul unto eternal life. Amen. And he kissed

him, saying: You shall carry my peace to brother Calocerus;

and rejoicing together they sang psalms with the Angel until

daylight.

[15] Then Sapricius, seeing that Blessed Secundus

confidently invoked the Lord, after various torments shut in prison at Tortona, ordered him to be beaten with

clubs; and as Secundus was beaten, thus he cried out:

Sapricius, why do you suffer such madness against the servants

of God? There is nothing that you do to me; nor do I feel anything

in my body, for the Lord is my helper.

But the ministers beating him were exhausted; the holy

Martyr felt nothing. Then Sapricius said

to the ministers: Take him, and shut him up until

morning, that in this my soul may be satisfied. The ministers took

Blessed Secundus, and put him in custody.

When he had come there, there appeared in the prison a splendid bright

light. from an Angel he is led to Asti to Saint Calocerus, And behold, the Angel of the Lord came to

him, saying: Arise, Secundus, and gird up your loins,

and come, I will lead you to your Creator. Then Blessed

Secundus said: To the Most High God I give thanks. When

he had gone out with the Angel from the prison, the Angel took

him with him and placed him in the custody where Blessed

Calocerus was, and the Savior with him. Seeing him,

Blessed Secundus threw himself on the ground and adored, saying:

Lord, free my soul from this world, that the enemy

may not have power over me. Then the Savior said:

Do not fear, Secundus, for I am the Lord

your God, who will snatch you from the hand of Sapricius, and will make

it that you shall receive the crown with Calocerus. Then he blessed

them and ascended into heaven. And Secundus was

rejoicing with Calocerus in the prison.

[16] When Sapricius had come into the city of Asti,

he ordered a council chamber to be prepared for him, and Blessed Calocerus

to be brought. When the ministers had come to the stronghold to

bring Calocerus, they found with him Saint Secundus.

Who with great haste reported to Sapricius,

saying that Secundus was in prison with

Calocerus. Hearing this, Sapricius ordered both to be brought.

When they stood before Sapricius, Sapricius

said: Secundus and Calocerus, our gods truly know that you are

their despisers; therefore they do not allow you to die

singly; now either sacrifice or certainly you shall die together.

Secundus said: I am the servant of my Lord

Jesus Christ, who grants this to me, that I may not fear the death

of this world. For I say to you with certainty,

Sapricius, that you can have no power over our heart.

Sapricius said: Sacrifice, that you may obtain pardon.

Calocerus said: Both constant in the faith, they spurn the worship of the gods: We sacrifice

to our God, and everywhere we adore his holy name,

for sweet is his praise. Sapricius said: You call

him God whom no one has seen; for these are gods whom

we worship, and they are seen at every hour; and whatever

is asked of them is granted that very hour. Secundus said:

What foolishness I see in you, Sapricius, that

you equate God with your gods of stone and wood, which

grow old and fall to the ground, and are changed. For

surely a poor man, when he sees his god rotted,

makes a fire from it, and afterwards thinks

to make it anew. But we adore our Lord

Jesus Christ, who is from the beginning the true God,

and shall be without end.

[17] Hearing these things, Sapricius commanded the ministers

to melt pitch and pour resin over them. Sapricius

said to the holy Martyrs: by boiling pitch and resin, Calocerus and Secundus,

before the prepared torments are applied to you,

consent to me and sacrifice, and you shall be free from punishment.

Calocerus said: You shall not see us

grieved in anything. But you, get back: for you shall not

prevail to harm the servants of God. Sapricius said: Bring them,

that they may see the torments prepared for them. The ministers brought

pots with pitch and resin. Then Sapricius ordered

them to be poured over their heads. they are not harmed: When the ministers poured them,

they bounced off, and did not at all touch the Saints of God.

Again he had boiling fish-sauce brought, and

commanded it to be put in their mouth. When the ministers poured it,

they were delighted and rejoiced with great joy,

saying: How sweet in our mouths are your words,

O Lord. Then Calocerus said to the people standing round:

Brethren, see that Sapricius does not seduce you

through the pains he inflicts upon us; for we do not at all

feel his torments; but look upon your Creator,

and be converted to him, and adore him,

who is in the heavens, who made you; and do not

adore gods of stone and wood, in which there is

no salvation. Hearing this, Sapricius, Saint Calocerus is torn away from Saint Secundus, ordered Saint Calocerus

to be beaten with clubs, and shut up in prison; but Blessed

Secundus he ordered to undergo capital sentence.

Secundus took hold of Calocerus and kissed

him, in the presence of Sapricius and the people. to be killed at Albenga, Seeing

which, Sapricius, moved with fury, gave sentence

against Calocerus, that he should soon at Albenga receive

the end of death. Then they went outside the walls of the city, and lifting up

their eyes to heaven, said: Lord, do with

your servants mercy, and grant that before your sight

we may see Faustinus and Jovita,

and also our brother Marcian. And they bade each other

farewell.