ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA,
ALEXANDRA THE EMPRESS WIFE OF DIOCLETIAN, APOLLO, ISAACIUS, AND CODRATUS.
AD 302
CommentaryAlexandra, Augusta, Martyr, Wife of the Emperor Diocletian (Saint)
Apollo her servant, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Isacius her servant, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Crotates her servant, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
BY G. H.
[1] Among the wondrous works of God, this seems worthy of note: that in the palaces of many emperors—men of most wicked and dissolute life—there were very many most illustrious courtiers, men of the greatest sanctity, who confirmed the Christian and sincerely Catholic faith even by the shedding of their blood. Indeed, it may be counted still more wondrous that many such emperors had, not only daughters or betrothed, but consorts of their own bed and their own wives, who above all the delights of such a royal household loved Christ and His orthodox faith (of whom we bring forward several in this our work); as though divine justice took pleasure in this kind of vengeance, Two of Diocletian's wives were Saints, and repaid them with sorrow in the part where it would be more keenly felt along with ignominy. Now Diocletian, most impure of all, was worthy of this punishment above the rest, who commanded very many most chaste virgins consecrated to God to be led to the most criminal brothels and exposed to the lust of the most shameful pimps, so that he who strove to defile the brides of Christ should, on more than one occasion, be made to groan at finding himself widowed, being despised by his own wives for Christ's sake. These were Serena and Alexandra, Serena and Alexandra. of whom the former, who died around the year 296, is venerated on August 15; the latter in the year 303 flew gloriously to heaven. The Greeks celebrate her sacred memory on this day, April 21, and offer her such an encomium in the very ancient Menologion of Basil Porphyrogenitus the Emperor, composed in the tenth century of Christ, seven hundred years ago; in which these things are read.
[2] Her encomium from the Menologion of the Emperor Basil. On the twenty-first day of the month of April, the contest of the holy Martyr Alexandra the Empress. Alexandra, martyr of Christ, was the wife of the Emperor Diocletian: who, when she saw Saint George tortured, struck cruelly with a spear in the belly yet in no way injured by these things; then bound to a penal wheel made of sharp irons, and loosed from his bonds by help sent from above; his body moreover greatly cut to pieces, and again restored whole; and standing fearlessly before the Emperor, who was then sacrificing to idols, and by so marvelous a spectacle calling many to the faith of Christ; of whom some were beheaded outside the city, while others were thrust into prisons—when, I say, she had seen these things, despising the glory of empire, she too embraced the faith of Christ, and confessed herself a Christian before the Emperor. By command of Diocletian she was therefore cast into prison. But after this, an edict having been promulgated that both George and Alexandra should be put to death by beheading, when this had come to her notice, Ms. Synaxarion and Menaia. as she was then pouring out prayers to God in prison, she gave up her soul. Thus in the said Menologion of Basil: the same things are read in a very ancient Ms. Synaxarion belonging to the Collège de Clermont of the Society of Jesus at Paris, with a few words added merely for the sake of explanation. The same things are found in the great Menaia and in Maximus, Bishop of Cythera, concerning her noble virtue. why her name is unknown to other writers:
[3] There is no reason for anyone to doubt their truth, on the ground that nothing is read concerning such a wife of Diocletian in profane authors. For besides that those writers were very negligent in naming the wives even of the most illustrious emperors, in Diocletian's case there are two special reasons why those women we have mentioned are less known. The first concerns generally his whole history, namely the decree of the Senate by which his Acts were abolished; the second pertains properly to his wives, namely the hatred of himself and his ministers against every Christian name; into which when his wives passed over, every effort was made that no public memory of them should remain either in statues or in coins. Meanwhile, just as it is most certain that he had a daughter Galeria Valeria, born of legitimate marriage, betrothed to Galerius Maximian: so it is likely that her mother was the aforementioned Serena, concerning whom the most sincere and accurate Acts of Saint Susanna, who was Diocletian's niece, give indubitable testimony that she was Diocletian's wife. With Serena removed from their midst, it was fitting that another wife be taken, who was Alexandra, undoubtedly judged worthy of the title of Augusta through the prerogatives of great birth and rare beauty. praise by Saint Andrew of Crete. But what chiefly made her memorable to us was the crown of martyrdom, which, although she did not actually receive the sword, Saint Andrew of Crete nevertheless unhesitatingly attributes to her in his Encomium of Saint George, saying: "I pass over each of those whom Christ's soldier drew to the same kind of contest, among whom also Queen Alexandra displayed in herself the virtue of Moses, when she judged the reproach of Christ to be better and more excellent than the royal treasures: who with ready soul, as far as her intention went, took upon herself for Christ's cause the death that was to be inflicted by the sword, and exchanged the heavenly and eternal kingdom for the transient and earthly." Encomium of her three servants and Martyrs:
[4] Moved by so illustrious an example, the servants of this same Alexandra bore martyrdom with equal constancy. The Greek Menaia and from them Maximus of Cythera thus attest to their noble virtue.
[5] Now Apollo and Isaacius and Codratus, formerly ministers of the Empress Alexandra, when they saw their Lady, despising a mortal and perishable empire, embrace the faith of Christ and for this same faith undergo death; they too received the faith of Christ, and freely professing the same before the Emperor, rebuked his impiety, calling him savage and inhuman, because he had not pitied his own wife and the consort of his bed. Therefore the Emperor, stirred to anger over this, commanded them to be cast into prison. This done, throughout the whole night he deliberated by what kind of death he should destroy them. When morning came, he had them led forth from the prison, and ordered Codratus to be beheaded; but Apollo and Isaacius to be led back into prison: likewise from the Menologion of Sirletus. in which, worn out by hunger, after a few days they yielded their souls to the Lord. So far the Menaia: in which the following title is appended: On the same day, April 21, of the holy Martyrs Apollo, Isaacius, and Codratus, who ended their life by hunger and the sword. And these things had not yet been published in Latin. Sirletus in his Menologion translated these things as follows: On the same day, April 21, of the holy Martyr Alexandra the Queen, wife of Diocletian, and the Roman Martyrology. who was struck with the axe on account of her confession of faith in Christ. Rather, being only adjudged to be beheaded, she rendered her soul to God in prison amid prayers. In the same Menologion, with various things interposed concerning others not belonging to the household of Saint Alexandra, these things are reported: The contest of the holy Martyrs Apollo, Isacius, and Codratus, consummated by hunger and the sword, under the Emperor Diocletian, under whom they had served as soldiers. These things are in the Menologion of Sirletus: from whom cited, these things are read in today's Roman Martyrology: Likewise of Saints Apollo, These three did not suffer in Isauria, Isacius, and Crotates, who suffered under Diocletian.
[5] Furthermore, because in the Menologion of Sirletus they are not joined with Saint Alexandra, nor is any place expressed, Baronius joined them to various Martyrs in his Annals: and first at the year 105, number 16, he writes thus: Isauria is illustrated by the martyrdom of Tatio, whom both the Greeks and the Latins celebrate, likewise Azas and his companions, one hundred and fifty soldiers: also Cleonicus, Eutropius, and Basiliscus, who were crowned contending for the name of Christ under the Governor Asclepiades: with whom are to be joined Apollo, Isacius, Crotates. Of the aforesaid Martyrs, Tatio is venerated on August 24, Azas with his companions on November 19. But concerning Cleonicus, Eutropius, and Basiliscus, we treated on March 3, without any mention of the three Martyrs of whom we are here treating. Again Baronius, at the year 310 number 23, reports from Eusebius that Saint Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, and others suffered at Alexandria, neither in Egypt, and adds Apollo, Isacius, and Crotates: concerning whom no mention is made in Eusebius. nor in Spain Lest meanwhile these Saints should appear as abandoned orphans, the fabricators of the Pseudo-Chronicon of Dexter took them up, in which at the year 300 they fable thus: "At Alba near Acci, in Baetican Spain, the holy Martyrs of Christ Apollo, Isacius, Crotatonque their glorious companion." And the elucidators of Dexter, Bivarius and Rodericus Carus, subscribe that these are the ones reported in the Roman Martyrology and the Menologion of Sirletus: indeed Tamajo-Salazar adduces some Acts of these Martyrs from a Ms. Asturian Legendarium, but one which appears to have been composed in this century. We therefore say they suffered at Nicomedia in Bithynia, but in Bithynia. where Diocletian then was. Consult the Acts of Saint George and of the other Martyrs on April 23; indeed, various others who then suffered are reported on April 20 and 24.