On the holy Martyrs PARMENIUS, HELYMAS AND CHRYSOTELUS, PRIESTS; LUCAS OR LUCIUS AND MUCIUS, DEACONS; ALSO PRIMULUS AND TUDIANUS, at Cordula in Persia.
IN THE YEAR 251.
CommentaryParmenius, Priest, Martyr, at Cordula in Persia (Saint)
Helimas, Priest, Martyr, at Cordula in Persia (Saint)
Chrysotebus, Priest, Martyr, at Cordula in Persia (Saint)
Lucas, Deacon, Martyr, at Cordula in Persia (Saint)
Mucius, Deacon, Martyr, at Cordula in Persia (Saint)
Primulus, Deacon, Martyr, at Cordula in Persia (Saint)
Tudianus, Martyr, at Cordula in Persia (Saint)
BY G. H.
[1] A very ancient apograph of the Hieronymian Martyrology, the Epternach, written nearly a thousand years ago, hands down the memory of all these martyrs in these words: "At Rome, of Gaius the Bishop. And in the city of Cordua, of Parmenius, Elimas, and Chrysolus, Priests, and of the Deacons Lucas and Mucus: of Primulus, Turdianus." In three other apographs of the same Hieronymian Martyrology, Memory in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, omitting most of it, this is reported: "At Rome in the cemetery of Calestinus, or Callistus, on the Appian Way, the deposition of Saint Gagus the Pope, or Gaius the Bishop, Primolus, Turdianus or Tierdianus." From this also the memory of the last martyrs, without mention of the other Priests and Deacons, is celebrated in the MSS. of Augsburg (St. Udalric) and the Parisian of Labbé; and of Primolus alone in the MSS. of Reichenau and of Aachen. But because Saints Primolus and Turdianus are nowhere joined with Saint Caius the Pontiff, we think that, following the most ancient Epternach MS., they should be left in the society of the aforesaid Priests and Deacons with those set before them, though neither in the Acts shortly to be brought forward, nor in other Martyrologies, are they found joined with them, until a more certain light may shine from elsewhere.
[2] The genuine Martyrology of Bede, published by us before the second volume of March, reports this about the five saints: "On the same day in the city of Cordula, the birthday of Parmenius, of Venerable Bede, Helymas, and Chrysotelus Priests, and Lucas and Mucius Deacons, of whom the first spoke even after his tongue had been cut off. All were hung on the rack and constrained by bonds, then, with burning plates placed around their sides, they were scorched and torn with claws: in the end they were beheaded with the sword in the presence of the persecutor Decius. Written in the passion of Saint Lawrence." Thus in the said Martyrology, more accurately recognized. Similar things are reported in the Martyrologies of Usuard, and of others. Ado, Rabanus, Notker, and other more recent ones. Likewise in very many MSS., and with them in the modern Roman Martyrology, but more briefly. In some, for "Elyma" is read "Helima" and "Helimena," and for "Luca" "Lucius." That these Martyrs were at Babylon, under Bishop Polychronius, as Priests and Deacons, the Acts of the Passion of Saint Lawrence indicate: from which, as we gave on February 17, The deeds of these men excerpted from the Acts of Saint Lawrence, the day on which Saint Polychronius is venerated, what pertained to the Bishop himself; so now we excerpt those things which indicate the deeds of these Martyrs, and they are as follows.
[3] "In those days, when a tempest arose under Decius Caesar, many of the Christians in the city of Rome were put to death. With Galba presiding in the city of Rome, by Decius who conquered the Persians, Decius went to the Persians, when the war of the Persians was pressing. Coming into the city which was called Ponticus, he sat there: the war, however, was being waged. Decius ascended the mountain of the Medes, and, a conflict of battle being joined, with the Roman army he made the victory, and slew a multitude of Persians, and obtained these cities, Babylon, Bactriana, Hyrcania, Cordulim above Cordua, Assyria: where also he found many Christians, whom he killed with tortures and afflictions. At the same time he found in the city of Babylon a Bishop by name Polychronius, with the Priests Parmenius, Elymas, and Chrysotelus; and the deacons Lucas and Mucius. Whom when he had seized, he ordered them to be led to sacrifice to the idols… Then he ordered Polychronius the Bishop, seized at Babylon with Saint Polychronius the Bishop, with his two Deacons and Priests, to be brought before him, whom he thus interrogates, saying: 'Are you that sacrilegious Polychronius, who keeps neither the commandments of the gods nor of the Princes?' But Polychronius answered him not a word. Therefore Decius said to his clergy, 'Your chief has grown dumb.' for whom, while he is silent, Saint Parmenius responds, Parmenius the Priest answered, saying, 'Our Father has not grown dumb, but uses the precept of our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Creator, that his holy mouth may not be polluted, which has been purified by our Creator; because thus our Lord commanded his Apostles: "Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them with their feet, and turning tear you." Matt. 7:6 Does it seem right to you, that what is once purified should be fouled with dung?' Decius said: 'So then we are dung.' And angrily he ordered that his tongue be cut off. But when the tongue of Parmenius had been cut out, he began to cry out, saying, 'Blessed Father Polychronius, pray for me, because I see in you the Holy Spirit reigning, and with his tongue cut out he implores his patronage. and sealing your holy mouth, and distilling to me a honeycomb of honey in my mouth: and Polychronius was killed at Babylon.'
[4] "Then Decius marched into the city of Cordula, and ordered the Priests and Deacons, bound, to be brought with him. And as they were being led, the chains fell from their necks and hands. These martyrs are taken away to Cordula. But when Decius came into the city of Cordula, in a fury he ordered the Priests and Deacons to be brought before him. Who, when they had been presented, he thus attacks them, saying: 'And you fools desire to perish? Behold, I admonish you: sacrifice to the immortal gods.' Answering, the Priest Parmenius began to cry out with his voice and say: 'O wretch! Do you compel us to be humbled to this handmade thing? Unhappy one, you ought to desire to be humbled to Christ the Creator of all things, not to the handmade gods. For you shall perish, and your gods with you, they are hung on the rack, whom you unjustly worship.' Then Decius ordered all to be hung on the rack. Who, when they were being drawn by the sinews, all began to give thanks to God and to say to Parmenius the Priest: 'Give a prayer over us.' Parmenius the Priest answered: 'May God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, give us the consolation of the Holy Spirit, who reigns forever and ever.' And all answered with a clear voice, 'Amen.' Then angry, Decius said: 'This argument, that a man without a tongue speaks, is known to be a magical art.' Parmenius answered, saying: 'Our Lord Jesus Christ, who made the dumb to speak, he himself has given to me a sinner to speak without a tongue. For you, while you speak, grow dumb.'
[5] they are burned with glowing plates, and torn with claws: "At that same hour Decius ordered them to be burned with fires. Who, as they were being burned, a voice was heard from heaven: 'Come to me all you humble of heart.' Decius said: 'Truly this is a magical art.' And he ordered burning plates to be placed around their sides, and that they be torn with claws. At the same hour Decius ordered them to be taken down from the rack, and commanded that they be beheaded. When they had been beheaded, they threw their bodies onto the public road, such that they were guarded, so that no one might bury them. Then, when they heard, the sub-kings, religious men, Abdon and Sennes, beheaded, they are buried by Sts. Abdon and Sennes. came by night, and collected the bodies of the holy Priests, Parmenius, Elymas, and Chrysotelus, and of the Deacons Lucas and Mucius, and buried them in their own estate, next to the city of Cordula, on the tenth day before the Kalends of May."
[6] So far the Acts of the Passion of these Martyrs: after which was appended the captivity of Saints Abdon and Sennes, then of Olympiades and Maximus; of whom the latter also were crowned at Cordula, site of the city of Cordula. of whom we treated on April 15. But Abdon and Sennes, taken to Rome, were killed there on July 30. The city Cordula in the MS. Codex of Saint Jerome is written "Cordua," in others also "Corduba," and does not seem to have been far distant from Babylon, from which city Decius marched to Cordula: about which and the time of the martyrdom we treated on February 17 in the Life of Saint Polychronius, and on April 15 in the Life of Saints Olympiades and Maximus.
Annotation* above Cordua.