ON SAINT LOLION THE YOUNGER,
MARTYR AMONG THE GREEKS.
CommentaryLolion the Younger, Martyr among the Greeks (Saint)
G. H.
Two Martyrs of this name are celebrated among the Greeks, one of whom may be reckoned Lolion the Elder, who died overwhelmed and bruised by blows on the 20th of March, as was there said. Of the other, in the Menaia and in Maximus, Bishop of Cythera, this is read at this April 27: "Τῇ ἀυτῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος Λολίωνος τοῦ νέου, ὃς κατὰ γῆς συρόμενος τελειοῦται." "On the same day, of the holy Martyr Lolion the Younger, who, dragged along the ground, expired." And in the Menaia this distich is added:
"Κονίεται τὸ σῶμα Μάρτυς Λολίων Κόνει φυρᾶσθαι τὴν ἀπ᾽ ἀυτοῦ δοὺς κόνιν."
"Lolion, himself offering dust to mingle with dust, Clothes his body with a white coating."
There is a play on the word κονίεω, "to whiten or plaster," which pertains to molding, and is derived from the word κόνις, indifferently meaning "dust" and "lime." His memory is in the Dijon Greek manuscript of Pierre François Chifflet. Of him and at the same time of Publion or Publius, whom we have referred to April 25, Galesinius makes mention in these words: "In Greece, of the holy Martyrs Publion and Lolion. This one in the storm of persecutions was foully dragged; the other, struck with the sword, is crowned with martyrdom." So Galesinius, who generally ascribes all to Greece, even if they suffered in Italy or Asia, provided they are reported in the sacred lists of the Greeks. Moreover, at what time or place he obtained the palm of martyrdom is nowhere expressed. The title "the Younger," by which he is here distinguished from the Elder, makes it probable that the elder suffered under the pagan Emperors, the other under heretics and perhaps iconoclasts, under whom many, especially monks, perished being dragged. Lest, however, we be deceived by establishing this on conjecture alone, we have preferred to report him here, after the other ancient Martyrs.