ON SAINTS PATRICIUS THE BISHOP, AND ACACIUS, MENANDER, AND POLYAENUS, PRESBYTERS,
MARTYRS AT PRUSA IN BITHYNIA.
PrefacePatricius, Bishop, Martyr at Prusa in Bithynia (Saint) Acacius, Presbyter, Martyr at Prusa in Bithynia (Saint) Menander, Presbyter, Martyr at Prusa in Bithynia (Saint) Polyaenus, Presbyter, Martyr at Prusa in Bithynia (Saint)
By D. P.
The fasts of the Saints have Saint Patricius the Martyr and Bishop of Prusa in Bithynia inscribed on a double day: for in the Menaia, the Greek Menology, the Martyrology of Galesinius, Canisius, and the Roman, he is referred to April 28; Double mention in the Martyrologies on this day in the same, except the Martyrology of Canisius and the Roman, he is repeated with Acacius, Menander, and Polyaenus, companions of the palm, on May 19, And May 19 where this encomium of theirs is placed: "Our holy Father Patricius was Bishop of the city of Prusa; and when he was teaching the faith of Christ to those who came to him, having been seized by the worshippers of idols, Epitome from the Menology of Emperor Basil he was brought to the Governor of Bithynia; and being interrogated with the utmost confidence of soul, he professed Christ. When the Governor asserted that the gods should be worshipped, namely Jupiter, Apollo, Bacchus, and the rest, by whose providence hot waters burst forth for the benefit of men, the holy man replied that hot waters burst forth by the power of Christ, not of idols, which are lifeless wood and senseless stones. Cast then into the very hot baths vehemently boiling, he came out unharmed, with all the attendants burned by the fire. And having been subjected first to many torments, afterwards, his head being cut off by the sword, he received the crown of martyrdom, together with Acacius, Menander, and Polyaenus, his disciples." The Clermont Synaxarium calls them Presbyters, and adds: "Their synaxis is celebrated in the church of our most holy Lady which is at Cyrus, that is, in the home or palace founded at that time by Patricius himself, then Prefect of the City," as George Codinus is author in the Origins of Constantinople, n. 113 of the Louvre edition: who indeed Cyrus, as he himself adds, was so beloved by the people that when once they cried out that he should be promoted to a greater dignity, Theodosius the Younger took care to have him created Metropolitan of Smyrna. The Acts of Saint Patricius, making no mention of the companions, we found and transcribed in the Medicean Library of San Lorenzo at Florence, whence we give them here in Latin.
ACTS
From the Greek MS. of the Florentine Library. Translated by Fr. John Ravesteyn, S.J.
FROM THE GREEK MS.
[1] Julius the Proconsul, who was administering the province in those times, raging with the frenzy of idolatry, having entered the baths, performed the sacrifices to Asclepius and Salus; and, refreshed, coming out, had ordered a tribunal to be set up and Saint Patricius to be brought before him. To the Governor ascribing the virtue of the baths to his gods He said: "See how great is the power of our gods, you who, clinging to vain fables, madly invoke Christ. See how freely our gods are salutary to us by the granted power of the baths, which is the virtue of Father Asclepius above all, what grace; and if you wish to escape tortures and chains, if you wish to lead a tranquil life in your homeland, adore him with suppliant prayer." But Patricius said: "Into how many evils, Proconsul, have you loosed your tongue in a very brief speech?" And the Proconsul: "Into what evils, wretch, do I loose my tongue, that you thus accuse me? You must confess certainly that there is no pretense in what we see with our eyes." But Patricius said: "Most illustrious Proconsul, as regards the origin and sources of these baths, I will teach you, if you will patiently hear me." To whom the Proconsul: "Although I expect here nothing from you but a specious fable, go ahead, Patricius contradicts tell it nonetheless, that I may hear what you will bring forth." "I shall bring forth no fable," said Patricius. And the Proconsul: "What other disquisition then on the origin of the baths?"
[2] "I am a Christian," said Patricius; "and whoever, having professed these sacred things, adores the true and unique Divinity of the universe, has a mind imbued with the understanding of divine matters and such mysteries: wherefore I also, who, though a sinner, yet profess myself a servant of Christ, know how to explain the truth concerning these things." "But who," said the Proconsul, "is so confident and And promising to tell truer things about their origin rash as to wish to seem wise above the Philosophers?" "The wisdom of this world," said Patricius, "is foolishness before God; for it is written: 'Apprehending the wise in their craftiness.' And again Christ, giving thanks to his Father, says: 'I thank you, Father, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to little ones; even so, Father, for so it was well-pleasing before you.' 1 Cor. 3:19; Matt. 11:25 And again the Apostle: 'They did not know the truth; for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.'" 1 Cor. 2 Then the Proconsul said: "You speak great but perplexed things: yet come, explain, by what author these baths well up, and by whose virtue this boiling water bubbles up so. I indeed attribute it to the providence of the Gods, desiring to consult the health of men with such a gift."
[3] He explains how the Creator of the universe To which Patricius: "Before I begin to speak, Proconsul, order these fences to be removed, that I may be heard by all." And with the Proconsul ordering them removed, and the place being filled with a crowd of men, raising his voice in these words, he thus began: "Fire and water the same one, who is the author of the human race, created out of nothing through his only-begotten Son, the omnipotent and eternal God. And from fire by his word he formed light and the sun and the other luminaries, ordering them to give light partly to night, partly to day; for his power of effecting extended to where his faculty of willing. But from the waters he compacted the firmament of heaven, and solidified the earth above them, and effected in them by his provident and prescient power all those things which he knew that man, soon to be formed by him, could not lack.
[4] Made heaven for the pious, hell for the wicked "Foreknowing, however, that men would offend him, their creator and Lord, and, having cast off the true Divinity, would pay worship to feigned idols, he prepared besides these two abodes: one of which, making it bright with eternal light, he filled with all, and those the most exquisite goods; the other, with perpetual darkness and the fire of never-ending castigation, as with an eternal punishment: so that those who should please him and be obedient to his word, after their return to life, obtaining the seat of the good, might dwell in perpetual light; but those who, by the license of their living, should have merited his wrath, might be cast down into darkness to all punishment and eternal torments. And separating fire from water and light from darkness, he distinguished them by their abodes, as he had created each.
[5] And underground receptacles of waters and fires "There is also both above the firmament of heaven and beneath the earth fire and water; and the water which is above the earth, gathered together into one, received the name of seas; but that which is below, the name of abysses; from which, for the use of the human race, are sent forth into the earth like siphons, and well up. From these also thermae exist, of which those which are farther from the fire flow cooler, by the provident mind of good God toward us; but those which are nearer, flow quite boiling. In some places also tepid waters are found, as they are separated by a greater interval from the fire. But the subterranean fire is destined to torture the souls of the impious; and the water lowest of all and most icy, hardening into ice, is called Tartarus; in which never-ending punishment is exacted from your gods and their worshippers. As also one of your poets sang, saying: 'The ends of earth and sea are nothing but their outer limits, in which sitting Iapetus and Saturn'—for these are the names of your gods—'are refreshed neither by the splendor of the clear sun nor by the winds; but Tartarus is as much lower than the others as heaven is raised above.' Persuade yourself that these things are so even from the fire which boils up in Sicily."
[6] At this the Proconsul said: "So Christ is the author of these, and not the gods?" "Christ," said Patricius: "for it is written: 'Because all things were made by him.' And: 'The gods of the gentiles are devils, but the Lord made the heavens.'" John 1:3 The Proconsul again: "Do you say that Christ made the heavens?" "I do say so," said Patricius, "according to that which is written: 'For I will behold the heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have founded.' Ps. 95:5" To which the Proconsul said: "Where then, when I order you to be cast headlong into these baths, because, having spurned the gods, you make Christ the author of them, To him threatening death in the baths he offers himself ready he will by no means let you be burned." Ps. 8:4 "The gods indeed, not existing," said Patricius, "I do not despise, since no one is accustomed to blame what does not exist; but know that with Christ (for he can when he wills) is the power of saving me, and likewise the power, when he shall wish, of loosing this bond by which I am bound to this mortal life, through these baths. Know that whatever concerns and awaits me is known and explored by him; indeed, that he is so present in all things that without his will and decree not even one hair from anyone's head falls, nor does a bird entangle itself in a snare. And may all be persuaded that what I say is an oracle of truth itself; and those who adore stones with you, I have delivered, bound to perpetual Tartarus, to eternal punishment in it."
[7] Julius, having heard these things, being moved beyond what can be said,
ordered him to be stripped of his clothing and cast into the boiling waters. And as he was being cast in, he prayed: "Lord Jesus Christ, And thence being led out safe he is beheaded be present to me your servant." And drops escaping from the baths by inevitable destruction were scorching the soldiers standing around. But Saint Patricius himself, entering the bath as if into a refreshing place, having long lain in it unharmed, was ordered by the angry Proconsul to be led out by the soldiers and struck with the axe. Wherefore, with hands stretched to heaven, "God, King of all," he prayed, "O Lord, who by your own power hold together the visible and invisible creation together, hearer of those who invoke you in truth; who have established these baths for the salvation of the just but for the punishment of the wicked; stand by me going forth to meet death in the confession of your faith." When he had finished these words, with his knees placed on the ground, he was beheaded; and the Christians who were present, having attended to the burial of the holy Martyr, laid his remains in a public road. Saint Patricius was struck on the 19th day of the month of May, through the grace of Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.