ON ST. IA AND HER COMPANION MARTYRS
IN PERSIA.
In about the Year 360.
Their cult from the Roman Martyrology and the Greek calendars; the time of their martyrdom; their Acts.
Ia, Martyr, in Persia (St.)
Her Companions, Martyrs, in Persia
BY THE AUTHOR J. P.
[1] The Roman Martyrology commemorates them thus on the present day: In Persia, of the holy martyrs Ia and her Companions, Their public cult, who with nine thousand Christian captives under king Sapor, afflicted with various punishments, underwent martyrdom. The Menology had gone before, edited by Canisius from the translation of Cardinal Sirleto, which writes thus: The birthday of the blessed martyr Ia and her Companions. She, under Sapor king of the Persians, a woman of advanced age, being seized with nine thousand Christian captives, they were handed over by the chiefs of the magi to various torments and bitter torture: with whom blessed Ia also, bravely and constantly persevering, was struck with the sword and crowned with martyrdom. The great printed Menæa agree, two little verses being premised, which I thus translate:
"The martyr Ia breathed forth the fragrance of violets, from her red-dyed blood exhaling its vapor."
Sweetly reddening violets' fragrant odors Ia breathes forth, as she pours out her blood.
[2] The poet alludes to the proper name of the Martyr, Ia, her church at Constantinople: and the common noun "ion," which signifies a violet, and a flower. Moreover this Martyr is also marked by our transcripts from the Manuscript Menæa of the Ambrosian library, and by the supplement which we have to the printed Menæa, from the Manuscript Synaxary of Sirmond and the Manuscript of Chifflet, in both places with a eulogy: the one indeed which exists in the said copies of the Ambrosian library coincides almost word for word with that which is had in the printed Menæa; but in the Sirmond-Chifflet copy which I was citing, our Papebroch noted that there is applied to our Martyr the eulogy which in the printed ones is applied to the Martyr Eudocia. For the rest, the emperor Justinian restored at Constantinople an ancient and nearly collapsed church under the name of St. Ia, as Procopius attests, book 1, chapter 9, page 22 of the royal Paris edition: To the left, he says, of the entrance of the Golden Gate, when he had seen the Martyrium of St. Ia fallen down, he applied all munificence to repairing it. And these things indeed concerning the Martyr's cult:
concerning which I add that her martyrdom is attached to the day V of August in the Greek Acts of the Vatican library, which we give; but in the Manuscript of the Imperial library, with which they were collated, to this day IV. But there is no reason why so slight a discrepancy should detain us.
[3] In the fourth century of Christ there raged a dire persecution against the worshipers of Christ under Sapor king of the Persians, the year of her martyrdom, with countless victims slain by his cruelty and impiety for the orthodox faith; concerning whom treatment has been made by us in various places, namely volume 1 of February, page 466; volume III of the same month, page 175; volume 1 of April, page 538; and in the same volume, page 821, there stand the holy martyrs Desa the bishop, Mariabus the priest, Abdiesus, etc., crowned with martyrdom after the year 355, as is there noted; whom I here name expressly, because their memory, with a brief epitome of certain of their deeds, has been inserted into the Acts of St. Ia. Other Martyrs in Persia occur in volume II of April, page 844; volume III, page 19; volume III of May, page 574. The year in which this our Saint obtained the palm of martyrdom was, according to the aforesaid Acts, about the three hundred and sixtieth of the common era, or, from the Manuscript of the Imperial library, about the sixty-third. For the Acts thus begin: "In the fiftieth year of the reign of Sabor." In the fiftieth year of Sapor's reign: but that manuscript of which I was speaking adds "third." Then some things are subjoined in the Acts concerning St. Dossa the bishop; after whose contest there follows the narrative of the martyrdom of St. Ia.
[4] That that persecution under Sapor began in the year 343, the time of the persecution: Pagi judges in his Critique of Baronius, following our Henschen in volume II of April, at the day XXI, page 844, on the occasion of St. Simeon, of whom below, and his companion Persian Martyrs; and that Sapor reigned as many years as he lived, namely seventy, dying about the year 380; as may be seen in the same Pagi at the said years. But Joseph Simon Assemani, a most distinguished man, in the Clementine-Vatican Oriental Library, volume 1, chapter 12, treating of St. Marutha, bishop of Tagrit, and at number XIV in the same place concerning his writings, page 183, argues from his own words that the History of the Martyrs crowned under Sapor was composed by the said Marutha; and presently he affirms that Marutha flourished toward the end of the first Persian persecution, on the testimony of Photius, Mari, and Amru, whom he cites: and he lays down that this persecution under Sapor began in the year of Christ 330, according to what he had premised in his account of St. Simeon Barsabae, bishop of Seleucia and Ctesiphon and martyr, in chapter 1 of the volume just cited; where at number 8 he rejects the opinion of Henschen and Pagi that that persecution began to be stirred up in the year of Christ 343. For, he says, Since Constantine the Great ceased to be among the living in the year of Christ 337, how could it have come about that he should send to Sapor the letter reported by Eusebius (book 4 of the Life of Constantine, from chapter 9), by which he restrained him from the persecution of the Christians, if this began to be stirred up only six years after his death, that is, in the year of Christ 343? Nor could Eusebius have invented it, who died about the year 340, or at any rate did not reach the year 349, in which Simeon according to Pagi was crowned. But I have read and reread the said letter; and I find nothing which would recommend the anticipation of the persecution asserted by Assemani. Now concerning the Acts.
[5] The Acts. They are prefaced with this title: "Martyrdom of the holy martyr Ia"; that is: The martyrdom of the holy martyr Ia. In our transcript they are noted as taken from codex 1671 of the Vatican library. The variant readings, received from the collation of the Vatican copy with the parchment Manuscript of the Imperial library containing the Saints of the month of August, I have partly noted in the margin of the Greek text, partly enclosed within brackets in the text itself. But although those things which the Acts record at the beginning concerning Heliodorus, Dossa, and Mareabes are to be understood from the first volume of April, page 821 and following; yet, lest I should mutilate their text in these matters, I have not omitted them. Here now are the Acts themselves.
MARTYRDOM
By an anonymous author,
From the Vatican Library, Codex 1671, collated with a Manuscript of the Imperial Library.
Ia, Martyr, in Persia (St.)
Her Companions, Martyrs, in Persia
FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS.
In the fiftieth year of the reign of Sabor, [the] king of the Persians, that same Sabor went up to the forts and to the borders of the Romans, making an encampment with his army; and he came also against [the] fort called Bizaideon, and was able to gain mastery of it, and to become its possessor , and to overthrow its walls; and moreover he was able to destroy there a great multitude of the war-leaders of the Romans by the punishment of the sword, sacking both men and women to the number of about fifty thousand; and at the same time * they took captive also the most holy bishop Heliodorus, with Dossa and Mareabes, aged priests, and other priests and deacons, most holy men, together with a company of holy men and women, canonical and ever-virgins — all of them they took as captives. And as they were being carried off into the country called Uzainon, it happened that they came to a monastery called Bisaker; and it came about that the all-holy bishop Heliodorus fell into sickness; and being about to die, he ordained Dossa, the aforesaid priest, bishop in his own place, being a God-fearing man; and moreover the altar, which he had taken with him when he entered into captivity, he handed over to the same most holy Dossa, that he might exercise the priesthood upon it in holiness and justice and blamelessly before the Lord; and he himself, the most God-beloved Heliodorus, rested in the Lord.
[2] But his honored remains were buried there by Christian men with much honor and glory. And as they were going away, on the road, when they had departed from those places , they gathered in a certain place, and were chanting psalms, and with hymns glorifying the holy God, but also performing this ministry each day. But the wretched and wicked magi, because they chanted and ministered to Christ our God, were filled with great rage, and their hearts and their souls were dreadfully troubled, and thereafter they began to speak evil, and to plot against the Christians who ministered to God, before Adelpher , the chief magus, who had previously also been the cause of many sheddings of the blood of Christians and of the victorious martyrs of the holy God who were martyred in the East. And Adelpher the chief magus, armed with the arms of the adversary, went in to the king, and says to him: Good king, there is a certain man in this captivity who is first among the Christians, having the name of Dossa, and he draws to himself many crowds out of the captivity, both men and women, of the same faith and of the same mind with him, and they revile your Might, abominating your kingdom; and every day they do this. I have charged them not to do these things, and they do not cease; but rather still more they dishonor your royal greatness, and no little do they blaspheme against the gods of the Persians. Hearing these things, the king and being exceedingly enraged commanded that forthwith the head of the blessed Dossa the bishop be cut off with the sword.
[3] But after the honored and glorious contest of the blessed bishop Dossa, there was accused also the servant of God, the holy Ia, who was of the captivity that had been taken, as having much zeal for the faith of Christ our Savior: for she had been carefully trained also in the holy Scriptures, through the longing which she had toward Christ the Master; for indeed, being on fire with the love of Christ, she opposed everyone who fell in her way *, and setting herself against him who was hostile to the people of the Christians, and teaching the word of Christ, and sowing into his ears the teaching of God; many therefore she turned from the idolatrous error of heathenism to Christianity. And at that time the blessed martyr of Christ Ia dwelt in the country of Zainon, and brought many to Christ. And this holy woman came always in love to the women, and taught them the word of God, and admonished them from the holy Scriptures, and exhorted them. And those women, beholding the gentleness of holy Ia, and hearing her gracious word, received her gladly. And they brought her before their husbands, recounting the teachings and the words of the holy [Ia].
[4] But their husbands, hearing these things, became full of great wrath, and one told another the words spoken by holy Ia to their wives, saying to one another and declaring: This woman by her sorcery turns our wives away, and alienates them from us. Becoming all of one mind, therefore, they stood before the king and said with one voice: O our good king, live forever: your Might brought a certain woman out of the captivity, being of the race of the Romans, who practices sorceries in this country which is under your kingdom, and turns many souls away from the worship of the gods; * for she dishonors our gods, and despises all your laws. Hearing these things, the king was greatly angered, and being filled with much rage, he gave command, and two chief magi were called, whose names were these: the one was called Adersabor, and the other Adelpher; and the king said to them: That woman about whom they speak, if indeed she worships the gods, and honors the sun and the fire and the water, and does not dishonor my Might, and does not practice the sorcery which she teaches, she shall dwell in this country rich and flourishing, and shall have fitting honor from us; but if she does not worship [our] gods, and does not honor the fire and the water, as our gods and our laws command, bring upon her every punishment.
[5] And the impious chief magi, having received this lawless command, went out and ordered the holy servant of God to be seized [and cast into prison. And after a few days the chief magi sat in judgment and ordered the Holy woman to be brought before them.] And when she had been brought, they made * an outcry and a tumult against her. And they said to her: Are you a Christian? The Holy woman answered and said: I am a Christian. Then, blazing up with rage, the lawless men answered, saying: You owe death, because you have said that you are a Christian. But holy Ia cried out with a sacred voice, saying: I am a Christian, and I serve the one living God, who created all matter, out of
whom also those whom you call your gods were fashioned — the sun and the moon and the fire and the water; for all things are the works of his hands.
[6] Then they ordered her garment to be stripped off, [and] the lamb of Christ to be stretched out; and they put ropes upon her hands and upon her feet, and five exceedingly strong men dragged each limb of her, and other five exceedingly strong men and young men, striking with Saracen scourges, tore her body to pieces . But holy Ia sent up a song to the Lord . For lifting up her eyes to the height of heaven, with boldness she called upon her own Master, saying: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the true God, strengthen your servant for this contest into which I have now entered, and deliver me from the wolves that tear me asunder, for blessed are you, unto the ages. Amen.
[7] But when the Blessed woman had been beaten to such a degree that she became speechless, the chief magi again ordered her to be cast into the prison; and after two months they ordered holy Ia to be brought again before them; and holy Ia was brought before them, and they say to her: In what mind have you remained so long a time in the prison? Have you now admonished yourself to sacrifice to the gods, and to reverence the king, and the fire, and the sun, and to dwell in this country, and to receive from us gifts and great presents, so that honor may be furnished you according to the decree of the king of those who reign? Or to be a Christian? Then the truly most faithful and holy martyr of Christ, Ia, answered and said: I have kept the mind which I had from the beginning; the same I have also — that I may strive mightily for the grace to which I was called, and may not exchange my true God for gods that are not; for I do not worship your vain objects of reverence.
[8] Hearing these things, the chief magi with anger and great rage ordered forty branches of pomegranate to be brought from the orchard, the fullest and unstripped; and twelve men stretched her out, and beat her terribly before and behind; and her body ran with blood upon the ground, and likewise her flesh, until those who were stretching her out were covered with her blood. And beholding that she was all bloodied, and that her flesh was consumed, they ordered her to be lifted up like a dead carcass and thrown into the prison. And after six months they ordered her again to be brought to them; and the chief magi, summoning the holy martyr of Christ Ia, questioned her, saying: Do you still remain in the mind of the Christians? And she answered and said to them: I am a Christian, and I fear and worship the true God.
[9] The chief magi said: Then it is true, what has been heard about you, that you teach in this country things contrary to the king of those who reign? And the holy woman answered and said: Whatever has been said about me for Christ's sake is true; for I confidently proclaim one God alone to men, that they may repent, and may turn to him from their evil ways, as our holy Scriptures contain. And hearing these things the chief magi were angered not a little, and gave orders to the attendants, and they had great reeds brought and split, and laid upon the Holy woman over her whole body, and she was bound tight * with very thin cords to such a degree that her joints together with her limbs made a cracking sound. And they ordered the reeds to be dragged off her one by one.
[10] And when this had been done, in like manner again her flesh together with the blood ran down upon the ground, [whence, from the great and unbearable suffering and the most piercing pain, she fell at that hour upon the ground, and lay as one dead upon the floor amid the very flesh and blood that had flowed from her,] until her bones and her inward parts appeared. And after ten days they ordered the Holy woman to be stretched out, and her bones to be broken to pieces with bronze scourges. And at that very hour she lay upon the floor as dead before them; and they ordered a press to be brought, and they hung her upon it; and men went round about tightening it a long while, until her limbs, being separated from one another, fell to the ground.
[11] But beholding that she was thereafter speechless, and that her limbs, being dissolved, had fallen away, then they ordered her head to be cut off with the sword. [And when this had been done with great speed, and her precious and holy soul had been carried into the hands of God, the blood-drinking and godless chief magi gave orders.] And they charged the guards that her remains should be carefully watched, so that no one might bury her, until the birds of heaven should come down and devour her body; since it was not the custom of the Persians to bury the dead, lest, they say, the earth be defiled. But certain Christian men secretly bought the remains of holy Ia from the guards, giving money, and buried them with honor, as was fitting. And holy Ia was martyred in the province of the Iouzainoi, which is in Persia, in the month of August, on the fifth, while Sabor was reigning over the Persians, but among us while our Lord Jesus Christ was reigning, to whom be glory and might unto the ages of ages. Amen.
St. Dossa the bishop In the fiftieth year of the reign of Sapor, king of the Persians, Sapor himself went off to the forts a, and to the borders of the Romans, [and] made a trench b with his army. [But] he went also to the fort called Bizaïdeon c, and was able to overcome it, and to bring it into his power, and to overthrow its walls: nay more, he was able there to remove from the midst by the punishment of the sword a great multitude of the military prefects of the Romans, and to destroy men and women, some fifty thousand d. And at the same time he held captive the bishop Heliodorus with Dossa e and Mareabes f, priests of declining age, and other priests and deacons, most holy men, together with a company of holy men and of women living under the rule of perpetual virginity — all of them he held captive. And while they were being led away into the region which is called that of the Ouzaïni, it happened that they came to a lodging called Bisacer. And it came to pass that the most holy bishop Heliodorus fell into sickness. And being about to die, he ordained the aforesaid priest Dossa, that he might religiously discharge the episcopate in his place. And indeed the altar which he had received on entering into captivity he handed over to the most holy Dossa himself, that he might exercise the priesthood upon it holily, and justly, and blamelessly before the Lord. But he himself, Heliodorus most loving of God, rested in the Lord g.
[2] But his venerable body was buried there by Christian men with much honor and glory. crowned with the laurel of martyrdom, But as they were going away, on the road, having departed from that place, they were gathered in a certain place, and were singing and reciting hymns, glorifying the holy God, performing that ministry even on each day. But the wretched and malicious magi, because they were chanting psalms and were publicly ministering to Christ our God, were filled with great anger, and their hearts and minds were gravely troubled, and they began afterward to curse and to accuse the Christians who were publicly ministering to Christ, before Adelpher, the chief of the magi, who had earlier been the author of the shedding of the blood of many Christians and of the glorious Martyrs of the holy God, who were put to martyrdom in the East. And Adelpher, chief of the magi, armed with the arms of the adversary, went in to the king, and says to him: Good king, there is a certain man in this captivity who holds the first place among the Christians, having the name of Dossa, and he snatches to himself many crowds from the captivity, men and women believing the same and consenting with him, and they revile your power, abominating your kingdom. And on each day they do this. I admonished them not to do this, and they do not desist. But rather more vehemently do they dishonor your royal greatness, and not a little do they blaspheme against the gods of the Persians. When the king had heard these things and had been driven into grievous furies he ordered at once the head of blessed Dossa the bishop to be cut off with the sword.
[3] But after the precious and glorious contest of the holy bishop Dossa, St. Ia, well deserving of the orthodox faith there was also accused the handmaid of God holy Ia, who was of the captivity that was being held, burning assuredly with great zeal for the faith of Christ our Savior. And she was also accurately exercised in the sacred Scriptures, through the desire which she had toward Christ the Lord. For, kindled wholly with the love of Christ, she opposed everyone who resisted, and set herself against him who hated the Christian people, teaching the word of Christ, and instilling into his ears the doctrine of God. Many therefore she converted from the idolatrous error of heathenism to Christianity. And during that time the blessed martyr of Christ Ia was dwelling in the region of the Zaïni, and was bringing many to Christ. But the Holy woman herself came always in charity to the women, and taught them the word of God, and admonished them from the holy Scriptures, and consoled them. But those women, having seen the gentleness of holy Ia, and having heard her gracious discourse, gladly admitted her, and brought her before their husbands, recounting the teachings and discourses of holy [Ia].
[4] she is accused by the heathen before king Sapor, But their husbands, hearing these things, were filled with great anger, and one reported to another the words spoken by holy Ia to their wives, and, holding converse among themselves, said: That woman by her magic turns our wives away and alienates them from us. Having therefore all become of the same mind, they stood before the king and said with one voice: Our good king, live forever. Your majesty brought a certain woman out of the captivity, Roman by race, who practices magic in this country, which is under your kingdom, and turns many souls away from the adoration of the gods whom your power reveres and honors: for she dishonors our gods, and despises all your laws. Hearing these things, the king was greatly angered, and being filled with much fury he gave command; and two chiefs of the magi were summoned, whose names were these: the one was called Adersabor; the other Adelpher. And the king said to them: That woman of whom they speak, if indeed she adores the gods, and honors the sun, and the fire, and the water, and does not spurn my power, and does not practice the sorcery which she teaches h, she shall dwell in this country, rich and flourishing; and shall have fitting honor from us. But if she does not adore
[our] gods, and does not honor the fire and the water as our gods and our laws prescribe, inflict every punishment upon her.
[5] she is cast into prison, When the impious chiefs of the magi had received this iniquitous command, they went out and ordered the holy handmaid of God to be seized [and cast into prison. But a few days afterward, when the chiefs of the magi had taken their seats, they ordered the Holy woman to be led before them.] When she had been brought in, they raised a shout and a tumult against her, and said to her: Are you a Christian? The Holy woman answering said: I am a Christian. Then, kindled with anger, the iniquitous men answered, saying: You are guilty of death, because you have said that you are a Christian. But holy Ia cried out with a sacred voice, saying: I am a Christian, and I serve the one living God, who created all matter, by whom those whom you call your gods were constructed — the sun, the moon, the fire, and the water. For all are the works of his hands i.
[6] she is tortured with torments; Then they ordered the garment of the lamb of Christ to be stripped off and her to be stretched out, and they cast rush-ropes upon her hands and feet; and five very strong men each dragged a separate part of her, and other men five, altogether strong, and young men, beating her with Saracen scourges, were destroying her body. But holy Ia sent up a canticle to the Lord. For, her eyes lifted to the height of heaven, she called upon her Lord with confidence, saying: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the true God, strengthen your handmaid for this contest into which I have now entered, and rescue me from those wolves who are tearing my flesh, for blessed are you unto the ages. Amen.
[7] after a long imprisonment she is set before the chief magi; But when the Blessed woman had been beaten to the point that she could not speak, the chiefs of the magi ordered her again to be put into custody, and after two months they ordered holy Ia to be brought again before them. And St. Ia was brought before them, and they say to her: What has your mind been, so long a time in prison? Have you brought yourself to resolve to sacrifice to the gods and to honor the king, the fire and the sun, and to dwell in this region, and moreover to receive from us gifts and great houses, that honor may be given you according to the command of the king of those who reign, or rather to be a Christian? Then the truly most faithful and holy martyr of Christ, Ia, answering said: I have had the mind which I had from the beginning, and which even now I have that by the grace with which I was called I may strive bravely, and may not exchange my true God for gods that do not exist: for I do not adore your vain images.
[8] Hearing these things, the chiefs of the magi, with anger and great fury, ordered to be brought from the orchard forty branches k of pomegranate, the thicker ones and unpruned. by whose command she is tortured with new torments, And twelve men stretched her out, and beat her grievously before and behind; and blood flowed from her body onto the ground, and likewise her flesh, until those who were stretching her out were covered with her blood. And seeing that she was all bloody, and that her flesh was being consumed, they ordered her to be lifted up like a dead corpse l and thrown into custody. And after six months they ordered her to be brought again to them. And after the chiefs of the magi had summoned the holy martyr of Christ Ia, they questioned her, saying: Do you still remain in the opinion of the Christians? But she answering said to them: I am a Christian, and I fear and adore the true God.
[9] The chiefs of the magi said: Are then those things true answering their questions constantly and bravely: which have been heard about you, that in this region you teach things contrary to the king of those who reign? But the Holy woman answering said: If anything has been said about me concerning Christ, it is true: for I indeed proclaim one God alone to men, that they may do penance, and be converted to him from their evil ways, as our sacred Scriptures set forth. Hearing these things, the chiefs of the magi were moved with no little anger, and gave orders to the attendants, and saw to it that great reeds were brought in, and that they were split, and fixed upon the Holy woman over her whole body, and that she was bound with thinner cords so long until the frame of her body together with her limbs made a very great noise. And they ordered one reed after another to be torn away from her.
[10] But after this had been done, in like manner again the flesh with the blood flowed down upon the ground. until, after new torments repeated, [Wherefore, from the great and intolerable distress and most acute pain, at that very hour she fell to the ground, and lay like a dead woman on the pavement upon that very flesh and blood which had flowed out of her] until her bones and entrails appeared. But after ten days they ordered the Holy woman to be stretched out, and her bones to be broken with bronze scourges m. And at that hour she lay on the pavement before them as though dead. And they ordered a press to be brought, and they hung her upon it. And men went about in a circle, tightening it greatly, until her limbs, separated from one another, fell to the ground.
[11] But when they saw that she could thenceforth utter nothing, at last she is beheaded. and that her limbs, being dissolved, had fallen away, then they ordered her head to be cut off with the sword. [And when this had been done with great haste, and her precious and holy soul had been carried into the hands of God, the blood-drinking and impious chief magi gave orders.] And they charged the guards that her body should be diligently watched, that no one might bury her, until the birds of heaven should come and eat her body. Since it was not the custom among the Persians to bury the dead, lest, they say, the earth be contaminated. But certain Christian men secretly redeemed the body of holy Ia from the guards, giving money, and buried it with the honor that was fitting. And holy Ia was put to martyrdom in the region of the Iouzaïni n, which is in Persia, in the month of August on the fifth day o, while Sapor was reigning among the Persians, but among us while our Lord Jesus Christ was reigning, to whom be glory and power for ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
* The Manuscript of the Imperial library adds: "third"
* The Manuscript of the Imperial library: "in possession"
* "and to sack"
* "with the women"
* "but indeed"
* "having departed from that place"
* "everlastingly to our holy Christ and God"
* "to accuse"
* "Aderpher"
* "whole"
* "resisting"
* The Manuscript of the Imperial library adds: "whom your Might reveres and honors"
* "they raised against her"
* "they were tearing and consuming."
* "the martyr of Christ, Ia, was wholly toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
* "that holy Ia be clothed over, and then thus"