One Thousand and Three Martyrs

CONCERNING THE ONE THOUSAND AND THREE HOLY MARTYRS FROM THE HOUSEHOLD AND RETINUE OF THE FOUR IMPERIAL PROTECTORS, AT NICOMEDIA.

AROUND THE YEAR 302

One thousand and three, servants of the four Imperial Protectors, Martyrs at Nicomedia (Saints)

G. H.

[1] The Emperor Gordian the Younger, as Cedrenus attests, was the first to institute the Candidati and Protectors, and the order of the Scholarians, which he named the Juniors after himself. The rank of Scholarians, The Scholarians, in Greek Scholarioi, were selected solely from men experienced and trained in military service, as a mark of reward, to be constantly present at court as guardians of the Emperor, and to accompany him when he went out in public for the sake of magnificence and display. Of the Candidati, From the Scholarians, according to the institution of the same Gordian, the Candidati were customarily chosen -- men flourishing in age and strength, and who would be terrifying to the enemy in appearance -- as is reported in the Alexandrian Chronicle. Between these two orders, the Protectors were reckoned as intermediate in rank, of the Imperial Protectors, called by the Greeks, using the Latin word, Protiktores: and they were, according to Menander in his work on Embassies, like "imperial bodyguards," that is, Attendants of the Emperor and his Bodyguards.

[2] That the dignity of these Protectors was not only continued under subsequent Emperors, The Greek Acts of these Martyrs hitherto unpublished, but also augmented with ample honors and riches, is confirmed by the Acts of these Martyrs, which we have obtained in Greek from the Medicean library of the Kings of France, hitherto unpublished: to which this title was prefixed: "The Contest of the one thousand and three Saints who completed their lives at Nicomedia," and indeed, as is said near the end, "on the thirteenth day of the month called Mechir by the Egyptians": which day corresponds to February 7. The number is customarily expressed in this manner, for which, by an error of copyists, "the twelfth day," were they written by an Egyptian author? which the Greeks indicate by a similar notation, had crept into the manuscript. From the Egyptian month that is expressed, it seems possible to infer that the Acts themselves were originally composed by some Egyptian author, and that some of the Martyrs, and perhaps the principal ones, in honor of whom the author expended that effort, were of Egyptian origin, or at least that their sacred relics had been translated thither.

[3] Their commemoration on February 7 in Galesini, Galesini commemorates these as follows: "At Nicomedia, of three thousand holy Martyrs. These servants, when they had seen their masters, who were leading men, converted to the faith under the Emperor Diocletian, constantly undergo martyrdom for Christ, and imitating their divine virtue, having joined to themselves their sons, wives, and all their kinsmen, they come before the presence of Diocletian, and with one mouth and free voice professed themselves to be Christians: having tried them in vain by every art to turn them from their resolve, he ordered them all to be slaughtered by the soldiers." Thus Galesini, who in the Annotations says that this is revealed in Greek documents. But in the manuscript Acts, those who were of the household of the four Protectors, together with their wives and children, were numbered at one thousand and three, in Greek, "having numbered themselves, one thousand and three."

[4] The Greeks have the following in the Menaia on this very day: and in the Menaia of the Greeks, "On the same day, the commemoration of the one thousand holy Martyrs and three servants and four Protectors who suffered martyrdom at Nicomedia," etc. On the same day, the commemoration of the one thousand holy Martyrs and three servants and four Protectors slain at Nicomedia. These servants served the four Protectors, under whom, by the edict of the Emperor, the most holy Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, was arrested and beheaded: after whose death, when the Protectors also, with their entire household, believed in Christ and were subjected to martyrdom, their servants, on account of their faith in Christ, all voluntarily hastened with their wives and children and infants to Diocletian, and professing themselves Christians, since they could not be induced to deny Christ, were all cut down by the swords of the army. Thus the Menaia, which are also found in the Lives of the Saints.

[5] But the Peter mentioned, who was committed to the custody of the four Protectors, is wrongly called Bishop of Alexandria; we showed on the 3rd of February, at the Life of SS. Phileas and Philoromus, §1, number 6, that he survived for some years Who was the Martyr Peter at Nicomedia? after Diocletian had laid aside the purple. And indeed it is established that Peter suffered martyrdom not at Nicomedia, but at Alexandria, where he was Bishop. This Peter, however, seems to be the illustrious Martyr, formerly Chamberlain of Diocletian, whose outstanding contest we shall report on the 12th of March. Eusebius treats of him in book 8 of the Ecclesiastical history, chapter 6, and others here and there. But S. Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, is venerated on the 26th of November.

[6] They seem, moreover, to have been slain in this order: first SS. Theopemptus the Bishop and Theonas the Magus on the 3rd of January, Theopemptus, then the four Protectors on the 20th of the same January, afterwards these thousand and three, their servants and clients, on the 7th of February, and finally Peter the Chamberlain on the 12th of March: of all of whom mention is made below in the Acts. S. Theopemptus, moreover, met the first storm of the persecution stirred up by the Emperor Diocletian, as the Menaia report on the 3rd of January; with which agree the ancient Latin Acts published in the Appendix to that day, which begin thus: In the first year of his persecution the Emperor Diocletian, coming from Rome, entered the city of Nicomedia, in which he had many idols made. It came about after some days that a man of God, a Bishop named Theopompus, entered the city from the suburban estates. For he is the first who endured martyrdom at the beginning of the persecution of the most wicked Diocletian. and the 4 Protectors. Of the Protectors, the name of Eusebius alone is expressed below in the Acts. They are reported in the Menaia on the 20th of January in this order: Bassus, Eusebius, Eutychius, Basilides. These lived, as is added there, while Diocletian held the Empire, conspicuous for wealth and Senatorial dignity, but won over to Christ and initiated in His baptism when they had seen Theopemptus the Bishop overcome dreadful tortures and work prodigies by the wonderful power of Christ. In the same way Eusebius begins the persecution of Diocletian stirred up at Nicomedia with S. Peter the chamberlain, the names of the others not being indicated.

[7] In the Menaia on the 21st of December five hundred Martyrs are reported slain at Nicomedia with a hundred and thirty women: Very many Martyrs at Nicomedia. then on the 28th of the same December twenty thousand Martyrs are read inscribed in the same Menaia, burned together in a church while they were celebrating the Nativity of Christ: which Martyrs the Roman Martyrology commemorates on that same Nativity, the 25th of December: in which, together with the Menology of the Greeks, on the 18th of March, ten thousand Martyrs likewise slain by the sword at Nicomedia are reported. Moreover, on the 23rd of June there is a commemoration of very many Martyrs who, after hiding long in the mountains and caves in the time of Diocletian, afterwards fell at Nicomedia: from all of whom these Protectors and their servants were distinct.

ACTS OF THE MARTYRDOM,

from the Medicean Greek manuscript.

One thousand and three, servants of the four Protectors of the Emperor, Martyrs at Nicomedia (Saints)

G. H.

[1] Under the reign of Diocletian, an impious and cruel tyrant, a great persecution was stirred up against the holy Churches of Christ, and many of the Christians were shut up in prisons and underwent death for Christ. Then the servant of Christ Theopompus the Bishop and Theonas the Magus Martyrs under Diocletian, S. Theopemptus were made Martyrs, and also the four Protectors, to whose custody Blessed Peter had been committed. Their wives too, having embraced the faith, and the 4 Protectors: and persevering in its confession, poured out their lives for Christ.

[2] Then their servants, stewards and dispensers, and others both slaves and free, having carefully considered the matter among themselves, said with unanimous consent: Behold, our masters, their servants roused by their example, who used to give judgment to us in secular affairs, on account of their holy faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, having despised this present and fragile life, have sought the kingdom of heaven, and, having spurned earthly things, enjoy the felicity of eternal goods. Why then should not we too follow in the footsteps of our masters? Let us approach the Emperor Diocletian and address him thus: We too are Christians, and we desire with our masters, who were set over us in this life, to obtain the incorruptible crown. Having embraced with unanimous consent this so splendid counsel conferred among themselves, with their wives and children, to the number of 1003, they were numbered, together with their wives and children, one thousand and three: who, all going forward with the same affection, stood before the tribunal of the cruel and most impious tyrant Diocletian, crying out: We too are Christians: they come of their own accord to Diocletian: and we imitate the manners of our fathers and masters, who poured out their lives for Christ. We do not obey demons: we do not adore blind and deaf images, and dumb, motionless and lifeless idols.

[3] When the Emperor saw their multitude, he was vehemently troubled: and, thinking at first that they could be taken by snares and fraudulent contrivance, he began to circumvent them with soothing flatteries: Why, he said, so demented and wicked, do you rush to destruction? they spurn his blandishments, gifts and friendship: Rather obey me, who like a father counsel you what is best, and sacrifice to the gods; and free yourselves from this madness, carried away by which Eusebius and his fellow Protectors departed unhappily from life. You, then, if you obey me, and come forward and sacrifice to the immortal gods, will receive from me honors and no common gifts, and will be abundantly enriched by our friendship. The Saints gave this answer to the tyrant: We neither value your gifts nor fear your threats; but we hasten to offer a sacrifice of praise to the living and true God. What you wish to do, then, do quickly. For nothing is dearer to us than Christ.

[4] When Diocletian had heard these things, fearing lest they should contrive something new (for they were eager in defending the faith of Christ), he signalled to his army to approach and surround the multitude of the Saints. surrounded even by soldiers For all had come together eagerly with their wives and children for this purpose, to contend for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The infants who were carried in their mothers' arms were some of six months or of one year, others even of two or three months. After the armed soldiers had surrounded them, the Emperor said: And now, therefore, obey my counsel, and confess that you are willing to sacrifice to the gods and adore them, that you may return safe and sound to your homes. Have pity on yourselves and on your infants, as much as I, your adversary, pity you: lest by your madness both you and your children perish. For if you do not obey me, neither will your Lord Christ furnish any help. The Saints answered him: We have been taught to adore only God living in heaven, they steadfastly profess the faith, and His only-begotten Son and Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things were made, and His Holy Spirit. Do not, then, deceive us by the empty show of any friendship whatever, whom you will neither lead by your enticements nor terrify by your threats to fall away from the faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, and adore lifeless idols, which are honored by you and by your father the devil. For we possess nothing dearer or more precious than Christ, who lives as God for ages of ages.

[5] Then Diocletian, driven to fury, signaled once more to the soldiers to cut them down: who, like wild beasts, rushing upon them from all sides, struck the holy Martyrs of Christ, sparing none, and the Martyrs fall, not even infants or those still nursing, nor did they leave a single one of them alive. And thus they consummated their glorious confession in Christ in the month called by the Egyptians Mechir, on the thirteenth day, by the Roman reckoning the seventh of February, at Nicomedia, the metropolis of Bithynia, under the impious and most wicked Emperor Diocletian; but among us, with Christ Jesus, the true God and our Savior, reigning; to whom be praise and glory, with God the Father and the Holy and good and life-giving Spirit in all things, through all ages of ages. Amen.