ON THE HOLY MARTYRS PAPIAS, DIODORUS, CONON, AND CLAUDIANUS AT ATTALIA IN PAMPHYLIA.
Year of Christ 251
CommentaryPapias, Martyr, at Attalia in Pamphylia (St.)
G. H.
[1] Pamphylia is a celebrated region between Lycia and Cilicia on the Mediterranean Sea, the part of that sea which washes its coast being called the Pamphylian Sea. The principal city of Pamphylia is Perge, the seat of the Governor, where St. Nestor, Bishop of Magydus, was put to death for the faith of Christ. Before him, four illustrious champions preceded him: Papias, Diodorus, Conon, and Claudianus. Concerning these, the following is narrated in the Acts of St. Nestor at number 1: And so in Pamphylia the most wicked edict of the Emperor Decius was published under the Governor Pollio, who held that province. Not delaying, he sent horsemen to make a circuit, even enforcing the imperial decree, so that if any Christians were found anywhere, they should be compelled to eat food sacrificed to idols. At which time these blessed ones also suffered martyrdom: I mean Papias, and Diodorus, and Claudianus, and Conon, whose deeds we shall set forth when the time comes; in the meanwhile we shall narrate those of Blessed Nestor. The same account, but in an abridged form, is read in Surius, who printed Comonus in place of Conon. But Pollio in the manuscript codex of St. Maximinus at Trier, from which we publish those Acts, is written as Polio, and is called Publius by the Greeks.
[2] Galesinius consecrates the memory of these Martyrs, omitting however Conon, on the day before the Nones of February, and asserts in his Notes that he drew his account of their martyrdom from Greek records as follows: At Attalia in Pamphylia, the holy Martyrs Papias, Diodorus, and Claudianus. These shepherds, by publicly proclaiming the faith of Christ, led many to the worship of the Christian religion. For which reason, having been denounced to the Prefect Publius under the Emperor Decius, undeterred by any threats, they openly and freely confessed themselves to be Christians, and showed that there is one true God, who made heaven, earth, and all things contained within the compass of heaven and earth. The Prefect, moved by this free confession of faith, after he had tortured them with every kind of punishment while they remained steadfast in their resolve of faith, at last ordered them to be struck with the axe. Their bodies were reverently buried by the faithful. So far Galesinius, who again on the 25th of February, on which day St. Nestor is commemorated by very many, as we shall presently say, appears to join these Martyrs to him under the name of three brothers, where from a very ancient Martyrology he notes the following entry: On this same day, of the Saints Nestor and three blood brothers, who under Julian, the adversary of Christian piety and virtue, fighting bravely for Christ, are crowned. So far that passage, with the name of Julian erroneously inserted in place of Decius, under whom both Nestor and the other Martyrs suffered. Finally, in the Roman Martyrology, after recording the death of St. Nestor on this 26th of February, these words are added: In the same place, the passion of Saints Papias, Diodorus, Conon, and Claudianus, who preceded St. Nestor in martyrdom. And, as Baronius notes, they completed their course in the same persecution of Decius before Nestor. Now Attalia, mentioned above, is a maritime city of Pamphylia, not far from Magydus, where St. Nestor was Bishop, as will be evident from what follows.