Nestor

ON ST. NESTOR, BISHOP OF MAGYDUS, MARTYR AT PERGE IN PAMPHYLIA

Year 251

Preliminary Commentary.

Nestor, Bishop of Magydus, Martyr at Perge in Pamphylia (St.)

Author G. H.

[1] Of St. Nestor, Bishop and Martyr, we give the presidial Acts, which appear to have been taken down by the notaries themselves in the presence of the court and transmitted to posterity. Baronius judged them legitimate in the Annals at the year 254, number 23, and cites Surius, who confesses that the style was largely altered by him and certain passages rendered paraphrastically. Our text is fuller, transcribed from ^a very ancient manuscript codex of the monastery of St. Maximinus, in which we retain the original style, however rough. Baronius adds that Greek Acts exist, and considers them more reliable, though we have not seen them. Our text agrees with the Martyrologies, which it is therefore worthwhile to add.

[2] The more ancient Martyrologies celebrate the memory of St. Nestor on the 25th of February. So the manuscript Roman Martyrology, which is St. Jerome's, and the Reichenau Martyrology: In Pamphylia, the birthday of St. Nestor. On the same 25th of February are venerated Saints Crescentius and Casta with other Martyrs, but in the manuscript of Ado from St. Lawrence at Liege and the manuscript Florarium they are erroneously described as companions of St. Nestor in these words: On the same day, of Nestor, Casta, and Crescentius, Martyrs. But Casta is joined with Ingenua in the manuscripts of Aachen and of St. Martin at Tournai: In Pamphylia, of Nestor and Casta, Ingenua. Notker: In Pamphylia, the birthday of Nestor and Casta. Bede and Rabanus have only Pamphylus, who is joined as if ^a companion to the African Martyrs, to whom Bede and Canisius join Nestor and Casta. In the Laetian manuscript, Nestor and Castus are recorded; but in all others she is called Casta, with ^a crown of ten Martyrs celebrated in the same place. In Galesinius, three blood brothers are commemorated along with St. Nestor, and they appear to indicate Papias, Diodorus, and Claudianus, of whom we have already treated.

[3] On this day, however, the 26th of February, St. Nestor is inscribed in many more Martyrologies, and first in the ancient Roman Martyrology published by Rosweyde, in these words: At Perge of Pamphylia, Blessed Nestor the Bishop. In the manuscript Florarium, he was recorded above with Saints Crescentius and Casta with no place indicated; but on this day he is recorded thus: In the city of Perge of Pamphylia, the Birthday of St. Nestor, Bishop and Martyr, who was crucified under the persecution of Decius in the year of salvation 253. These last words are expressed in various phrases in other Martyrologies. In the manuscript of the Cologne Carmel: Who, in the persecution of the Caesar Decius, after the rack was crucified. In the Trier manuscript: Who by suspension on the cross migrated to Christ. In the manuscript of Queen Christina of Sweden: Who consummated his martyrdom by the gibbet of the cross. In the manuscript of St. Lambert at Liege: Who in the persecution of Decius was ordered to be suspended on the cross, and thus gave up his spirit with glory. Usuard adorns him with this encomium: In the city of Perge of Pamphylia, the birthday of St. Nestor, Bishop, who in the persecution of Decius, when he persisted day and night in prayer, asking that the flock of Christ be guarded, was apprehended, confessed the name of the Lord with wonderful freedom and eagerness, and was most cruelly tortured on the rack. Then by suspension on the cross he migrated victorious. The same is read in various printed and handwritten Martyrologies; in the Roman Martyrology certain additions are made from Bede or Ado, who bring forth longer eulogies from the Acts: we recite what is Ado's.

[4] In the city of Perge of Pamphylia, the birthday of Blessed Nestor the Bishop, who in the persecution of Decius, when he persisted day and night in prayer, asking that the flock of Christ be guarded, was apprehended by ^a certain Irenarch, who was the chief of the curia of the city, and was offered to the Governor Pollio like ^a ram without malice. And when he confessed the name of Christ with wonderful freedom and eagerness, and declared that the gods of the Gentiles were the worst demons, he was ordered by the same Governor to be suspended on the rack and most cruelly tortured, and sang joyfully, saying: I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. The Governor, however, astonished at such endurance and wishing to recall him from the faith with smooth words, said to him: Do you wish to be with us or with your Christ? To whom St. Nestor replied with great joy, saying: With my Christ I was, and am, and shall be. Then the Governor, enraged, pronounced sentence against him, that because he confessed Jesus crucified under Pontius Pilate, as one devoted to his God, he should undergo his sentence and, fixed to the wood of ^a cross, be loosed from life. He, giving thanks to God, when he was already fixed to the gibbet, taught the Christian people standing by to persevere in the faith and love of Christ, and most willingly to suffer with him, so that they might also be glorified together. After this, asking all the crowd of the faithful standing by to kneel and pray with him, when he had completed his prayer and all had said Amen, he gave up his spirit. He completed his martyrdom on the fifth day of the week, at the third hour.

[5] Thus far Ado, and nearly the same is read in Notker, though somewhat more concisely in Bede. In the Trier manuscript of St. Maximinus, these words are added at the end: Who was the first to eject Arius, his own Priest, corrupted by heretical impiety and convicted by divine truth, from the Church, and afterwards condemned the same among the three hundred and eighteen Fathers at the Council of Nicaea. But these do not pertain to St. Nestor, ^a Bishop of the province of Pamphylia in Asia, who was crowned with martyrdom more than seventy years before the Council of Nicaea was convened. Those words are in fact taken from the eulogy of St. Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, whose Acts we give below on this day. Misled by ^a similar scribal error, however, Ferrarius in his Topography, under the word Perge, relates the following: Nestor, Bishop, Martyr under Decius, was not however put to death since he took part in the Council of Nicaea, unless there was another Bishop of Perge of this name. But on the contrary, the Bishop of Perge who attended the Council of Nicaea is nowhere in the Acts of the Councils called Nestor, but Callinicus, or by others Calliditus, or Gallides. And the Nestor by which name ^a single person is recorded as having attended was the Bishop of Sysdra in the province of Isauria. Moreover, St. Nestor was not Bishop of Perge in Pamphylia, but of the city of Magydus, from whose leading citizens and Irenarch he was arrested and sent to Perge to the Governor of Pamphylia, Pollio, by whose order he was put on the cross and died ^a Martyr. Perge was the metropolis of Pamphylia and the seat of the Roman governors, situated in the interior region on the river Catarrhactes; its Bishop Callinicus is named first among the bishops of this province at the Council of Nicaea. Magydis, which is also called Magydus or Matylus, and below in the Acts is corruptly written Mandis, is ^a maritime city of Pamphylia, whose Bishop Aphrodisius attended the said Council of Nicaea. Nor is Attalia far from Magydus, another maritime city of Pamphylia, in which the four Martyrs mentioned above are said to have exercised the pastoral office, and at last, struck with the axe, obtained the glorious crown of their merits.

[6] The Greeks in the Menaea and in Maximus Cytherea in his Lives of the Saints celebrate the same Nestor on the 28th of February in these words: On the same day, the memory of the holy Martyr Nestor. He lived in the times of the Emperor Decius and the Governor Publius outside the city of Perge in Pamphylia, and was apprehended by the Irenarch Prefect on account of his worship of Christ, and brought before the Governor. When he professed the faith of Christ before him, he was put on the cross, and after publicly giving thanks to God and confirming the Christians in the faith, he gave up his spirit. In the eulogy of other Martyrs given above, the Governor is also called Publius, whom others call Pollio.

ACTS

from the Trier manuscript of St. Maximinus and Surius.

Nestor, Bishop of Magydus, Martyr at Perge in Pamphylia (St.)

BHL Number: 6068

from the manuscript.

CHAPTER I

St. Nestor's episcopate: captivity, examination before the Irenarch.

[1] Faith admonishes us to be drawn to the memory of the holy Martyrs, and to behold the victory of the athletes of Christ, who furnish us with instruments of no small value as examples. Them the Son has crowned; the Father has glorified. By athletes, however, I mean not those who contend for ^a mere likeness, whose praise is doubtful and whose victory uncertain, indeed whose crown is corruptible; but I mean those glorious and holy men who contended even unto death lest they deny the Son of God, holding fast to the promise of the Savior himself, who says: Whoever confesses me before men, I also will confess him before my Father who is in heaven. Matt. 10:32 Of those celestial athletes, then, one is Blessed Nestor. For when Decius, hateful to God, held the pinnacle of the Roman empire, he ordered all to be dragged off to their own private places and those who invoked the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be provoked to impure sacrifices; and if any should resist, he commanded them to be brought before the judge and afflicted with every punishment. And so in Pamphylia the most wicked edict 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.

[2] For this Blessed Nestor was Bishop at Mandis, but ^a Martyr at Perge. He, as we said before, most faithful to God in faith and religion and his entire life, was of such modesty and humility that even the one who presided over this affair feared his manner of life, yet dared not oppose the tyrannical letters. But taking counsel with his associates, he said: We can do nothing against the Christians unless we have their Bishop in our hands, for all obey and submit to his will. But Blessed Nestor, when he learned of their plots, caused all his people to depart, saying: Lest the wolf, entering into the flock of Christ, should tear some sheep. He himself, however, did not depart from his house, persisting in prayer night and day, asking nothing more than that the flock of Christ be guarded.

[3] When the persecutors had come to the house of Bishop Nestor, together with other citizens who were followers of iniquity, they surrounded his house. And one, approaching the door, began to cry out. But the Blessed Martyr was at prayer, and one of his servants announced to him, saying: They are seeking you outside. When therefore he had completed his prayer and said Amen, the ram went out without malice, having ^a mafortium upon his head. And when he had gone out to those who had come, they all averted their faces and worshipped him. But he said: Little children, what is the reason you have come to me? They said: The Irenarch and the whole curia summon you. He then, signing himself in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, followed them like ^a sheep to sacrifice. And when they had come to the forum, the whole curia rose and saluted him. He said to them: May the Lord spare you; why do you do this? They answered and said: Your manner of life is worthy of adoration. And taking him into their midst, they withdrew to ^a place separate from the multitude, and having set out many seats, they ordered ^a throne to be brought and adorned, so that the Bishop might sit there. But he said: This honor suffices me, that I have been summoned by you; tell me the reason for which I have been summoned.

[4] And the Irenarch said: Do you know, my Lord, the Emperor's decree? He said: I know the decree of the Almighty, not the decree of the Emperor. The Irenarch said: O Nestor, consent peaceably, lest you be brought to trial. Nestor said: To what shall I consent? He said: To the King's decrees. Nestor said: I consent to the decrees of the Heavenly King. He said to him: You have ^a demon. Nestor said: Would that you did not have demons, and did not worship demons! The Irenarch said: How dare you call the gods demons? Nestor said: I confirm this both by reason and by the confession of those who are exorcised, so that you may understand that those whom you worship are demons. And the Irenarch, shaking his empty head at the holy Martyr, said: I will make you confess before the Governor under torture that they are truly gods. Then St. Nestor, placing the sign of Christ upon his forehead, said: Why do you threaten me with tortures? I fear the torments of my God, not yours or those of your judge; but both under torture and without torture I will confess Christ the Son of the living God.

CHAPTER II

St. Nestor's accusation and examination under the Governor Pollio; torments; martyrdom.

[5] The Irenarch, not negligent nor delaying, went to Perge, and delivered the holy Martyr to two guards. He himself went ahead, and the lamb followed the wolf. While they were on the road, suddenly ^a great earthquake occurred, and ^a voice fell from heaven, strengthening his Martyr. They, astonished at this event, were held by fear and the stings of conscience, because they held ^a holy man. Then they asked him, saying: Lord Bishop, whence this sound and earthquake? He said: A sign of my God has been made. And when they had come to the city on the fourth day of the week at the tenth hour, they remained outside the city.

[6] And when the Irenarch had reported to the Governor concerning the holy Martyr, the Governor, sitting on the tribunal in the morning, St. Nestor was brought before him. The Irenarch accordingly presented the report to the assistant Urbanus. And when they had presented the report, they said: Eupator and Socrates and the whole Roman curia greet the most excellent Lord Governor. The divine letters of our Lord the Emperor having arrived at your Excellency, commanding that all Christians be brought to sacrifice and recalled from the opinion wrongly fixed in them, your humanity wished to carry out these things in no harsh or violent manner, but quietly; yet this leniency profits little, when they with ^a certain obstinacy despise the imperial edict. For this man, when asked by us and by the whole curia, not only did not comply himself, but all who are under him, as followers of their prince's example, were unwilling to prepare their minds to carry out what had been ordered. We meanwhile did not cease urging this man to come to the temple of Jupiter in accordance with the letters of the most victorious King; but he attacked the immortal gods with insults and abuse, and even the Emperor, though absent, he assails with no small injuries, and has used the same loquacity against you. Wherefore the whole curia was compelled to send him to your excellency.

[7] And the Governor said to him: What is your name? Blessed Nestor said: I am ^a servant of my Lord Jesus Christ. The Governor said: I did not ask about your occupation, but about your name. Nestor said: My proper name is this: that I am ^a Christian. But if you wish to know my temporal name, I am called Nestor. The Governor said: What then? Sacrifice, and let yourself be persuaded without torture to swear by the gods, so that I may write with all speed to the Lord Emperor, that you may be without opposition ^a chief of the priests, that all things may be under your power, and that you may receive honors and gifts; moreover, be our assessor, so that you may live splendidly for many years. But the holy Martyr, looking up to heaven and signing himself, said to the Governor: Even if you torture my flesh with manifold punishment, if you prepare chains, beasts, or swords—as long as there is breath in my nostrils, I will not deny the name of my Lord Jesus Christ. The judge then ordered him to be suspended on the rack and most cruelly tortured. The attendants drove their hooks in so deep ^a wound that his ribs were laid bare. But St. Nestor, singing psalms, said: I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 33:1

[8] The judge, astonished at the man's endurance, said to the Martyr: Most unhappy man, are you not ashamed always to place your hope in ^a man, and indeed in one who died by violence? Nestor said: May this be my confusion, and of all who invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when the crowds cried out that he should be destroyed, the Governor asked him through ^a herald: Will you sacrifice to the gods or not? The holy Martyr, having confidence in Christ, said: Most impious and most wicked son of the devil, not only do you not fear God, who gave you this office of command (for by him kings reign and tyrants hold the earth, and princes write justice), but you also compel me to abandon him, the one and true God, maker and savior of all, and to worship vain and stony images? The Governor said to him: Proverbs 8:15 What do you wish—to be with us or with your Christ? At once the Martyr of the Lord said: With my Christ I have always been, and am, and shall be.

[9] When therefore the judge saw the obstinacy of his endurance, he immediately brought forth sentence against him, saying: Since you have not consented, Nestor, to the most victorious King nor to the immortal gods, but have followed Jesus crucified under Pontius Pilate by the Jews, as I hear—therefore, so that you may not be undevoted to your God, accept his sentence: that you perish fixed to ^a cross of wood. And when the judge had so ordered, the wood was prepared with all speed for his crucifixion.

[10] Blessed Nestor, when crucified upon the wood, taught each of the Christians, saying: Little children, let our confession be steadfast toward God, and let us not deny him who suffered for us, God, lest the devil rejoice over the servants of Christ. Let us suffer with him, that we may be glorified together. Let us not deny him, lest he deny us. Remember that the Father sent him as Redeemer of souls and for the abolition of our sins, who committed no sin and was made sin for us; and the Father gave us all to him, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of things on earth, and of things under the earth, and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10 And he said to the crowd standing by: Little children, let us pray and bend our knees to the Lord through the same Jesus Christ. When all had bent their knees and prayed, he gave up his spirit.