ON THE HOLY ALEXANDRIAN MARTYRS JULIAN THE GOUTY, EUNUS CRONION HIS SERVANT, AND BESAS THE SOLDIER.
Year of Christ 250.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Julian, the gouty man, at Alexandria in Egypt (St.) Cronion Eunus, his servant, at Alexandria in Egypt (St.) Besas, a soldier, at Alexandria in Egypt (St.)
Author G. H.
[1] When both Emperors Philip—the father at Verona, the son at Rome—were killed by soldiers in the year 249, Decius seized the Empire and immediately, as Paul Orosius, book 7, chapter 21, writes, as the seventh after Nero, he scattered deadly edicts for the persecution and killing of Christians. What was then done at Alexandria in Egypt is narrated by the eyewitness St. Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, in a letter to Fabius (called by others Fabianus and Flavianus), Bishop of Antioch, inserted by Eusebius in book 6, Ecclesiastical History, chapter 34. But, what is truly remarkable, he asserts that a full year before those edicts of Decius were issued—indeed, before Decius himself had assumed the Empire—that persecution had been set in motion at Alexandria by a certain prophet-inciter and minister of demons. Of this we have also treated on the 31st of January and the 8th and 9th of February, on which days Saints Metras (or Metranus), Quinta (or Cointa), and Apollonia, killed in that preliminary persecution, are venerated. To these a fourth is added: St. Serapion, inscribed in the sacred records for the 14th of November.
[2] In the persecution of Decius itself, Julian and Eunus, persevering in the confession of the Lord Jesus Christ, offered admirable spectacles of their martyrdom to Angels and men, as is read on the 7th of December in Ado's eulogy of St. Agatho the Martyr. St. Dionysius reports their passion and that of the soldier Besas in the said letter as follows: The edict of Decius had already been published, and it indeed appeared to be such as the Lord had predicted would come—in which that most terrible sentence of his was all but fulfilled: namely, that the elect, if possible, would be led into error. Matthew 24:24 All were struck dumb with terror. And of those who seemed preeminent both in dignity and in abundance of wealth (who indeed were not few in number), some, terrified by fear, voluntarily offered themselves to worship their gods; others, dragged from their private houses into public, were led to the temples by the magistrates; many were enticed there by the persuasion of their neighbors and, summoned by name, betook themselves to the impure and profane sacrifices. Of these, not a few turned pale as if they were by no means going to sacrifice, but were rather to be victims and sacrifices to the idols themselves, and stood stunned with dread—so that they were laughed at and mocked by the great throng of people standing around, who made it plainly obvious that they were equally fearful both of dying and of sacrificing. Others ran more readily to the altars, asserting brazenly and shamelessly that they had never been Christians—of whom the Lord's saying can most truly be said, that they shall hardly be saved. Matthew 19:23 Of the rest, who were of lower station and more obscure, most imitated both types of those last mentioned. Some took to flight; others were arrested, and of those arrested, many went to chains and prison and were held confined there for many days; but afterward, before coming to the tribunal, they abjured Christ. Some long endured tortures bravely, but at last succumbing, denied the faith. So far that passage. St. Gregory of Nyssa treats of the cruel persecution of Decius in the Life of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus on the 17th of November. But St. Cyprian, at that time Bishop of Carthage, deplores the most shameful defection of some and their relapse into idolatry in his book On the Lapsed. But let us review the rest from St. Dionysius's letter.
[3] But the rest, he says, who were the Lord's, as firm and blessed pillars, strengthened by his help and grace, having obtained endurance and strength aptly corresponding to the firmness of faith that was deeply rooted in their souls, became admirable and distinguished Martyrs and witnesses of his kingdom. The first of these was Julian, a man so oppressed by the pains of gout that he could neither walk nor stand on his feet. He was brought before the judge with two others who carried him, of whom one immediately denied the faith; the other, named Cronion, surnamed Eunus, and the old man Julian himself, openly confessed the Lord. They were paraded through the entire city—which, as you know, is certainly very large—seated on camels, and thus elevated were beaten with lashes, and at last, with an immense and extraordinarily blazing pyre set up and a multitude of people crowding around from every side, they were burned. And while they were being led to the place of execution, a certain soldier named Besas endeavored to assist them on the way and to resist those who heaped abuse upon them. When the people cried out against him for this reason, he was immediately seized from there and brought before the judge, and in that splendid battle undertaken for the sake of piety, conducting himself bravely and manfully as a most valiant warrior of God, he was at last struck with the axe. So far St. Dionysius in Eusebius, who was himself an excellent Confessor and died on the 17th of November, the day on which he is venerated.
[4] Rufinus, Ecclesiastical History, book 6, chapter 31, recites the same letter of St. Dionysius, with some passages omitted here and there, and changes the manner of martyrdom; whose words we therefore add. The first, he says, was the venerable Julian, so contracted by gout that he could neither walk nor stand. He was brought before the judge together with those who carried him in a sedan chair, of whom one immediately denied the faith; but the other, named Eunus, together with the old man Julian, persevered in the confession of our Lord Jesus Christ. They were ordered to be placed on camels and led around the entire city, and to be torn by lashes striking from every side while the people watched, until they met the end of their lives under those very lashes. But when a certain military man stood by and prevented some who wished to insult even the dead bodies, a cry from the whole mob was suddenly raised against him. The most valiant soldier—now of the Lord—was brought before the judge, and having nowhere shown himself inferior, persisting in his confession, was condemned to lose his head. So far Rufinus, who does not indicate that the companion of St. Julian was called Cronion, surnamed Eunus, but calls him only Eunus—which name adhered to him in the Martyrologies. Then he is silent about their being burned by fire. Finally, he does not add the name of Besas, whence fewer Martyrologies mention him. Now εὔνους or εὔνοος means "benevolent"; Κρόνος means Saturn, whence Κρονίων, as in Latin "Saturninus."
[5] The memory of Julian alone is recorded in the ancient manuscript Martyrology of the Most Serene Queen of Sweden on the 27th of February in these words: And at Alexandria, of St. Julian, old and gouty, Martyr. His companion Eunus is joined to him in other Martyrologies throughout. The ancient Roman Martyrology published by our Rosweyde has the following: At Alexandria, of Julian the Martyr and Eunus, who persevered with the old man himself. Similar entries, without indicating the manner of death, are read in the Cologne manuscripts of St. Mary ad Gradus and of the Carmelites, the Florarium, Felicius, and others. But the tables of Usuard and Bellinus, along with the Viola Sanctorum and various manuscripts, report the following: On the 3rd before the Kalends of March. At Alexandria, the passion of St. Julian, Martyr. He, being so constricted by gout that he could neither walk nor stand, was brought before the judge on a sedan chair together with Eunus his servant, and they were ordered to be placed on camels and led around the whole city, and to be torn by lashes while the people watched from every side, until they met their end under those very lashes. Bede, Ado, Notker, Maurolycus, Galesinius, and Canisius largely agree with these, in reporting that they expired under the lashes—which we related above from Rufinus. The same is read more fully in the Breviary printed by the authority of Paul III in the year 1535.
[6] In the Roman Martyrology, from the history of Eusebius himself, their martyrdom and that of the soldier Besas is indicated thus: At Alexandria, the passion of St. Julian, Martyr, who, being so constricted by gout that he could neither walk nor stand, was brought before the judge together with two servants who carried him in a sedan chair, of whom one denied the faith, and the other, named Eunus, persevering with Julian in the confession of Christ—both, placed on camels together, were ordered to be led around the whole city and torn with lashes, and at last burned on a pyre set ablaze, while the people watched from every side. In the same place, of St. Besas the soldier, who, while he restrained those who were insulting the aforesaid Martyrs, was denounced before the judge, and acting steadfastly for the faith, was beheaded.
[7] Saints Julian and Eunus are celebrated with various companion Martyrs on the 19th of February in the manuscript of Ado from the Church of the Morini in these words: At Alexandria, the birthday of the holy Martyrs Julian, Eunus, Macarius, Epimachus, Metranus, Apollonia, Ammonaria, Corinta, and ten others, who in the times of Decius were gloriously crowned with various sufferings for Christ: as Blessed Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, writes in his book On the Martyrs. All the same are recorded on that day by Maurolycus and Felicius: but Corinta is called Cointa by others. Again on the 20th of February they are assigned in the supplement to Usuard published by Hermann Greven: Julian and Eunus his servant, Martyrs. The remaining companions named above are joined to them in the manuscripts of St. Riquier under the name of Bede, and of the Carmelites of Cologne, likewise in another printed at Cologne in the year 1490. The same, except for Eunus and Ammonaria, are also inscribed in the manuscript Florarium. But with many companions their triumph is thus depicted in the manuscript Martyrology of St. Maximin: On the 10th before the Kalends of March, At Alexandria, the birthday of the holy Martyrs, who in the persecution of Decius were most gloriously crowned with various sufferings for Christ, that is: Julian, the venerable old man, and Eunus, Macarius, Epimachus, and Alexander; likewise Saints Apollonia and Ammonaria, and also Cointa, Mercuria, Dionysia, and likewise Ammonaria, Metranus the old man, Serapion, Hero, Arsenius, Dioscorus, Isidorus, Nemesius, and Schirion, Martyrs. Many others also, consumed in the deserts and mountains by hunger, thirst, cold, disease, robbers, and wild beasts, imitating the holy Prophets of God, were crowned with the glory of martyrdom. Among whom also the venerable old man Chaeremon, Bishop of the city of Nilopolis, together with his aged wife, having departed to the Arabian mountain, was nowhere seen again. All of these together are noted as having numbered about five thousand. Blessed Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, writes in his book On the Martyrs: who himself, under the cruelty of the same persecution, was sufficiently distinguished in many confessions, and was magnificent in the endurance of sufferings and torments. So far that passage. Concerning the veneration of Saints Metranus, Cointa (who is called Corinta above), Apollonia, Serapion, and Dionysius himself, we have already spoken. The rest are venerated in the month of December: specifically, on the 8th, St. Macarius; on the 12th, Saints Epimachus, Alexander, Ammonaria, Mercuria, Dionysia, and the other Ammonaria; on the 14th, Saints Hero, Arsenius, Dioscorus, and Isidorus; on the 19th, St. Nemesius; and finally on the 22nd, Saints Ischirion (here called Schirion) and Chaeremon the Bishop.
[8] The Greeks celebrate these holy Martyrs on the 30th of October, on which day the following is read in the Menologium of Canisius: On the same day, the birthday of the holy Martyrs Cronion, Julian, Macarius, and thirteen others, who under the Emperor Decius at Alexandria, tortured for Christ and persevering in their confession, received the crown of martyrdom. On which day also, citing the Menologium of the Greeks in the Notes, the following is read in the Roman Martyrology: At Alexandria, of the holy Martyrs who suffered with Saints Julian, Eunus, and Macarius under Decius. Where Baronius observes that Julian and Eunus -- who is the same as Chronion, or Cronion -- are treated on the 27th of February, and Macarius on the 8th of December. But concerning the remaining thirteen, they are also treated on the 12th, 14th, 19th, and 22nd of December, as we have already shown: and these are, as Baronius again notes, those whose martyrdom St. Dionysius describes in Eusebius, book 6, chapter 27. The same are commemorated on the 30th of October by the Greeks in the great Menaea and by Cytheraeus, but not without errors: On the same day, they say, of the holy Martyrs Alexander, Cronion, Julian, Macarius, and thirteen others. These Saints suffered at Alexandria under the Emperor Decius. The first, Alexander, having been brought forth, since he was unable to stand upright because he suffered from gout, was conveyed on camels together with Cronion his companion. They are therefore paraded through the middle of the city for a spectacle, and being suspended they are cut down with lashes, and drenched with fire burning beyond measure, they rendered their souls to God. Julian indeed and Macarius, after many torments, are beheaded. Of the remaining thirteen, some were variously lacerated with iron, others burned, others put to the sword; all, steadfast in the faith, carried off the palm of martyrdom. So far the Menaea, in which the gout of St. Julian is attributed to St. Alexander, and the service rendered by St. Cronion, and his companionship in being placed upon the camel and in martyrdom. Indeed, that St. Alexander was consumed by flames is read in the letter of St. Dionysius, but St. Epimachus is assigned to him as a companion in torments and the palm of martyrdom. Moreover, the Menaea must be corrected where they report that St. Macarius was beheaded together with St. Julian after many torments, since he was burned alive equally as St. Julian, but at a different time and on a different occasion. Finally, besides these, there are thirteen others, if St. Besas is counted. The history of these Martyrs is also described by Nicephorus, book 5, Ecclesiastical History, chapter 36, but the name of Eunus is given not as Cronion but as Ischyrion, or Ischorion. In Greek the words are: "The other, whose name was indeed Ischorion, but whose surname was Eunus."
[9] Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology reports that certain sacred relics of St. Julian are preserved at Autun in Gaul in these words: In the Church of Autun, the commemoration of the passion of St. Julian, Martyr of Alexandria, who, being afflicted with the disease of gout and unable either to stand or to walk, was carried before the judge on a sedan chair together with Eunus his servant on account of their worship of the Christian faith: by whose order both were placed on camels and led through the city, and cruelly beaten with lashes, until in the greatest constancy of piety first one and then the other breathed out their most pure spirits. A not inconsiderable portion of his relics, conveyed by divine favor from Egypt to Gaul and brought into the basilica of Autun, rendered his memory illustrious and venerable there with great honor.
*Annotation: Deciana.