ON ST. PETER BALSAMUS, OR ABSELAMUS, MARTYR.
A.D. 291.
PrefacePeter Balsamus or Abselamus, Martyr (St.)
[1] Most Martyrologies make mention of this glorious athlete, but they do not agree either on his name, or on the place or manner of his martyrdom. Authors disagree on the name, day, and place of martyrdom of St. Peter Balsamus. For they call him Anselamus, Auselamus, Abselamus, Apselamus, Balsamus, Abesalamites, Abessalomites. Some write that he suffered at Caesarea, others at Aulana, some in the territory of Eleutheropolis. It is best to cite the very words of the Martyrologies.
[2] Bede: "Of St. Peter the Martyr." The MS. of the Society of Jesus at Antwerp, and the MS. of St. Lambert at Liege: "In the city of Aulana, the passion of St. Peter, who was put to death by the punishment of the cross." The MS. of St. Riquier: "In the city of Aulana, of St. Peter the Martyr." An ancient MS. of St. Martin at Tournai: "In the city of Avelana, the passion of St. Peter, who was crucified under the Emperor Maximian." Usuard: "On the same day, of St. Peter, who was put to death by the punishment of the cross at the city of Aulana." Bellinus has the same, and the Roman Martyrology likewise, except that it calls the city Aulona, as do certain manuscripts under the name of Usuard. Some read Eulana. Maurolycus: "On the same day, of St. Peter, who was put to death by the punishment of the cross at the city of Aulana, under the Governor Severus, in the reign of Diocletian." Galesius and the German Martyrology say nearly the same.
[3] Some record him on January 4th: Rabanus and the MS. Martyrology of St. Maximin at Trier: "On the same day, the passion of Peter, also called Balsamus, Martyr, under the Emperor Maximian, when Severus was Governor, who, because he refused to sacrifice to the gods, ordered him to be suspended and torn with iron claws; and at the last he was killed by the sword, and buried in the city of Aulona." Notker has the same in nearly the same words.
[4] Molanus records him on January 3rd with Usuard, and again in the Additions to Usuard on January 11th as if he were a different person: "At Caesarea in Palestine, of St. Peter the Ascetic, that is, a religious or monk, who, often asked to spare his youth, having disregarded their exhortations, proved his faith in Christ with a noble and lofty spirit through fire, like the purest gold." Molanus drew this from Eusebius. For Eusebius in book 8 of the Ecclesiastical History, chapter 20, writes thus: "On the 11th day of the month Audynaeus, that is, on the 3rd of the Ides of January, His homeland Peter, also called Apselamus, asketes i.e., a religious or monk, having pursued a solitary life devoted to meditation, born from the village of Anea in the territory of Eleutheropolis; when the Judge and those who were with him in council had very often begged him to have pity on himself, to spare his youth and his flourishing age; having utterly disregarded their exhortations, and having far preferred the hope which he had placed in Almighty God Contempt of life to all other things, including life itself, at Caesarea, through fire, like the purest gold, he carefully proved his faith in Christ the God Glorious martyrdom with a generous and lofty spirit."
[5] But whereas Christopherson translated "a religious or monk, having pursued a solitary life devoted to meditation," Whether Peter was a monk or an athlete in the Greek there is only asketes, which here perhaps does not signify a religious, but one who is robust and trained for contests (before his conversion, that is). Thus below, from the Menologion, he is said to have excelled greatly in bodily strength and mental vigor; and from the Menaea, "excelling in the piety of the faith and in bodily strength" (te kata pistin eusebeia, kai te kata to soma rhome akmazon). Certainly asketes often means athlete, and asketerion a gymnasium; although more often among sacred writers it is understood as monastery.
[6] On the same January 11th there is recorded in the Martyrology of St. Jerome Alolamus, and in the MS. of Rhinow, Peter Absalmus, as we shall say below, who is undoubtedly our saint.
[7] The Menaea for January 12th: "St. Peter Abesalomites, Martyr, excelling both in the piety of the faith and in bodily strength, in the flower of his age freely professed Christ. Thereupon, seized by the Governor of Eleutheropolis, since he could be softened neither by flattery nor terrified by threats, he was cast into a pyre, and from it carried away the laurel of martyrdom." Our Raderus considers this one to be different from Peter Abselamus or Balsamus, and indeed, because Abesalom (2 Macc. 11:17) and Abessalom (1 Kings 15:2, 10) are proper Jewish names, he suspects that this man was also a Jew by nation.
[8] The same Menaea for October 14th, concerning the same man, unless I am mistaken: "Of the holy Martyr Peter Auselamus. He came from the territory of Eleutheropolis, from a village called Aneas, a noble and spirited young man, also of strong bodily constitution; he often acted bravely for his religion, and despising all present things, in the sixth year of Diocletian, having been made a sacrifice acceptable to God, he completed his contest in the flames." I am surprised that our Raderus writes that he has read nothing about this man among the Latins. The Menologion has the same for October 14th. Ferrarius also in his General Catalogue of Saints on the same day: "At Aulona in Macedonia, of St. Peter the Martyr, under Diocletian." I scarcely doubt that Peter Abselamus is one and the same person; why he should be venerated on such different days by various authorities is not easy to conjecture.
[9] By cross, sword, or fire — in what manner he is said to have been killed. Concerning the manner of martyrdom, there also seems to be no small controversy; while some say he was put on the cross, others that he was killed by the sword, still others that he was consumed by fire. Was he nailed to the cross, then suffocated by fire set around it? Or was he taken down from the cross and cast into the fire? Or was he then struck by the sword in the very flames? The Menaea and the Menologion do not mention the cross or the sword. The MS. of Bertin expressly has: "Then, suspended on the cross, he was beheaded."
[10] Where he suffered. They also vary concerning the place. Eusebius writes that he was killed at Caesarea; others at Aulana or Aulona. Aulana, as Ortelius reports from Hegesippus, is a city of Samaria. Eleutheropolis, in whose territory Peter was born, is a city of First Palestine, which, as Cedrenus says, was formerly Hebron. And the Metropolis of the same First Palestine was Caesarea, formerly the Tower of Strato. Therefore it is not surprising that one who was killed within the jurisdiction of the city of Caesarea should be said by Eusebius to have been slain at Caesarea; who in the same chapter writes of others captured and killed at Ascalon in the same province. Moreover, in the Acts he is not said to have been killed at Aulana, but seized there, and then brought before the Governor, perhaps dragged to Caesarea. Certainly I cannot be persuaded to agree with Galesius, who interprets Aulana as Aulona, commonly called la Velona, which is a maritime city on the Adriatic; whom the French translator of the Roman Martyrology followed, and Ferrarius in his topography, who writes that Peter, also called Balsamus, was crucified there, and that his body is preserved at Venice.
[11] St. Peter buried at Atroa. On the same January 3rd, the Menaea celebrate Peter Semeiophoros the Sign-Bearer; who is perhaps our Peter Balsamus, whom however I have nowhere else read to be called by this name. They have: "On the same day, the commemoration of our holy Father Peter the Sign-Bearer, buried in St. Zacharias of Atroa" (Te aute hemera mneme tou hosiou patros hemon Petrou tou Semeiophorou, en to hagio Zacharia tes atroas keimenou).
[12] Why he was called Semeiophoros. Concerning him our Raderus comments thus: "In the Greek it is Semeiophorou, literally Sign-Bearer, Standard-Bearer, Champion. The word can be taken in various ways: as if Peter had become a monk from being a standard-bearer; or that he bore the marks of Christ on his body, as St. Paul and others did; or that he habitually carried a cross, as we read of some others; for semeion also signifies a cross and the sign of the Son of Man (Matt. 24); or that he performed signs; or that he was marked and branded with letters on his forehead, as some will appear below who were lettered because they refused to condemn or reject or trample upon sacred images — which certain impious Caesars, iconoclasts and opponents of images, used to do and wanted and forced others to do. I think rather that he was put on the cross for Christ. For thus the Roman Martyrology teaches that he was killed by the punishment of the cross at the city of Aulona." Raderus therefore judges this to be the same Peter who is said to have suffered at Aulona.
[13] Whence these Acts are taken. The Acts of St. Peter Balsamus, translated into Latin by Anastasius Bibliothecarius and published by Surius, we have collated with the ancient manuscripts of the monastery of St. Bertin, the monastery of St. Maximin at Trier, the Church of St. Omer, St. Mary de Ripatorio, and others.
ACTS.
Peter Balsamus or Abselamus, Martyr (St.) BHL Number: 6702
From Surius and MSS.
[1] At that time Peter, also called Balsamus, having been seized at the city of Aulana during the time of the persecution, St. Peter's homeland since he was a native of the territory of the city of Eleutheropolis, was brought before the Governor Severus. Severus said to him: "What is your name?" Peter answered: "By my father's name I am called Balsamus; Steadfastness before the Governor but by my spiritual name, which I received in baptism, I am called Peter." The Governor said: "What is your family?" Peter answered: "I am a Christian." The Governor said: "What office do you hold?" Peter answered: "I cannot hold a greater office than this; and what can be better than to be a Christian?" The Governor said: * "Do you have parents?" Peter answered: "I do not." The Governor said: "You lie; for I have heard that you have parents." Peter answered: "In the Gospel I am commanded to deny all things when I come to the confession of the name of Christ." The Governor said: "Do you know the imperial decree?" Peter answered: "I know the command of my God, who is the true and eternal King." The Governor said: "The most merciful Princes have decreed that all Christians must either sacrifice or die by various punishments." Peter answered: "And this is the command of the true and eternal King: if anyone shall sacrifice to demons and not to God alone, he shall be uprooted. Which then is better: to perish at your hand, or to be uprooted forever by the true God? Judge for yourself, if there is indeed any justice in you." The Governor said: "Listen to me and sacrifice to the gods, and fulfill the orders of the Princes." Peter answered: "I do not sacrifice to gods made by hands, of wood and stone, such as you yourselves are."
[2] The Governor said: "You insult us. Do you not know that I have the power to kill you?" Peter answered: "I do not insult you, but I speak what is written in the divine law. 'The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. They have mouths, eyes, noses, hands, and feet; but with these they neither speak, nor see, nor smell, nor hear, nor feel, nor walk.' Ps. 113:4 (115:4-7) Then it follows: 'Let those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them.' He mocks the idols and their worshippers. If the Lord says these things through the Prophet and the Holy Spirit, how can you tell me that I have insulted you, because I said you are like mute and deaf stones and wood, in which you worship demons? And you persuade me to become like you?" The Governor said: "Listen to me and have pity on yourself and sacrifice." Peter answered: "Then I have pity on myself if I do not sacrifice and do not depart from the truth. But since you are unfaithful and believe neither me nor the divine law — that he who sacrifices to demons will be uprooted — and you keep pressing this demand upon me, do what you have been ordered to do." The Governor said: "I still exercise patience, waiting for you to deliberate with yourself and sacrifice and be saved." Peter answered: "You urge upon me what is unnecessary. ** Do what you are going to do, and fulfill the works of your father the devil. For I will not do what you urge, nor may my Lord Jesus Christ, whom I worship, permit it."
[3] He is tortured. The Governor ordered him to be suspended; and when he had been suspended, he said to him: "What do you say, Peter? Do you not feel anything in this suspension? Will you now offer sacrifice?" Peter answered: "Command the claws to be applied; for I have already told you repeatedly that I do not sacrifice to demons, but only to my God, for whose name I suffer." The Governor ordered him to be tortured severely. And although the praiseworthy Martyr of God was exceedingly tormented, he uttered no cry of pain, but only sang psalms, saying: "One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" (Ps. 26:4). And again he said: "What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has rendered to me? I will take the chalice of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord" (Ps. 115:3-4). While he said these things, the Governor, further enraged, ordered other executioners to approach. But the crowd standing by, when they saw the great amount of blood flowing across the pavement, grieved and said to him: "Have pity on yourself, man, and sacrifice, so that you may free yourself from these most cruel punishments." But the holy Peter of God answered: "These punishments are nothing, nor do they cause me any pain; but if I should deny the name of my God, I know that I would enter into true punishments and into greater, everlasting torments." The Governor said: "What do you say, Peter? Sacrifice, or you will regret it." Peter answered: "I will not regret it, nor will I sacrifice." The Governor said: "I pronounce sentence upon you." Peter answered: "This is what I await with all eagerness." He is nailed to the cross. Then the Governor dictated the sentence against him, saying: "I order that Peter, who utterly despises the commands of the most invincible Princes on account of the law of his crucified God, shall undergo the sentence." ** And so the venerable athlete of Christ, completing his contest, was deemed worthy to share in the sufferings of his Lord. The witness of Christ, Balsamus, also called Peter, was martyred at the city of Aulana, on the 3rd of the Nones of January, under the Emperor Maximian, in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is glory forever and ever, Amen.
AnnotationsSide Note * alt. "Sustenance — do you have parents?"
Side Note ** alt. "to you."
Side Note * alt. "Do you sacrifice, or not?"
Side Note ** alt. "innumerable."
Side Note * MS. Bertin: "Then, suspended on the cross, he was beheaded."