ACTS OF ST. CARTERIUS, PRIEST AND MARTYR.
Under Diocletian.
From the Greek Menaia.
Carterius, Priest and Martyr in Cappadocia (St.)
[1] During the reign of Diocletian, when Urbanus was governor of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Carterius, a priest and teacher of Christians, turned his house into a church and, having gathered a great multitude of Christians, instructed them in the true faith, by which they might learn to worship Christ alone as the true God St. Carterius the Priest teaches the people: and acknowledge no other God besides him. When he was denounced to the governor, he hid himself in a secret place. He is sought and hides: But the Lord appeared to him and commanded him to come out into the open and present himself voluntarily to those seeking him: "I will be with you," he said. "For you must suffer much for my name, then offers himself to those seeking him. and many, converted through you, will attain salvation." At this, Carterius, filled with immense joy, gave thanks to God and came forth into the light.
[2] First he was shut up in prison, then brought before the governor and ordered to sacrifice to Serapis; but Carterius by his prayers cast down the idol. He casts down the idol of Serapis: Then he was savagely beaten with clubs by sixteen lictors, with four other executioners standing over him. Then, suspended from a fork, he is dreadfully tortured: his fingernails and toenails were cut off with a razor, and his whole body was scraped and torn with iron claws. But, refreshed by the sight of an angel, he proved superior to all torments he is healed by an angel: and was immediately made whole.
[3] He is tortured again: Then again, by the governor's order, he was detained; with nails driven through his ankles, he lay on his back bearing a red-hot plowshare on his chest. Furthermore, he was forced to sit in a burning iron frying pan; then his feet were pierced with burning awls, and thus he was thrust back into prison. Near nightfall the Savior again presented himself to his sight, loosed his chains, freed him from every affliction, he comes forth from prison: and, leading him out of custody, dismissed him free. Therefore many, having seen him healthy, came to him and were washed in the sacred font, and cured of all the diseases from which they suffered.
[4] Then huge stones were hung from his hands and feet, and while he was thus bound and stretched, his belly was beaten with clubs; tortured again and killed. his sides were burned with lighted torches; resin was poured into his wounds; molten lead was dripped into his mouth; and a red-hot helmet was placed on his head. And at last, thrown into a pyre, while he was singing praises and thanksgiving to God, he remained unharmed in the fire. Thereupon a certain Jew among the bystanders, driven to madness, hurled a spear and drove it through the martyr's side, inflicting death — but not before so copious a flow of water had poured from his side as even to extinguish the pyre. Blood followed, and with it he gave up his soul into the hands of God.
Annotations