Glaphyra

ON ST. GLAPHYRA, VIRGIN, AT AMASEA IN PONTUS.

About the year of Christ 324.

Glaphyra, Virgin, at Amasea in Pontus (St.)

Glaphyra, an Italian virgin, truly glaphyra (that is, "elegant" in Greek), celebrated more for her piety and chastity than for her beauty, is recorded in the registers of the Roman Church under January 13 with this eulogy: "At Amasea in Pontus, of St. Glaphyra, Virgin." The Greeks record her on April 26 in the Menaia: "Glaphyra rests in peace," and they add this distich: The birthday of St. Glaphyra,

"God, Glaphyra beholds with the eyes of her soul — not dimly (glaphyros) now, but with radiant clarity."

Her deeds were described by John the Presbyter of the Church of Nicomedia in the Acts of St. Basileus the Bishop, her deeds, with whom he testifies that he conversed before his death. Those Acts, published by Lipomanus and Surius, we shall give in full on April 26; here we present only what pertains to Glaphyra. Since it is established from the Chronicle of Eusebius that St. Basileus was killed in the 14th year of Constantine, that is, A.D. 324, the time of her death, it is probable that Glaphyra died on the Ides of January of the same year.

LIFE FROM THE ACTS OF ST. BASILEUS,

By John the Presbyter of Nicomedia.

Glaphyra, Virgin, at Amasea in Pontus (St.)

By John the Presbyter.

[1] After the just punishment of Maximinus and the wrath divinely brought upon him, Licinius, holding the entire East under his dominion, came with great pomp to the city of Nicomedia in our region, Licinius favours Christians on account of Constantine, but insincerely. together with his wife, to dwell in the royal residence and govern the Empire of the East. At first, ^a profound peace was suddenly brought about throughout the entire territory of our region, after the violent storms and battles stirred up by raging idolatry, by the will and agency of Licinius. But the devil, the enemy of good things, could not long endure the tranquillity and joy of those living devoutly. For the overthrow and punishment of those tyrants who had preceded him did not serve as an example for Licinius himself, that he should not become the same sort, but should do what is just and persevere therein. For when things had gone favourably for him as he wished, and what he hoped for had come into his power, he showed not long afterwards what sort of mind he had and what manner of person he truly was — namely, that he had associated with that great Emperor Constantine through pretence and under ^a certain guise and covering of feigned faith, during which time he had been concealing his mind while observing Constantine's achievements.

[2] Then, therefore, when he was entirely wicked and impious, and had entirely accommodated himself to the will of the devil, he rejected the confession of the sole and true God, the Creator of all — He again worships idols and lives incontinently. and this after that oath which he had repeatedly made to the most God-loving Emperor Constantine, that he would at no time defect from the faith of the Christians but would be its champion. Making nothing of his promises, he diligently gave himself entirely to the worship of the Greeks, remaining with ardent zeal in those execrable practices, and everywhere offering sacrifices to the idols themselves. He also violently seized women of senatorial rank, and committed shameful and intemperate acts in the sight of men, sparing neither mothers nor daughters from his immoderate intercourse with them. Moreover, he did not cease devising infinite calamities upon all peoples.

[3] When the natural sister of the great Constantine saw and heard these things and could not bear them, she secretly sent ^a letter to the pious man and friend of God, Constantine, in which she made known what Licinius had dared to do. He expels Christians from the Court. For that man, zealous for the superstitious worship of men and himself hateful to God, Licinius, had driven all Christian people far from his household. By this act he openly showed himself to be stripped and destitute of the divine patronage of Christ.

[4] Since such things were being done by him for ^a long time without any impediment, ^a certain maiden, one of those who had been assigned with ardent zeal to the service of the Queen, sprung from the race of Christians and flourishing in manners and temperance, when she learned of these things and, having been solicited by Licinius for illicit relations, shuddered at the thought of being joined to him — and fearing at the same time lest she be afflicted by her mistress on account of jealousy and suspicion — she dared to reveal the secret to the Queen herself: "This," she said, "is what the Emperor has determined to do to me. Glaphyra is zealous to preserve her virginity. For Benignus, who is the Prefect of his bedchamber, has made this known to me, hoping to bestow it upon me as some great gift. Therefore I beseech you, by that God who is Lord of heaven and earth, whom you yourself fear and the Emperor Constantine worships, do not allow me to be deprived of my virginity, violated by impious intercourse."

[5] When the Queen had learned these things and had willingly embraced the maiden's righteous intention and resolve, She is sent elsewhere by the Augusta, in ^a disguised appearance. she first concealed her, under the pretext that she had been seized with delirium and seemed about to die. Then, finding ^a suitable opportunity, she gave her much gold and silver, royal adornment, all manner of furnishings, and servants; and she sent her to the region of Armenia. She instructed the men who were escorting her that they should by no means reveal to anyone what was happening — namely, who or whence this maiden was — until the Lord himself should provide. They dressed her in men's clothing, and having given the Queen ^a firm pledge concerning the safekeeping of the maiden and kindly treatment of her, they set out for the place to which they had been directed. And if anyone asked them who he was, they replied that he was ^a certain tribune.

[6] She comes to Amasea. By the providence of God it happened that they came to the city of Amasea; this city was the metropolis of the province of Pontus. Glaphyra, therefore (for this was the maiden's name), when she had seen the well-fortified city, was delighted by the appearance of the place and advised her servants that, if they found the Christian community there, they should remain in that city. When ^a certain young man, who belonged to Quintius, one of the most distinguished men of that city, heard that those men were Christians and were asking whether there were any of the same faith in that city, he reported what he had heard to Quintius. She is kindly received by Quintius. Without delay, Quintius met them and asked them to be willing to stay in his house and, if it pleased them, to remain there, saying that he too was ^a Christian, and that in that place they had ^a Christian Bishop, an excellent man who deserved to be compared with the Apostles themselves.

[7] They obeyed his words and, taking ^a certain part of his house, remained with the most distinguished Quintius. They also met the Bishop himself, She reveals to Bishop Basileus who she is. who was called Basileus. He was ^a man of great eloquence, filled with every virtue and spiritual prudence. When Glaphyra herself was asked who and whence she was, she replied that she was Italian by birth and ^a Christian, born of Christian parents, and ^a servant of that Queen who was the sister of Constantine Augustus and the wife of King Licinius. She added also the reason why she had come to that place. When they heard these things, they instructed that neither she nor anyone belonging to her should associate with any persons, lest in some way they be reported to the Prefect of the city and this become ^a cause of calamity for them. The blessed Bishop Basileus said that the cause of her departure pertained to the glory of God.

[8] In those very days the Bishop was building ^a church; She gives him money for the construction of ^a church; for until that time there had been no sacred place for the Christians within the city. The chaste Virgin Glaphyra therefore contributed much gold and silver toward the construction of the church, and devoted nearly all her resources to supplying everything that Blessed Basileus ordered. She also wrote to her mistress, telling her where she was and with whom she had resolved to stay, and informed her about the sacred building, asking her to send more money so that the holy church might be completed for the Christians. and obtains more from the Augusta. The sister of the great Constantine did this most willingly, sending both abundant funds and many gifts to her. She also wrote ^a letter to the Bishop, commending the maiden to him.

[9] After some interval of time, they say it happened by the art of the more wicked demon that that Benignus of whom we spoke found Glaphyra's letters. Having read them and learned that the maiden was alive When her letters are intercepted, she is ordered to be seized. and was with ^a certain man at Amasea, he revealed this to King Licinius. Who, being inflamed with extraordinary fury, sent at that very hour an edict to the governor of the province, ordering that Basileus himself and the handmaid Glaphyra be bound in iron chains and sent to him. Before the King's letter reached the governor, by the providence of God it happened She dies. that Glaphyra herself departed from human affairs. The corrupt and inhuman governor, when he had received the King's edict, seized the most holy Bishop Basileus, and sent him bound in iron chains to the King. Concerning Glaphyra, he wrote that she had died.