Acta Sanctorum

Pansophius

15 January · passio
Latin source: Heiligenlexikon
St. Pansophius, a martyr of Alexandria under the Emperor Decius, was the son of the proconsul Nilus. After distributing his patrimony to the poor, he spent twenty-seven years as a hermit in the desert. Denounced to the Augustal Prefect, he refuted pagan superstitions and was beaten to death with rods. His Acts come from the Greek Menaea. 3rd century

ON ST. PANSOPHIUS, MARTYR, AT ALEXANDRIA

Under Decius

Preface

Pansophius, Martyr at Alexandria (St.)

Our Raderus writes, in his as yet unpublished annotations on the Menaea, that he found the name of St. Pansophius in no Calendars of the Saints except in the Greek Menaea at January 15. But Petrus Galesinius, though on the following day, celebrates him with a splendid eulogy: St. Pansophius's name in the Martyrologies "At Alexandria, St. Pansophius, Martyr. He was born of Nilus, Proconsul of Alexandria, and educated in the liberal arts. After his father's death he first gave his entire patrimony to the poor as alms; then he withdrew into solitude, where he spent twenty-seven years in prayer. Afterwards, accused of the Christian religion before the Augustal Prefect under Decius, an enemy of the faith, he was beaten with rods for so long that he gave up his spirit to God." Canisius has nearly the same. Ferrarius briefly: "At Alexandria, St. Pansophius, Martyr, under Decius." The Menaea of this day have a fuller account.

ACTS FROM THE GREEK MENAEA

Pansophius, Martyr at Alexandria (St.)

"Strike Pansophius all the more, you impostors, For thus you shall weave more crowns for him."

[1] St. Pansophius's lineage He was an Alexandrian, born of a father named Nilus who had attained the rank of Proconsul: with an abundance of wealth, natural talent, and paternal virtue, he reached the highest peak of both profane and sacred learning. learning After his father's death, having distributed his possessions to the poor, solitary life he sought the wilderness, and having renounced all earthly comforts, following Christ alone, he spent twenty-seven years in desert places, conversing constantly with God alone, and with his mind withdrawn from these lowly things, dwelling in heaven.

[2] When therefore such great virtue could no longer remain hidden, he was reported to the Augustal Prefect of Alexandria, who had waged war against Christians by command of Decius. Brought before him, he refuted the empty and deceitful superstitions of the Gentiles from their own fables, and checked the tyrant's pride: wherefore he was savagely beaten, beating and obtained the laurel of martyrdom.

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Notes

a. Concerning the withdrawal of pious men from the crowds of the populace, and certain beginnings of monastic and anchoretic life under Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, in these very times of Pansophius, we shall treat on January 17 in the life of St. Anthony, section 3.
b. That the Prefect of Egypt was called the Augustal is evident from the Notitia Imperii.
c. Decius seized the empire after slaying the Philippi in the year of Christ 249, as we shall say more fully on January 20 in the Acts of Pope St. Fabian.