Martyrs of Pontus

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF PONTUS, MOSEUS AND AMMONIUS.

Moseus, Martyr in Pontus (S.) Ammonius, Martyr in Pontus (S.)

[1] The acts of the holy Martyrs Moseus and Ammonius seem to have perished; the Roman Martyrology recites this eulogy: "In Pontus, the feast of the holy Martyrs Moseus and Ammonius, The feast of these Saints, who, being soldiers, were first condemned to the mines, and finally handed over to fire." The same is recorded by Bede, Usuardus, Ado, Notkerus, Bellinus, and Maurolycus. Moseus the names is called Moyseus by Notkerus, Mosaeus by Ado; Musaeus by Maurolycus and Felicius: Ammonius is called Ammon by Bellinus and Maurolycus. The MS. of S. Jerome: "In Pontus, in the city of Asia, Moseus, Ammonius."

[2] Galesinius specifies their era, though he does not indicate from what source he learned it: "In Pontus," he says, their era, "the holy Martyrs Moseus and Ammonius, who, being soldiers, were first condemned to the mines, then snatched from there and afflicted with various torments, and finally, under the Emperor Decius, burned for the faith of Christ." Petrus de Natalibus treats of them, book 2, chapter 97.

ON THE HOLY THIRTY-SEVEN EGYPTIAN MARTYRS: PAULUS, PANSIUS, DIONYSIUS, THONIUS, HORPRESIUS, HORUS, DIONYSIUS, AMMONIUS, BESSAMMONIUS, AGATHO, RECUMBUS, BASTAMUS, SARMATA, PROTEAS, ORION, COLLUTUS, DIDYMUS, PLESIUS, ARATUS, THEONAS, HIPPEAS, ROMANUS, SATURNINUS, PINUTUS, SERAPION, BASTAMMONIUS, PAPAS, PANTHERUS, PAPIAS, DIOSCORUS, HERO, POTAMON, PETHECUS, OECOMENUS, ZOTICUS, CYRIACUS, AMMONIUS.

Paulus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Pansius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Dionysius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Thonius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Horpresius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Horus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Dionysius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Ammonius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Bessammonius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Agatho, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Recumbus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Bastamus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Sarmata, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Proteas, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Orion, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Collutus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Didymus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Plesius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Aratus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Theonas, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Hippeas, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Romanus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Saturninus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Pinutus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Serapion, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Bastammonius, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Papas, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Pantherus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Papias, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Dioscorus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Hero, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Potamon, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Pethecus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Oecomenus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Zoticus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Cyriacus, Martyr in Egypt (S.) Ammonius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)

The Acts of these illustrious champions had been transcribed by Rosweyde from the most ancient manuscript codex of M. Welser, but they were fragmentary. A more complete text was supplied to us by an ancient MS. of the monastery of S. Maximinus at Trier, The Acts of these Saints, differing slightly in wording here and there. The time of their martyrdom is not specified.

[2] The feast is indicated by the MS. Martyrologies of the monastery of S. Martin at Tournai, their feast, and the Laetian, in these words: "On the same day in Egypt, of thirty-seven soldiers, who, divided into four groups, were ordered to be put to death: so that those who were separated in the Eastern part should be handed over to fire; those of the North should be beheaded; those of the South should be burned; and those who were stationed in the Western part should be handed over to the Lord's passion." Whether they were soldiers, as is said here, or Presbyters, Deacons, or of some other sacred order; and perhaps trained together in piety in some monastery, as the times then allowed, whence arose that supreme unanimity in propagating the faith -- one may rightly hesitate to say.

[3] Names varying. Certain names were written variously, even in the same codex: for those who are called at the beginning Ammonius, Bassammonius, Agathus, Collutus, and Aratus are afterward called Ammon, Bastammon, and Ammon, Agatho, Collotus, and Arato.

ACTS FROM ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS.

BHL Number: 6584

From manuscripts.

[1] The testimony of Paulus, Pansius, Dionysius, Thonius, Horpresius, Horus, Dionysius, Ammonius, Bessammonius, Agathus, Recumbus, Bastamus, Sarmata, Proteas, Orion, Collutus, Didymus, Plesius, Aratus, Theonas, Hippeas, Romanus, Saturninus, Pinutus, Serapion, Papas, Bastamon, Pantherus, Papias, Dioscorus, Hero, Potamon, Petecus, Oecomenus, Zoticus, Cyriacus, and Ammonius.

[2] The Saints voluntarily offer themselves for martyrdom. These thirty-seven most valiant men and athletes of Christ came together with one accord to martyrdom. For a multitude of those offering themselves went to the Judge, so great that it not only terrified him but nearly drove him to madness. For the martyrdom was of the most distinguished men of Egypt, and none among them was ignoble or of inferior fortune: but they were of a certain principal and honorable lineage among them, all of noble birth: whose order, however, it was difficult to retain under a single name. But the sufferings of each must be related as it happened when they came to their rest.

[3] For the discourse of these men, even of this great multitude and most beautiful army, was not one and the same, They had distributed Egypt for preaching: but as if by the Holy Spirit they had encompassed all Egypt in a fourfold division, some to the morning of the East, some to the evening of the West, and others to the Northern region, and others still to the Southern. It is therefore most necessary to narrate the companies of these men. For placing them in the number of holy Teachers, the Lord sent them out in a circuit to instruct the unlearned. They are arrested: But the foolish and less educated, not recognizing their humanity, seized them as though they were pernicious and perpetrators of wicked deeds, and bound them, beating them and afflicting them with tortures. But those who were being led to martyrdom embraced all these things gratefully, and to the degree that the wicked advanced in hindering them, to that degree they grew in the benevolence of piety.

[4] They are brought before the Prefect: This, then, was not unknown to the Ruler of Egypt, and inflamed by his own malice and the most bitter cruelty beyond measure, having taken counsel with his household, he commanded that, just as they had been planted in Egypt in a fourfold manner, so they should be brought before him. But they, not discordant in mind, nor in faith, nor in will, but imitating the divine host, had thus encompassed Egypt, teaching the right and most just way: and Paulus held the leadership of this host, not unlike that Teacher of the nations who showed the true way to those who were wandering. Similar to him was B. Pansius: and the third followed, the most holy Dionysius, fellow traveler of Thonius, Those who preached in the East: and Horpresius and Horus: whom Dionysius and Ammon accompanied, and with them Ammon and Agatho, preaching the word of the Lord in the choir of the Eastern part.

[5] In the Northern part, those who had taken up this manner were not weaker than the others, but shone more brightly in their profession, even if a certain contention of faith was found among them. Those in the North; For what was the contention of those Saints, if I may say so, except that each of them should be more and more approved by Christ? In the same choir were the companions, the most holy Recumbus, together with Bastamus, Sarmata, and Proteas. Nor far behind them followed Orion, a man shining among the rest, Collotus and Didymus; with whom Plesius and Aratus filled out the same choir.

[6] Those in the South: In the Southern part were Theonas, planted by the Lord, to whom the governance of the faith had been entrusted and the task of persuading those who approached: who was not held to be isolated in this ministry, but completed the same number of the Sindonia with those who had gone before, together with Hippeas, Romanus, and Saturninus, Pinutius also joining them, and Serapion, and Bastammon, and Papas, and Pantherus, accompanied by a faith fully developed. This choir was stationed in the South to prophesy the word of God and to serve as teachers to the rest.

[7] Those in the West. In the Western part the Lord stationed as Teachers Papias, Dioscorus, Hero, and Potamon; with Pethecus, Oecomenus, Zoticus, Cyriacus, and Ammonius cleaving inseparably to them in the same choir.

[8] All these, therefore, encompassing all Egypt with the word of the Lord, Pious contention among them, had this one contention: which of them should serve the Lord more, or which should more readily endure the adversary's sufferings. Wherefore we have not without reason judged it fitting, brethren, to make this also known to you. For that man is free from the fault of ignorance who has not been willingly ignorant. Therefore receive the memory of our carnal fathers, and learn how those who sinned strayed from the right way before the Son of God appeared in the flesh, while he still abode in the bosom of the Father. On this account not even God the Father, enduring to contain the Son, gave a promise; nor did the Son in turn delay to assume the flesh, but clothed in it he preached first God the Father, then taught that he himself was the Son of God; and lastly confirmed the word of justice by the voices and teachings of the Prophets, whom even they had not proclaimed without his inspiration: and before he deigned to come to us, it was he himself who through the Prophets gave the law and prophesied. All the aforesaid Saints, therefore, encompassing this Egypt in a similar circuit, taught those who were erring, instructed the obedient, and rendered a most true account for the transgressions of the fathers. If therefore the fathers transgressed, let us amend their fall; if they went astray through inconstancy, let us, established in faith, run the course. For the contention among the aforesaid Saints was not opposed to faith, but was of a religious character. They strove among themselves as to which of them should first win a person from error; they ran to see who should unite a greater people to God.

THE ACTS OF THE SAME

Written in Italian by Paolo Regio, Bishop of Vico.

Archelaa, Virgin and Martyr at Salerno in Campania (S.) Thecla, Virgin and Martyr at Salerno in Campania (S.) Susanna, Virgin and Martyr at Salerno in Campania (S.)

Author: Paolo Regio.

CHAPTER I.

The holiness and miracles of S. Archelaa and her companions.

[1] Virginity conquers the world, restrains carnal appetites, being removed from the unhappy lot and companionship of our mother Eve, to whom was divinely declared: "In sorrow you shall bring forth children, and you shall be under the power of your husband;" Praise of virginity. and enjoying the full possession of her own liberty, she is injured by no injury of time, but flourishing with perpetual vigor she brings an excellent ornament of pious and religious life, and joined with it enters the heavenly bridal chamber of her Spouse, Christ. Gen. 3:16.

[2] S. Archelaa lives devoutly with her companions: Endowed with this noble and divine gift, Archelaa, having already taken the veil as a bride consecrated to Christ, was leading a chaste and religious life in a certain monastery removed from the crowds, such as the times then permitted to be built and maintained. Then, as the persecution of Diocletian raged, in order to escape the fury of the impious, she fled from Romagna with two companions, her sisters in Christ, She comes to Campania: Thecla and Susanna, and settled not far from the city of Nola, in a humble and poor place, where day and night she poured out prayers to God and devoted herself to other holy works.

[3] She becomes renowned for miracles: As many sick persons as were brought to her immediately obtained health from God through her merits. Her countenance was cheerful and modest; in dress both she and her companions used garments not womanly but rather manly, on account of which they were believed to be men by those who came to them for help. For they were clad in a tunic of coarse and rough cloth hanging down to the feet, and in a cloak, with their hair shorn, their faces worn by fasting and penances; in short, they bore a certain appearance of Hermits. As their fame spread far and wide, people began to flock to them in great numbers, to obtain either bodily or spiritual health. For together with that holiness of life was joined the grace of healing incurable diseases and the preaching of the Christian religion.

[4] The virtue of Archelaa and her companions was therefore celebrated in the talk of all. She preaches Christ: But since everywhere the agents and ministers of impiety were keeping watch, as though stationed at fixed posts, to spy out every movement of the Christians, they were at length denounced to Leontius, the Governor of Campania. When he was holding court at Salerno, She is arrested: he ordered them to be arrested and dragged before him, so that unless they offered sacrifices to the gods, they should be punished with death according to the edicts of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian.

[5] She is brought before Leontius the Judge: Brought therefore to Salerno, they are presented to Leontius. Here, as though secure of obtaining by divine gift the glory of martyrdom, since they sensed that the goal of their mortal course was at hand, they freely declare that they are virgins dedicated to God, and bound by a vow of preserving chastity, having received from Christ the ceremony of voluntary devotion. Leontius, beholding a certain marvelous cheerfulness and majesty in the countenance of Archelaa, turned to her and said: "Listen, Archelaa. Why do you summon people to yourself, good and bad alike, and persuade them to worship Jesus of Nazareth, who could neither defend himself in former times, nor can now be a protection to others? Why have you dared to cure diseases with magic spells, and thus to hunt for a reputation of holiness, in order to allure mortals into fraud -- concealing your wickedness under this deceptive garb, and counterfeiting the male sex, when you are a woman, and indeed a most harmful and most impious sorceress? Moreover, you have perhaps induced these girls too to practice the same impostures. Wherefore, unless I take punishment upon you, She answers him nobly: all the more ignorant will be led into deceit." "By the power of Christ," said Archelaa, "I suppress the works of the devil, and summoning mortals endowed with reason, I imbue them with the knowledge of the true God, who created heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them: and moreover, through Jesus Christ, the only-begotten of the same almighty God, I restore health to all who are sick. Nor do I counterfeit my sex under this garb, since I have at once confessed myself the handmaid of Christ: and these are my sisters in the Lord, raised with me from infancy in the Christian faith." Leontius said: "Whoever resists the commands of the Emperors is guilty of a dire death." Archelaa answered: "We have as Lord Jesus Christ, for whose sake we despise the world with its vanities: from him we await mercy, who governs heaven, earth, and all other things by his providence."

[6] Then Leontius: "Our gods contain and rule all things: She mocks the gods and proclaims the power of Christ: and their names are many -- Saturn, Trismegistus, Venus, Mercury, Juno, Minerva, and Jupiter, who is greater than all the rest. These are the powers of God, and they act and govern all things." The Virgin answered: "Those gods of yours are blind, and blind are those who adore them or believe in them." "Your God," said Leontius, "is alone, and cannot sufficiently defend himself, seeing that he was long ago nailed to a cross, given vinegar to drink, crowned with thorns, and pierced with a lance." "But these things," said B. Archelaa, "he endured for our sake, so that all who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life. But your gods do not see, do not hear, do not speak, and can help neither themselves nor others."

[7] She is thrown to lions, which do not harm her: Irritated by these words, Leontius orders lions to be brought into the enclosure prepared there, driven by enormous hunger, for they had never been given sufficient food for a space of seven days; and he orders the Virgin to be violently thrown to them by the lictors, and those standing by believed she would immediately be torn apart. But the opposite happened: for by divine power they were made gentle and tame, and prostrate at the feet of the holy Martyr, they seemed as if to declare that they wished to be her protection with their claws against the fury of the most impious tyrant. And Archelaa began to pray to God thus: "Lord God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, who have until now preserved my body from all defilement, and have today caused me to overcome the lions themselves and Leontius, who is more savage than the lions, the son of the devil, who wished to strike me dead with servile fear and to crush my soul -- be today and always my helper: into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit."

[8] When the most ferocious Leontius saw and heard this, inflamed with fresh rage, he orders the lions themselves to be killed by his attendants; She is bound and thrown into a dungeon. and the hands of Archelaa and her companions to be tightly bound behind their backs, and they to be shut up in a most foul dungeon, so that he might afterward torture them with other torments. And thus the holy Virgins, leading an angelic life on earth, were savagely tormented by the worshippers of demons for the name of Christ, who by this means was calling them to heavenly triumphs.

CHAPTER II.

Various tortures, glorious death.

[9] There is nothing sadder or more grievous for human life than when men's minds are detained by earthly desires and pleasures. Nor, on the other hand, is anything more suited to true rest and tranquility than to desire nothing at all except to serve God and to expose one's body to every torment for his honor. And therefore the one who has less acquaintance with pleasures fears death less: but the one who hopes for no life after death fears to die. The servants of God knew this: wherefore it should seem surprising to no one if they esteem mortal life as of little worth, since they know that it is appointed for men to die once; but that for those who have lived their life with virtue, another blessed and immortal life awaits. Proof of this is the most sacred virgin Archelaa, who, shut up in a dark prison, placed all her hope and protection in God. But behold, when she seemed to have been brought into the greatest straits, an Angel of God appears to her, She is strengthened from heaven: and bathes her in an incredible light, and comforts her with these words: "Archelaa, servant of God, fear not; a crown is already prepared for you in heaven: your prayers have reached the sight of God."

[10] The guards of the prison also saw the unusual light, and struck with great terror they cried out: "One is the true God, whom the blessed Archelaa proclaims." The next day Leontius orders Archelaa to be brought before him: "Drag here," he says, She exhorts the Governor to embrace the faith, "Archelaa, who both insults me and overthrows my gods with her sorceries and blasphemies." When Archelaa was brought to the tribunal, she said: "I neither insult you with injury nor do I commit any sorcery; but your own works, most impious tyrant, bring injury upon you, and your own blasphemies are preparing you as fuel for eternal flames. But if you listen to me and give credence to my words, believe in God the almighty Father, and in Jesus Christ his Son, who created you, from whose mutual love with the Father there proceeds from eternity Love itself, driving away all darkness. This one God in Trinity has long been known to all nations."

[11] The Governor, despising these words as though they were some ridiculous ravings, said: "If you too are willing to believe in my gods, you shall be adorned with riches and honor and shall obtain a distinguished place among the Roman matrons: but if not, I shall inflict upon you a death full of ignominy, and expose your body to be devoured by ravens and wolves." Archelaa answered: "I have as my helper my Lord Jesus Christ, who will protect my body from every injury you meditate, and will make me a partaker of eternal joy with his Angels, if, as hitherto, I guard my mind from all iniquity. In him my body, like those of other holy virgins, shall blessedly rest."

[12] The Proconsul Leontius, kindled with anger, orders a great fire to be set beneath a frying pan, and it to be filled with oil and pitch. While the pan is being heated, She is beaten, and anointed with oil and pitch: he meanwhile orders Archelaa to be stripped and torn with iron combs, and then beaten, then sprinkled with burning oil and pitch. By this means, burned deeply to the very bones and foully disfigured, she struck the lictors themselves with immense admiration: that one so tender and weak by nature could endure such savage torments. She herself, with arms extended in the form of a cross, eyes turned to heaven, said: "Look down, Lord, from heaven, from your holy seat, upon your faithful handmaid: extinguish with the dew of your grace this burning pyre that scorches me; refresh my body and free it from all pain and from the wounds that the cruel tyrant has inflicted." Scarcely had Archelaa uttered these words She is encouraged by a heavenly voice: when a light was seen above her head, and a voice, sent from no mortal author, declared this: "Handmaid of Christ and holy Martyr, fear not; a crown is prepared for you in heaven: fear not the punishments threatened by the tyrant, because I am with you, to help you and lead you into refreshment."

[13] When Leontius saw that no torture could break the exalted spirit of the Virgin, he orders the lictors to place her under an enormous rock, to be utterly crushed by its weight. Placed under an immense rock, she is divinely delivered: But suddenly an Angel of God rolled that immense rock to the other side, and by its size and weight it crushed the very executioners who were attempting to destroy the Martyr with it. And thus Archelaa also escaped this manner of death, while Leontius gnashed his teeth in vain. She, however, was singing praises to God, using these words: "Blessed be the God of our fathers, who saves all who hope in you." The spectators, astonished at this prodigious outcome, cried out: "True is the God of the Christians, whom B. Archelaa proclaims."

[14] When Leontius heard this, turning to his men, he said: "What shall we do with this sorceress, who has overcome all torments? Seize her and inflict upon her an ignominious death. Lead her a thousand paces outside the city of Nola, and there put her to death with her two companions." Immediately the three virgins, Archelaa, Thecla, and Susanna, with their hands bound behind their backs, were led to the appointed place of martyrdom. Then Archelaa urged the lictors to carry out the orders of the Emperor. But they, terrified by the angelic apparition that had presented itself to them, She is beheaded together with her companions, said: "By no means, Lady, shall we undertake such a thing." The holy Virgins answered with one voice: "Unless you do what the Governor has commanded, you shall have no part with us." Hearing this, the executioners at last drew their swords and with single strokes immolated all three, one by one, as undefiled victims to God. Thus they concluded a most praiseworthy life with glorious martyrdom, around the year of Christ 293.