ON S. BUSIRIS, CONFESSOR, AT ANCYRA IN GALATIA.
TOWARD THE END OF THE FOURTH CENTURY.
CommentaryBusiris, Confessor, at Ancyra in Galatia (S.)
[1] Ancyra, the metropolis of Galatia, among its other trophies of the Saints, also proclaims the contest of Busiris undertaken under Julian the Apostate, afterwards crowned by the distinguished innocence of his life. More recent writers have inscribed his name in the register of Saints, The name of S. Busiris in the sacred register, Canisius, Ferrarius, the author of the Gallo-Belgian Martyrology; and with a fuller eulogy, Galesinius: At Ancyra in Galatia, he says, the feast of S. Busiris the Martyr. He, under Emperor Julian, vehemently attacking the cult and impiety of the pagans, was torn with iron hooks for the religion of Christ, then tortured with many other torments, and underwent martyrdom with a steadfast spirit. He did not, however, die from the torments; but when the death of Julian was announced, he was released from prison, and prolonged his life to the reign of Theodosius, that is, beyond the year 379, when Theodosius was made Emperor by Gratian Augustus at Sirmium on 14 February.
[2] The deeds of Busiris were described by Sozomen in book 5, chapter 10, which Cassiodorus faithfully translates thus in the Tripartite History, book 6, chapter 13. His contest for the faith, They say that Busiris at Ancyra of Galatia had a most illustrious and most courageous confession, although he had been in the heresy called that of the Encratites, that is, the Abstainers. For when the judge had arrested him on the charge of insulting the pagans, he wished to torture him publicly and ordered him to be hung on a frame. His remarkable constancy. Then Busiris, quickly extending his hands above his head, bared his sides, saying that there was no need for the ministers to labor in hanging him up and taking him down, since he himself was ready for whatever punishment they wished to inflict, and offered his sides to the torturers. The judge, marveling at his readiness, was even more astonished by the proof of the event. For when the iron hooks had most violently furrowed his sides, as long as it pleased the judge, he held his hands extended and received the blows with cheerfulness. After this he was led back to prison and rested. Then, shortly after, when the death of Julian was announced, he lived until the principate of Theodosius, and dwelt in the Catholic Church, having done penance for his former heresy.
[3] So Cassiodorus, translating Sozomen almost word for word, except that the latter expressly states that Busiris (whom he also writes as Busouris), being then of the heresy of those called Encratites, Whether he was then Catholic. when the death of Julian was announced, was released, and returned to the Catholic Church, having condemned his former heresy; whereas Cassiodorus leaves it ambiguous whether he was a heretic when he suffered these things. Nicephorus too, in book 10, chapter 10, implies that Busiris was then Catholic: him, who had formerly been of the heresy of the Encratites, etc., whom the prefect of the province seized as he vigorously and fearlessly attacked the idols, etc. Whether, however, he had already at that time been reconciled to the Catholic Church, or was still held in heretical error, the most gracious Deity brought it about that he completed his invincible strength of soul with the profession of the true religion. The Encratites, who are called by some Encratistae, that is, the Continent or Abstainers, abominated marriage, abstained from meat and wine, asserted multiple first principles including the devil among them; and although they were called Continent, yet they traveled with women and lived in common with them, as S. Epiphanius writes in Heresy 47, and Baronius at the year 174, number 10.