ON ST. DOMINICA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR,
AT TROPEA IN CALABRIA.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
The obscure memory of St. Dominica among the ancients; more recently made clearer among the people of Tropea. The cult and ecclesiastical office.
Dominica, Martyr, at Tropea in Calabria (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR C. J.
Tropea, an episcopal and maritime city in Further Calabria, once more celebrated than now, is praised for many things from antiquity, from its founder, from its site, its fertility and healthfulness; from its warlike valor, and men illustrious at home and in war, The praise of Tropea. shining also with the Cardinal's purple: for these things, I say, Tropea is praised in the prolix Preface to the Life of St. Dominica, virgin and martyr and Patroness of the place, published in Italian at Naples in the year 1690 by Antonio Barone, Presbyter of the Society of Jesus.
[2] Concerning Dominica, what the Martyrologies [say,] Of that Saint, whose history that writer seems to have exalted beyond measure, perhaps out of love of country; you will find nothing among the ancient Martyrologists. The first, so far as I know, to make mention of her is Franciscus Maurolycus, Abbot of Messina, in his Martyrology, published at Venice in the year 1568, in these words on 6 July: In Campania, under Diocletian, of St. Dominica, virgin and martyr, who, the idols being broken, and fire and beasts overcome, beheaded, migrated to the Lord; whose body rests at Tropea in Calabria. Peter Galesinius, contemporary with Maurolycus, in his Martyrology accommodated to the use of the Roman Church, printed at Venice 1578, has the same a little more verbosely; and confesses in his Notations that he has his own from Maurolycus, but has explained it more copiously, as he received it from ancient tables. From those, moreover, the same Saint was translated with a similar elogium into the Roman Martyrology. These three elogia, therefore, since they are of the same tenor, would have been received from ancient tables, as Galesinius says.
[3] Others then added other things more recently and more freely. Ughelli writes thus in volume 9 of Italia Sacra, among the Bishops of Tropea: what Ughelli [says,] The people of Tropea adore St. Dominica, virgin and martyr, as their tutelary Saint, who, under the emperor Diocletian, when she had broken the idols, [was] condemned to the beasts; but nothing harmed by them, at last, her head being cut off, migrated to the Lord. Her natal is kept on 6 July: whose body they say is preserved in the cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God, taken up in the Assumption. Thus far agreeably with the Martyrology: but what he adds a little after, he would have received from the present-day opinion of the people of Tropea; namely, that St. Dominica, born in this diocese, under the persecution of Diocletian received the palm of martyrdom in Campania. Her body, translated by Angels to her native soil, is venerated with the highest veneration. In her honor the pious faithful founded a church, and raised a monastery.
[4] A writer of the same age as Ughelli, Gregorius de Laude, what Gregorius de Laude have. otherwise de Lauro, Abbot of Sagittario, in the deeds of blessed John Joachim the Abbot, published at Naples in the year 1660, page 310, treating of a certain ancient church of St. Dominica, which he opines to have been built in the reign of Diocletian; proceeds thus: Since St. Dominica, about the year 260, sown of Dorotheus and Arsenia, in a certain village of Tropea, and most excellently reared in the Catholic faith; thereupon with her holy parents brought over into Campania to Diocletian; by whom, after she had broken the idols with a simple spittle; condemned to the harlots, to the fire, to the beasts, and to the wheel, and never harmed in anything, and at last beheaded (whose body, translated by Angels to her native soil, is venerated with the highest veneration) had given such a proof of her sanctity, and had instilled into the breasts of the faithful such devotion, that even those worshippers of Christ (who, that they might escape the tyranny of the same Diocletian, had betaken themselves to hiding-places) erected churches and dedicated them to her name about the year of the Lord 302, the same tyrant reigning: that, stirred by the memory of her, they might come securely, the contest being consummated, to the joys of the heavenly city. These things are cited by me chiefly, that it may be known what idea that writer had of the deeds and martyrdom of St. Dominica, of whom we treat.
[5] Meanwhile, that he mentions the church of St. Dominica, which he says was most ancient, The church of St. Dominica quite ancient. I will easily grant; but not that it was built in the year of Christ 302, and dedicated to the name of the same St. Dominica, Diocletian still reigning. In the year 1200, toward the end of the life of blessed John Joachim, abbot and founder of the Florensian Congregation, there still stood the church of St. Dominica with an adjoining monastery of Benedictine monks in the place of Fiume Freddo Cold River, diocese of Tropea, where a little after was built the monastery of Blessed Mary of the Laurel Fountain, of the Florensian Order; and thus the title of St. Dominica was obliterated. These things are more solid, and are established from the letters of foundation, made by Simon Mamistran, Lord of Fiume Freddo, signed in the year 1201; approved by Richard, bishop of Tropea, in the year 1202, and confirmed by Pope Innocent III in the year 1203. Those letters can be read in Gregorius de Laude himself from page 311, and in Ughelli volume 9, from column 633. That church of St. Dominica, therefore, could have been built three or four centuries earlier (if indeed so long ago) and rightly be called most ancient: although its origin be not carried up to the times of Diocletian.
[6] Things similar to what the two cited Authors mention of Dominica others also record, all most recent, The opinions of the more recent [writers on her deeds] not however with the same view: and more things than the rest Antonio Barone mentions in his Life of Dominica, to be esteemed rather for oratorical verbosity than for historical narration. He, at the end of his work, gathered a list of the Writers whose works he himself used. But all those lived within these last two centuries; so that nothing thence concerning the truth of things, done fourteen hundred years before by a single person, can prudently be concluded on their authority. Yet in the first place he sets forth in his list, and cites, the Life of St. Dominica, which is preserved, he says, in the library of the church of the Savior of the Greeks, of the city of Messina, and is extracted from their Menologia and ecclesiastical Offices. Such a Life (one that would be somewhat ancient) I was wishing to see. But I seem to myself to know that nothing is to be expected thence. For what Barone here calls the Life of St. Dominica, he himself printed in his work, Greek-Latin: nor is it anything other than an Ἀκολουθία liturgical sequence, wont to be interspersed by the Greeks in the divine Offices, by way of hymns and sequences, as the Latins call them; from which scarcely anything can be deduced historically for knowing what was truly done, inasmuch as they are engaged almost wholly in mere praises, drawn from the genius of the hymnographer, to the honor of the Saint whose Office is sung.
[7] and their authority. In the second place he cites the Lessons, approved at Rome by the sacred Congregation of Rites, in the year 1670 for the church of Tropea; thinking thence to acquire complete truth of historical matters, as they are narrated in the Lessons,
which are sought to be approved for the use of a particular church. The sacred Congregation in such matters is not wont to vouch for the truth of the history offered to it; but chiefly to judge whether there be nothing in them which abhors from the common sense of the faithful, or is contrary to the sacred canons prescribed in the Roman breviary. In the third place he cites Lessons of St. Dominica more ancient, extracted from a Gallican breviary. I confess that those Lessons are more ancient than those which in the year 1670 were approved by the Congregation of Rites: yet they scarcely have a greater age than three centuries. But I do not grasp what that Gallican breviary is, which could have supplied to the church of Tropea in Calabria, most far removed from the Gauls, Lessons proper to its own St. Dominica, before she herself had such. And these are the aids by which Antonio Barone thinks his history of St. Dominica, suffering under the emperor Diocletian, is sufficiently proved.
[8] I desire more ancient things. Which while I seek among our Latin Martyrologists, I find none before the 16th century, Writings, whichever be more ancient, among the Latins, as I already intimated, who even has the name of this St. Dominica, not even the collector of the Pulsano Martyrology, who wrote in the kingdom of Naples in the century, as it seems, 14th or 15th. A Latin writing which treats of the deeds of St. Dominica, older than this I do not have (although it is not itself very ancient) than that which our Antonio Beatillus once sent to us from Naples, from an ancient breviary of the Clergy of Tropea, for the feast day of St. Dominica, virgin and martyr. It contains three lessons, wont to be recited by the clergy. Whether those were drawn from the aforementioned Gallican breviary, or composed by the people of Tropea themselves, which seems more probable, matters not greatly to the point. At least they were once read in the church of Tropea and thus approved there.
[9] As for what pertains to the Greek fasti; St. Cyriaca M. is known in the Typicon of St. Sabas, what [is found among the Greeks] the Greek Horologion, the Menaion of Chifflet, but on the 7th of this month (on which she is also recorded in the Acts, presently to be given after this Commentary); likewise in the Slavo-Russian Menologium. The Supplement to the printed Greek Menaia, from the Synaxarium of Sirmond and the manuscript of Chifflet, reports her on 26 July, in these words: Ἄθλησις τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ἀεὶ παρθένου Κυριακῆς, καὶ τῶν ταύτης γονέων Δωροθέου καὶ Εὐσεβείας. The passion of the holy and ever-virgin Cyriaca, and of her parents Dorotheus and Eusebia. Which announcement distinctly indicates our Martyr, as is plain from the names of the parents added to her. But that a Cyriaca different from this one, of whom we now treat, is placed on 19 May in the suspect Acts of St. Phileterus the Martyr, and in the Menaia of Chifflet with two little verses, you may gather from this, that this one is there said to have consummated her martyrdom by fire. See also the things which were said among the Passed-over, on the same 19 May.
[10] A Greek writing also concerning the same Saint, under the Greek name Cyriaca, are found; we have from the manuscript Synaxarium of our Father Jacob Sirmond; in which for 6 July is noted: Μνήμη τῆς ἁγίας Μάρτυρος Κυριακῆς. The memory of the holy Martyr Cyriaca. Two little verses are subjoined concerning the same Saint, and an elogium not inelegant, embracing a compendium of her life. It could have been written in the 10th or 11th century: certainly the style has something of the famous Metaphrastes, especially in the multitude and diversity of the punishments by which the Martyr was tormented. That this Cyriaca of the Greeks is the same as the Dominica of the Latins; and that this Greek elogium is more ancient than the Latin writings on that matter, is gathered both from these words of the elogium: Γεννήσαντες δὲ θῆλυ παιδίον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κυριακῇ, ἐπωνόμασαν αὐτὴν Κυριακήν. The parents named their little daughter, because she was born to them on the Lord's day (Dominica), Cyriaca in Greek, which is in Latin Dominica; and from this, that most of the things mentioned in the Greek elogium concerning Cyriaca are reported also in the Latin writings concerning Dominica: which especially appears in the Martyrdom and the various kinds of torments, which in both are nearly the same; as also the time of the martyrdom under Diocletian; and the name of the father Dorotheus, and other things.
[11] These two manuscript monuments we think are here to be preserved by print, both will be given here. not as approved by us in every part, but as more ancient. And in the first place indeed we shall give the Greek as, so to speak, primary; then the Latin, distributed into three Lessons, wont once to be recited by the clergy of Tropea for the divine Offices: that thus anyone may of himself be able to know what in the history of the deeds of St. Dominica, who suffered martyrdom fourteen hundred years ago, is more ancient, what more recent; and to compare with them the things which now at last, most recently, are narrated concerning her from tradition and conjectures. The Greek elogium mentions nothing of the fatherland of the holy woman, whether Dominica or Cyriaca; it calls her parents Dorotheus and Eusebia; and says that they indeed, after being scourged, were sent by Diocletian to Justus the duke; but the daughter to Maximian (more rightly it would be said to Maximin) Caesar at Nicomedia; and they hint that she herself, in Bithynia a province of Asia, after many torments died; nor has it a word of the place of burial or the translation of the body. First I exhibit the little verses, which the said elogium will follow, thus rendered into Latin by our Pinius.
Κυριακὴ θανοῦσα, τὸν τομὴν φθάνει, Προαιρέσει πλὴν καὶ τελειοῦται ξίφει.
Although Cyriaca, dying, forestalls the stroke, Yet the sword she desired makes her a Martyr.
[12] In the days of the emperor Diocletian, a certain Dorotheus, a Christian, and Eusebia his wife, lacking children, prayed to God, The Saint's parents, her birth, her seizure, that there might be given them fruit of their loins, that they might offer him to God. And when they had begotten a girl on the Lord's day (that is called by the Greeks Cyriaca), they surnamed her Cyriaca; and, rearing her baptized and instructed in the wisdom of the Lord, they kept her a virgin, as one whom they wished to offer to God. But persecution having arisen, they were delivered to the emperor Diocletian; who, after he had brought them to examination, and had beaten them, sent the parents indeed to Justus the duke, but Cyriaca to Maximian Caesar at Nicomedia.
[13] things done before Maximian Caesar at Nicomedia, He again instituted an examination; and when he had found her firm and unshaken in the faith, prostrate on the ground, he scourged her for many hours. But the Saint praying, the Judge was driven into a fury against those who did not obey; and the Saint said to him: I do not deceive thee, Maximian, never shalt thou rule over me, God helping me. And he sent her over to Hilarianus, governor of Bithynia; who, having again questioned her, led her to the temple of the idols. But she, when she had prayed, a great earthquake occurred, and all the images of the temple, falling down, were broken and crushed like dust; and a whirlwind of wind, coming on, scattered the dust into the air, and a flash of fire, approaching, burned the face of Hilarianus the governor; who, falling from his seat, expired.
[14] torments of various kinds; But after another Governor, his successor, had come, taught all things, he adjudged the Saint to the flames; and a great pyre being kindled, they cast her into the midst. But she, with hands stretched upward, prayed to God a long time; and, though the air was clear and pure, a cloud descended from heaven, and extinguished all the force of the fire, the Martyr in no wise harmed. Furthermore the Governor, loosing wild beasts against her in the stadium, profited nothing. For the beasts rolled at her feet; on account of which many believed in Christ.
[15] Then the Saint was cast into prison, and the next day, when the Governor presided, her death in peace. he brought a sentence against her. The lictors seized her, and led her outside the city, that she might be beheaded. She, after she had asked time for praying, and had instructed the Christians who followed her, bowed to the earth, and rested in peace. But the soldiers, beholding her dead, were astonished. And there came to them a voice: Depart, brethren, and tell all men the great works of God. And they, departing, glorified God.
[16] The said elogium greatly accords with the Acts a little more prolix, Concerning the Greek Acts to be given here afterward, of which it is a compendium. They are noted to be excerpted from a very ancient Calabrian codex of the Ambrosian Library, without the name of the Author added. What if, with proportion, you apply to them the things which were said above concerning the age and character of the elogium? Truly Metaphrastes seems to shine not a little in them; whether you consider the heaping-up and variety of torments; or the colloquies, recurring again and again.
[17] The Latin Acts, more recent than the Greek, or the Lessons, which we said were once in use in the church of Tropea, and concerning the Latin [Acts.] narrate that Dominica was born in a city of Campania; that she had for father Dorotheus, and for mother Arsenia; that her parents were sent into exile by Diocletian to the parts of the river Euphrates, and Dominica presented to Maximian Caesar: at last, at the end, they add that her body was miraculously carried to Tropea in Calabria, which was once called Magna Graecia. Finally, some most recent writers, one from another, now record that Dominica underwent martyrdom in a city of Campania; but the day after the martyrdom, thence her body was carried by the hands of Angels to Tropea in Calabria: they inquire also into the circumstances of matters, of the doing of which nothing is established from the Acts; namely, whether St. Dominica had for her native place a city of Campania, or Campania itself the city, or rather Tropea in Calabria. They add other things from their own invention; unknown to the somewhat more ancient writers, much less to the most ancient.
[18] But that they may extend the glory of Dominica more widely (as though that were the Saint's glory), Barone on page 75 baptizes her with various names, Various names, especially Euphemia, calling her Euphemia, Sicula, Palma, Marta, Battona, Nicetria; and says that these names are proper to Dominica among divers nations; and that all denote the same person and holy Dominica. Vain thoughts of men! St. Euphemia under Diocletian was a most celebrated martyr of Christ at Chalcedon in Bithynia, celebrated in the writings of the ancient Fathers and Historians; everywhere on earth in Asia, Europe, Africa, honored with churches built to her name and a singular cult. And did this one, in Calabria and the diocese of Tropea, borrow her own name from a St. Dominica, once known by not even the name to any Fathers or Historians? The name of the same Euphemia the gulf of the sea which washes Tropea preserves to this day, commonly called Golfo di Santa Eufemia. Of the same, already then toward the end of the 4th century, St. Paulinus, bishop of Nola, gloried that he had relics in his church of St. Felix, thus singing in the 9th Natal, page 610 in the edition of Rosweyd:
And Euphemia the martyr, who on the Chalcedonian shores Marks with her virgin blood the consecrated strand.
For Chalcedon was near the sea in Bithynia, a province of Asia Minor, on the Propontis.
[19] A more likely suspicion may be, why the same Saint was called by the people of Tropea by two names, attributed to Dominica, Dominica and Euphemia; because the lovers of Dominica, who was then of obscure name, and had no proper acts, borrowed those from St. Euphemia: and thence called their Euphemia also their Dominica. Certainly the Acts of Euphemia, to be read in Surius on 16 September, have much affinity
with those things which were collected late under the names of Cyriaca and Dominica; especially in those things which pertain to the martyrdom and its manner: nay even the arena of martyrdom, which it is agreed was Bithynia for Euphemia, is assigned also to St. Cyriaca, and indeed to St. Dominica in her said elogium. Hence it would further be deduced, that the body of St. Dominica, which, as Ughelli writes, the people of Tropea say is preserved in their Cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God taken up in the Assumption (others say it lies hidden elsewhere; and, sought laboriously, has not yet been found), was brought to them from nowhere else than from Bithynia, in whatever manner at length. Which likewise could have given occasion why they sometimes confused the names of Euphemia and Dominica, both suffering in the same province of Bithynia, and both known among the people of Tropea, the one by her miracles, the other by her body.
[20] as also Hariola and Nicetria. The other names of St. Dominica enumerated above are more foreign and less known from elsewhere, and not to be inquired into by us. But one which the writer superadds on the following page, Hariola, and its origin can be judged plainly fabulous. He writes that Julian the apostate reckoned the name of Dominica most hateful, on account of the innumerable and stupendous miracles which were done everywhere at her invocation. Hence the same Apostate promulgated an edict, in which the wondrous signs of Dominica were depicted as demoniac tricks of magicians, and he ordered, to abolish the name of Dominica, that she should thenceforth be called by all Hariola, and that all the churches dedicated by the faithful to her name should be leveled to the ground. Then the Writer subjoins a singular example, that the Szeklers, a people of Dacia (now Transylvania), rebuilt the church of St. Dominica under the name of Nicetria: which understood, Julian at once sent [men] to demolish it, and moreover willed that the region itself should thenceforth, for ignominy's sake, be called Hariola.
[21] [Whether the name and deeds of Dominica, known everywhere under Julian the Apostate,] These things, by way of compendium and specimen, I have thought good to note from the history of Barone in the cited place. I could wish he had adduced a more ancient witness of the matter than the posthumous sheets of Scipio Scombato, which alone he cites, having forgotten to note whether they were written by the man while yet of sound mind, or afterward. Certainly not even to a sound and most learned man, commenting on such things after so many centuries, could they safely be believed. Barone confesses in more than one place that the Fathers and somewhat more ancient Historians mention nothing of St. Dominica. But in this place he thinks that the Fathers, who otherwise praised in their writings other holy Virgins and Martyrs, Sotera, Agnes, Lucy, and others like, could hence have been unknown to all writers, passed over Dominica in silence; because Julian everywhere abolished her name and destroyed her churches, and by a public edict ordered her great and stupendous miracles to be imputed to magic arts.
[22] and now at last, with no witness, A marvelous ratiocination! Whence the memory of St. Dominica ought to have become more celebrated and immortal, thence he concludes that she was utterly obliterated. For if the name of St. Dominica was so celebrated in the time of Julian; if so many churches were dedicated to her, and these all at once (for Julian did not reign beyond two years) and everywhere were destroyed; if so frequent and stupendous miracles were published through the world; as the writer builds up: how could it come about, that of such things, publicly done, nothing became known to the Fathers and other writers, who flourished in great numbers after the martyrdom of Dominica, before the reign of Julian, and under him, and in the following times? But if you obstinately think it could have happened, and that all those things publicly done were, together with Julian, buried in the earth in perpetual oblivion; tell me, pray, who now at last in our age, after so many centuries of oblivion, has raised all those deeds from the dead, and set them in so clear a light, are most well known. as if he himself had seen and heard all things face to face? You say moreover that the name of St. Dominica, then most celebrated, was by Julian by public edict changed into that of Hariola. Who saw that edict? Who read it? Who mentions it? No one certainly could there read the new name Hariola, without at the same time knowing in whose place it was substituted. But of these there is no witness. Equally therefore the name of Hariola, and the deeds of Julian and his edicts against St. Dominica, which for so many centuries were buried in silence, or rather never happened, are now at last brought forth and written as true.
[23] Popular tradition, how far it can be believed But I would not, by refuting a history or rather a panegyric, most recently devised concerning things most ancient and equally most obscure and most uncertain, lose oil and labor. That work is public, so that it can be read by anyone. It suffices me to have indicated that no support can thence be drawn for building up now the ancient deeds of St. Dominica. Whatever can now be known of them, that is, of the parents and native place of Dominica, likewise of the place and manner of the martyrdom, concerning the ancient particular facts. of the translation of the body, and other things, must be sought from the Acts, than which no more ancient monuments are had; a popular tradition of two or three centuries obtaining nothing concerning particular and most ancient facts, unless it be founded on those Acts, or other respectively ancient writings, or be supported by ancient monuments, such as temples, sepulchres, the certain presence of bodies, or the like.
GREEK-LATIN ACTS
From a very ancient Calabrian codex of the Ambrosian Library, f. N. n. 151. Translated by J. P.
Dominica, Martyr, at Tropea in Calabria (S.)
FROM THE MANUSCRIPT.
CHAPTER I.
The parents of St. Cyriaca; the constancy in the faith both of them and of the holy Martyr.
Οἶκος εὐπρεπὴς ὑπῆρχεν τῶν βιωσάντων συνόδου ἀληθείας Δωροθέου πατρὸς καὶ Εὐσεβείας μητρὸς Κυριακὴ θυγάτηρ ἐκδεχομένη ἐξ ἀπαλῶν ὀνύχων. Ἐβασίλευσαν κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν Διοκλητιανὸς καὶ Μαξιμιανὸς οἱ καίσαρες, ὧν τινῶν μόλις ποτε τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐδυνήθη φράσαι ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ καὶ μισοκάλλου διαβόλου· οὐκ ἐπαύοντο οὖν διαβάλλοντες τοὺς δούλους τοῦ Θεοῦ, λύχνους φαίνοντας ἐν σκοτεινοῖς τόποις. Προετρέπετο δὲ αὐτοὺς τὸ ἐπουράνιον βραβεῖον· ἐβάσκαινον δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου τὸ τῶν φιλοχρίστων δόγμα πᾶσαν ἡμέραν οἱ τῆς ἀδικίας ἐργάται. Ἅμα δὲ καταχρωόμενοι τὸν ἀλαλαγμὸν τῶν δούλων τοῦ Θεοῦ τινες, εὐχαριστηρίους ὕμνους ἀνέπεμπον τῷ Κυρίῳ. Καὶ οὕτως διαβάλλοντες οὐκ ἐπαύοντο τῷ παρανόμῳ βασιλεῖ, τοῦ δὲ δεινοτάτου αἱμοβόρου. Ἐπεὶ τὴν Χριστοφόρον ποίμνην ἁρπάσαντες, εἰσάγουσιν τῷ ἀσεβεστάτῳ Διοκλητιανῷ.
[2] Ὅπως ἐλθόντες λαθραίως τῆ ἑαυτῶν ἐλευθερίᾳ κατέχοντες εἰς μέσον τὴν Παρθένον, καὶ λέγοντες αὐτῇ· Κυρία θύγατερ, φύλαξόν σου τὴν ἁγνίαν, ὡς Χριστοῦ σεμνὴ παρθένος· ἄσπηλόν σου τήρησον τὴν σάρκα, ὀρθήν σου κράτει τὴν λαμπάδα, ὅπου μέλλεις εἰσιέναι εἰς τὸν ἀθάνατον νυμφῶνα, πρὸς τὸν καλοῦντά σε Χριστὸν, ὡπως ἂν δηχθῇς ὡς προσφορὰ, πρεσβεύουσα ὑπερ τῶν κατὰ σάρκα σῶν γονέων, καὶ δυσωπήσῃς τὸν πατέρα σου Χριστὸν, καὶ Μαρίαν τὴν μητέρα σου, τὴν ἄσπηλον περιστερὰν, ἵνα ἡμῖν δωθείῃ τόπος ἀναπαύσεως διὰ σοῦ, τέκνον.
[3] Πολλὰ οὖν ἐδεήθημεν καὶ ηξιώσαμεν τὸν ἀγαθὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἐχαρίσατό σε ἡμιν, καὶ ἡμεῖς προσενέγκαμέν σε τῷ Χριστῷ, καρποφορίαν σαρκὸς, ἵνα προσεύχῃ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἰδοῦ γὰρ εἰσέρχεσαι εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τοῦ παρανόμου Διοκλητιανοῦ, καὶ δι᾽ αἰκισμῶν πολυπλόκων· τέλεσόν σου τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἀγῶνα, ἵνα εἰσέλθῃς ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως Χριστοῦ. Μὴ οὖν δειλιάσεις τὰς ἀπειλὰς τοῦ τυράννου, καὶ ἐννοηθέντα θάνατον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Καὶ γὰρ μὴ βουλομένοις ὁ θάνατος ἐπείκειται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις· οὐκ ἔστιν οὖν τοῖς δικαίοις θάνατος, ἀλλὰ λύσις ἀπὸ σώματος, ψυχῆς δὲ ἀνάπαυσις. Καὶ ὡς ἂν ἐπαύσαντο διδάσκοντες τὴν παῖδα, ἐπέστησαν αὐτοῖς οἱ ὑπηρέται, οἱ καὶ συλλαβόμενοι τοὺς Μακαρίους, παρέστησαν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Διοκλητιανοῦ. Εἰσαχθέντων δὲ αὐτῶν, ἠρώτα αὐτοὺς, λέγων·
[4] Εἴπατέ μοι, ποίας θρησκείας ἐστὲ, ἢ ποῖον σέβεσθε θεόν; Ἀποκριθέντες δὲ οἱ Ὄσιοι, εἶπον· Τί θέλεις περὶ Θεοῦ, βασιλεῦ, ὃν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων εἶδεν, οὐ δὲ ἰδεῖν δύναται; φοβερὸς γάρ ἐστιν καὶ πῦρ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ προπορεύεται, καὶ φλογιεῖ κύκλῳ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐὰν ἀκούσωσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ θεοὶ, εἰς οὓς ὑμεῖς πλανᾶσθαι ἀπατώμενοι, τακήσονται ὡς κηρὸς ἀπὸ προσώπου πυρός. Βασιλεὺς γάρ ἐστι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς, ἔφη· Μὰ τὴν ἐμὴν σωτηρίαν καὶ τὴν τῶν θεῶν εὐμένειαν, καὶ φιλίαν· ἐὰν μὴ πίσθητε τοῖς ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ λεγομένοις, καὶ θύσητε τοῖς ἀηττήτοις καὶ αἰωνίοις θεοῖς, οὐκ ἠσυχάσω ἕως οὗ ἐξαλειφθῇ τὸ γένος τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ἵν᾽ ὅπως εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς μεγίστην πρόνοιαν ἔχων, ὑπὸ πάντων δοξασθῶ.
[5] Νῦν οὖν πίσθητέ μοι, καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς θύσατε· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀναγκασθεὶς πικροῖς ὑμᾶς βασάνοις παραδώσω καὶ παραπέμψομαι εἰς ἑτέραν πόλιν, καὶ οὔτε τῶν ἰδίων καταξιωθήσεσθαι οἰκειῶν, ἀλλὰ πάντα τὰ πράγματα ὑμῶν δωθήσονται ἑτέροις. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ μακάριος Δωρόθεος, εἶπεν· Ἔτι σοι πάρεστιν, βασιλεῦ, ποίει ἐν τάχει· ἡμεῖς γὰρ χρημάτων κατεφρονήσαμεν, τὸ μέτρον τῆς ὑπερβολῆς ἐπιθυμοῦντες, ὅπως τοῦ ἐπουρανίου κατατρυφήσωμεν πλούτου, πρὸς τὸν οὐράνιον πατέρα, τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν. τὸν δημιουργὸν πάσης ξωῆς καὶ πνοῆς, τὸ φῶς τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης, τὸν ἀκοίμητον ὀφθαλμὸν, εἰς ὃν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχομεν καὶ τέλειοι εὑρεθῆναι ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Πατρός.
[6] Τότε θυμῷ δεινῷ ἐξαφθεὶς ὁ Διοκλητιανὸς, ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Δωρόθεον ἐν μάστιξιν καταξανθῆναι, τὴν δὲ Εὐσέβειαν σκότῳ τυφλίζεσθαι ἐκτενῶς. Καὶ μετὰ τὸ βασανισθῆναι αὐτοὺς, παραπέμπει αὐτοὺς Ἰούστῳ, τῷ δουκὶ ἐν τοῖς μέρεσεν Μελιτίνης, πλησίον τῆς χώρας τῆς ἐφραντίδος ἐπαρχίας. Τὴν δὲ μακαρίαν Κυριακὴν κατέπεμψεν αὐτὴν Μαξιμιανῷ τῷ καίσαρι· καὶ αὐτὸς παρέδωκεν αὐτὴν εἰς τήρησιν γυναικὶ ἀξιολόγῳ καὶ σωφροσύνῃ ἕως ἡμερῶν δέκα, καὶ κατὰ τὸ τέλος τῶν δέκα ἡμερῶν ἦν ἡ μακαρία Κυριακὴ δοξολογοῦσα τὸν θεὸν, καὶ λαμβάνουσα τροφὴν ἐκ χειρὸς ἀγγέλου ἐχομένη, καὶ λέγουσα·
[7] Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, ὁ συνεργῶν καὶ ἀκολουθῶν, καὶ ὑπομένων, καὶ βοηθῶν τοῖς σοῖς δούλοις· ὁ θέλων πάντας σωθῆναι, καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν, καταξιῶ τὴν θεότητά σου, τελείαν ἔχειν τὴν ἐλπίδα, μηδὲν εὑρὼν ὁ μιαρὸς τῆς ἀνομίας ἄρχων κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὅπως μὴ καταγελασθῶ, υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐνώπιόν σου, ὑπήκοος γὰρ εἶ καὶ ἐλεήμων, μὴ ἀποστρεφόμενος πρόσωπον ἁμαρτολοῦ πρὸς σὲ καταφεύγοντος, ὅτι ἐλεήμων ἐκλήθης, καὶ οἰκτείρμων, καὶ δίκαιος, καὶ ἀληθινὸς διαμένων εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· Ἀμήν.
[8] Καὶ παραγενόμενοι οἱ στρατιῶται, ἤγαγον αὐτὴν πρὸς Μαξιμιανὸν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Μαξιμιανὸς, Κυριακὴ, θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς, καὶ μὰ τὴν ἐμὴν σωτηρίαν, ἀνακαλέσομαι τοὺς γονεῖς σου ἐκ τῆς ἐξωρίας, καὶ εἴ τι ἂν αἰτήσεις με, παρασχῶ σοι ἐκ τῆς ὅλης βασιλείας, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἀφαιρεθέντά σοι, δωθήσονταί σοι μόνον διὰ τὰς λύπας, τὰς περιμένουσάς σε, θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς, καὶ ἀπολύω σε. Μειδιάσασα δὲ ἡ ἁγία Κυριακὴ, λέγει· Ὦ τάξις ἄτακτος,
καὶ νόμος ἄνομος, ὑπὸ διαβόλου πεμπόμενος, καὶ ὑπὸ δαιμόνων γραφόμενος, καὶ ὑπὸ Μαξιμιανοῦ ἐκφωρούμενος, καὶ ὑπὸ μάγων διακονούμενος· μέχρι ποτὲ οἱ τῆς παρανόμου φυλῆς ἐργάται οὐκ ἠρεμοῦσιν τὴν ἀληθινὴν ἄμπελον τοῦ Χριστοῦ λυμαινόμενοι, σπείρουσιν μέσον τοῦ σίτου ζιζάνια; Ἀλλὰ σπεῦσον, Κύριε, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν τῆς σῆς δούλης, καὶ ἐξάγαγέ με ἐκ παγίδος ταύτης, ἧς ἔκρυψάν μοι, ὑποσκελίσαι με θέλοντες, καὶ λογισμοῖς, οἷς ἐξετάραξάν με. Δὸς, Κύριε, τῷ στόματί μου αἶνον, ἵνα ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψαλῶ σοι, καὶ δέωμαί σου, καὶ προσφέρω αἶνον, ἵνα ἐναντίον ἐξομολογήσω σε εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
[9] Καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ Μαξιμιανὸς, ἀνέστη ἀπὸ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ κελεύει τὴν μακαρίαν Κυριακὴν ῥιφῆναι ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους καὶ πτερνίζεσθαι, ἕως οὗ ἀτονήσωσιν οἱ βασανισταί. Ὄκκα μὲν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ὁρῶν διάστημα κειμένην, καὶ ἐπικαλουμένη ἑαυτῆς δεσπότην Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν. Ἠσυχασάντων δὲ πάντων, καὶ τοῦ ἀδίκου Μαξιμιανοῦ ἀφρίζοντος, καὶ ἐμμανὴς γενόμενος, ἐσίγησεν μετὰ πάντων. Ἡ δὲ μακαρία Κυριακὴ προσηύξατο πρὸς τὸν αὐτῆς δεσπότην, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ εἶπεν· Ὑιὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπουρανίου σου πατρὸς, ὁ ποιήσας ἑνὶ λόγῳ τὰ πάντα, διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀσθένειαν κατῆλθες ἐπὶ γῆς, καὶ ἐνεδύσω σῶμα ἀνθρώπου, καὶ κατεδέξω θάνατον ὑπὸ ἀνόμων, ἵνα ἡμᾶς λυτρώσῃς καὶ προσφορὰς ἀγάγῃς τοῦ ἐπουρανίου σου πατρὸς διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου σου σώματος· ἔπιδε ἐπὶ ἡμετέρων σωμάτων ἀσθενείας, ὅτι εὔσπλαγχνος καὶ ἐλεήμων ὑπάρχεις, μὴ ἐξουδενώσεις φύσιν γυναικείαν διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ παραβάσει τοῦ ὄφιως ἠπατηθεῖσαν. Ἱκετεύω οὖν σε ἐν ὀδύνῃ ψυχῆς μου, εἰσάκουσόν μου, Κύριε, ὁ Θεός μου· φιλάνθρωπος γὰρ εἶ καὶ ἐλεήμων, δεδοξασμένος εἶ εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων.
[10] Τότε κελεύει ἀχθῆναι αὐτὴν καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ· Μὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν θεῶν, ἐὼν μὴ ἀρνήσῃς τὸν Ἐσταυρωμένον, καὶ θύσῃς τοῖς θεοῖς, οὐκ ἐκφεύξεις τὸ δικαστήριόν μου. Ἀποκριθεῖσα δὲ ἡ μακαρία Κυριακὴ, εἶπεν· Οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, οὓς ἀπατῆσαι ἠδυνήθης· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἀσχόλησαι κατὰ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ δούλων, καὶ ὁπλίζειν κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Θεοῦ στοχάσθητι· πύλαι γὰρ ᾄδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς· οἶδα δὲ καὶ γινώσκω ὅτι ὑποβαλλόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ταῦτα ποιεῖς· ἀλλὰ ἀξιῶ τὸν Κύριόν μου, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν τεχθέντα ἐκ τῆς Παρθένου, τῆς καλῆς περιστερᾶς, ὃς πολεμεῖ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τῶν καταφευγόντων εἰς αὐτὸν, πάντα ἄνθρωπον θέλων σωθῆναι, καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν· ὃς οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει με, ἀλλὰ ἁγιάσει, καὶ δύναμιν δώσει, ὡς καλὸς ἀνταγωνιστὴς, καὶ ποιήσει με νικητὴν ἀναδειχθῆναι κατὰ τοῦ ἀντικειμένου. Μὴ οὖν παρανομίας δοξασθείη ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ μέχρι τέλος.
[11] Πάνυ δὲ χαλεπωτάτου θυμοῦ ἐμμανὴς γενόμενος, ἐπὶ τῆς ἁγίας Κυριακῆς τῶν λόγων πλεονεκτούμενος, λέγει· Ἀτελέστατον τὸ δόγμα τῶν μιαρῶν Γαλιλαίων, τῶν τοσούτων ἀναιρουμένων, καὶ μηδενὸς βουλομένου θῦσαι τοῖς θεοῖς. Ποταπὸς τούτων ἄρα ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ τοσοῦτο πλῆθος ἀπέθανεν, καὶ ἔτι ἀποθνήσκειν αἱροῦνται μᾶλλον, ἢ παραβαίνειν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, Συμφέρει ἐν τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ μηκέτι καθορᾷν τὴν τούτων ἀναίρεσιν, αἷμα δίκαιον ἀδίκως ἐκχυνόμενον τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς.
[12] Πολλῆς δὲ χαρᾶς πλησθεῖσα ἡ μακαρία Κυριακὴ, εἶπεν· Καλῶς ἐλάλησας τὸν λόγον, Ὑπατικὲ, ὅτι οἱ τὸν Χριστὸν ὁμολογοῦντες, μὴ δειλιῶντες τὸν θάνατον, βιάζονται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ καταφεύγουσιν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον, διὰ Χριστοῦ. Κᾀγὼ τὸν Χριστὸν διώκω, τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀνεκλάλητον, τὸν ἀκοίμητον ὀφθαλμὸν, τὸ καταφύγιον τῶν χειμαζομένων, τὸν λιμένα τὸν εὔδιον, τὸν ἀθάνατον μαργαρίτην, τὸν οὐράνιον ἄρτον, τὴν τράπεζαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, τὸ σῶμα τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς, τὴν πηγὴν τὴν ἀτάραχον, τὸν θησαυρὸν ἀσύλητον, τῶν τὸν σωτῆρα ἀνθρώπων καὶ δημιουργὸν τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ ἀρχιτέκτονα τῶν ἐπουρανίων, καὶ ἡνίωχον τῶν Χερουβίμ. Αὐτὸν ἀγαπῶ, τὸν ἐρχόμενον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ἐξελεῖταί με ἐκ τῆς δουλίας τοῦ σατανᾶ, καὶ παραδώσει με εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
[13] Καὶ ταῦτα ἀκούσας Ἱλαριανὸς, λέγει τοῖς ὑπηρέταις ἑαυτοῦ. Ἁρπάσαντες ἐν τάχει φέρετε αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τὸν ναὸν τοῦ μεγάλου Διοσκόρου. Μὴ βουλομένης δὲ θῦσαι τοῖς θεοῖς Ὁσίας, βαστάσαντες αὐτὴν, εἰσήνεγκαν εἰς τὸ εἰδωλαῖον, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἔφη Ἱλαριανός· Προσελθὲ, Κυριακὴ, καὶ προσενέσκαι αὐτοῖς θυσίαν, καὶ ἄφες τὰς κομψολογίας τοῦ Ἐσταυρωμένου· βλέπε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν προσκυνούντων, καὶ πίσθητι. Πρέπει γάρ σε θεοῖς ὑπηρετεῖν, παρθένον ἀργὴν οὖσαν. Καὶ ἀποκριθεῖσα ἡ ἁγία Κυριακὴ, εἶπε· Πρέπει σε, Ἱλαριανὲ, τῷ σκότει δουλεύειν, καὶ τὸ χάος διόκειν, καὶ τὴν γεένναν τοῦ πυρὸς, ἣν ἐν τάχει μέλλεις κληρονομεῖν, ὅπου καὶ τὸν σκώληκα εὑρεῖς τὸν ἀκοίμητον, ὅπου καὶ ὁ βρυχμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
[1] The parents of St. Cyriaca The daughter Cyriaca, whom they had received, illustrated from her tender infancy the household of Dorotheus the father and Eusebia the mother, who lived a life conformed to the truth. At the time when Diocletian and Maximian the Caesars gave the laws, scarcely yet was it permitted to any of the Christians to speak, because of the malignant devil, hater of the good. They ceased not, therefore, to accuse the servants of God, shining torches in dark places. And indeed, now the heavenly prize urged them on, now the workers of iniquity, under the auspices of the devil, enviously carped at the doctrine of the worshippers of Christ day by day; then some of the servants of God, exulting with the inmost jubilee of a rejoicing soul, offered hymns of thanksgiving to the Lord. And these, who accused them before the impious Emperor, ceased not from a most cruel thirst for blood. Then, seizing the Christ-bearing flock, they lead them to the most impious Diocletian.
[2] Then the Parents of Cyriaca coming secretly, and using their liberty, and their [exhortation to their daughter] bring the Virgin into the midst, and thus address her: Lady daughter, guard thy chastity; like the illustrious virgin of Christ, keep thy flesh undefiled: hold thy lamp upright; when thou shalt enter to the immortal Bridegroom Christ, who calls thee, that thou mayst be admitted as an offering, about to perform an embassy for thy parents according to the flesh; and to entreat thy Father Christ, and Mary thy mother, the dove free from stain, that through thee, Daughter, a place of rest may be given to us.
[3] an exhortation, for the keeping of virginity and the true religion. Earnestly, therefore, having prayed and besought the divine goodness, he gave thee to us; and we offered thee to Christ, the first-fruits of the flesh, that in the house of God thou mayst pray for us. For behold, thou shalt fall into the hands of the impious Diocletian, and various punishments await thee. Complete thy good contest, that thou mayst enter to the sight of the king Christ. The tyrant's threats, therefore, and the death of man, of which thou hast learned; fear not: for indeed to men, unwilling to die, death is imminent; but to the just there is no death, but a release from the body, and a rest of the soul. And now they had ceased to instruct the girl; when the ministers, intervening unexpectedly, set the Blessed ones, seized, at the tribunal of Diocletian. When they had been led thither, thus he questioned them, saying:
[4] The words of the Emperor Diocletian Tell me, what religion do you profess, and what God do you worship? The Saints answering: What, say they, wilt thou concerning God, Emperor? Whom no one of men has seen, but neither can see. For he is terrible, and fire goes before him, and shall inflame round about his enemies; and if the gods whom you, deceived by error, worship, should hear of him, they will melt like wax before the face of the fire. For he is King unto the ages. But Diocletian, answering, said: By my safety, and the benevolence and friendship of the gods, I swear; if you do not obey my words, and sacrifice to the unconquered and eternal gods, I shall not indeed cease, until the race of the Christians be destroyed, that for the greatest care which I bear for the worship of the gods, I may be honored by all.
[5] to the holy Martyrs; and their response. Now, therefore, comply with me, and sacrifice to the gods: but if not; compelled, I will deliver you to bitter torments, and send you away into another city. Nor shall you enjoy your own homes, but all your goods shall be given to others. But blessed Dorotheus, answering, said: Now the power is given thee, Emperor, do quickly: for we have despised riches, desiring a middling wealth, that we may enjoy the delights of heavenly riches with the heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, the creator of all life and breath, the light of truth, the sun of righteousness, the eye that knows no sleep, in whom we have hope that we may be found perfect in the glory of the Father.
[6] Dorotheus and Eusebia are punished. Then Diocletian, kindled with heavy fury, earnestly ordered Dorotheus to be torn with scourges, and Eusebia to be blinded with darkness; then, having afflicted them with torments, he sent them over to Justus, Duke in the parts of Melitene, near the region of the province of Euphrantis; but blessed Cyriaca he sent to Maximian Caesar. Her he delivered into custody to a woman, praiseworthy for her moderation of soul, up to ten days. These being spent, blessed Cyriaca, praising God, and intent on taking food from the hand of an angel, was at leisure, and said:
[7] Cyriaca, addressing Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, who helpest, accompaniest, sustainest, and defendest thy servants; who willest all to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; I supplicate thy divinity, that I may have perfect hope, and that the wicked prince of iniquity may find nothing in me, that I be not confounded, Son of God, before thee. For thou art kind and merciful, who turnest not thy face from the sinner fleeing to thee, because thou art merciful, and compassionate, and just, and remainest true unto the ages of ages. Amen.
[8] After the soldiers had come, they led her to Maximian: To whom he: Cyriaca, she is led to Maximian; whom she addresses. sacrifice to the gods, and by my safety I swear, I will recall thy parents from exile; and if thou ask anything of me, I will grant thee from my kingdom, and whatever has been taken away shall be restored to thee; only do thou, because of the afflictions which await thee, sacrifice to the gods, and I will release thee. After St. Cyriaca had smiled, she said: O disordered order, and unjust law, sent by the devil, written by demons, published by Maximian, administered by magicians. How long at last will the workers of the impious nation not cease to lay waste the true vine of Christ, sowing tares in the midst of the wheat? But truly, do thou, O Lord, hasten to help thy handmaid: Lead me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me, who wish to supplant me, and from the ambushes with which they have troubled me. Give, Lord, praise to my mouth, that in the sight of the Angels I may sing to thee, and adore thee, and bring glory, that before them I may confess to thee, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
[9] Then Maximian, angered, rose from his throne, ordering blessed Cyriaca to be cast on the ground and trodden, she is tortured by the order of Maximian; until the torturers should fail. Then
seeing herself lying under so great a pressure, she invoked her Lord, Jesus Christ. But when all were at rest, the impious Maximian foamed; until, made bereft of mind, he too, together with all, fell silent. Meanwhile blessed Cyriaca adored her Lord Jesus Christ, and said: Son of God, of thy heavenly Father, who by one word didst work all things, for our infirmity didst descend to earth, didst put on a human body, and from the wicked didst receive death, that thou mightest redeem us, and offer an oblation to thy eternal Father through thy own body; look upon the infirmities of our bodies: for thou art kind and merciful; nor wilt thou reduce womanly nature to nothing, on account of her who in the transgression of the serpent was deceived. As a suppliant, therefore, I ask thee in the pain of my soul, hear me, Lord my God: for thou art kind and merciful, and art glorified unto the ages of ages.
[10] Then he orders her to be brought, and says to her: By the safety of the gods, but she strongly professes the faith, unless thou deny the Crucified, and sacrifice to the gods, thou shalt not escape my judgment. Blessed Cyriaca, answering, said: Take thou no care concerning the foreigners, whom thou hast been able to lead into error: but rather be not idle as regards the servants of Christ, and turn thy arms against the Church of God, as much as thou canst: for the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It is not hidden from me that thou attemptest these things at the instigation of the devil. But I pray my Lord Jesus Christ, who, born of a virgin, a beautiful dove, fights for us who flee to him; who wills all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth: who will not forsake me, but will sanctify [me], and supply strength, like an illustrious defender, and will make [me] appear victorious against the adversary. Let not, therefore, the virtue of Christ be charged with iniquity, but let it be reckoned such as it was from the beginning, and even to the end.
[11] Stirred by a most grievous heat of fury, and also confuted by the words of St. Cyriaca, the tyrant gnashing. Most vile, he says, is the doctrine of the nefarious Galileans, none, though so many have been taken out of the way, willing to sacrifice to the gods. What at last is their God, that for his name so great a multitude has died, and so great a number chooses rather to die than to transgress his name? It profits nothing at all to behold their slaughters in my empire, seeing that they, while they live, believe that just blood is unjustly shed.
[12] Blessed Cyriaca, exulting with much joy, said: An illustrious oration, O Consul! for those who confess Christ, By Hilarianus the Consul not fearing death, strive to enter into the kingdom of God, and flee through Christ to everlasting life. And I follow Christ, who is the truth, and the ineffable light, the watchful eye, the refuge for those tossed by the tempest, the harbor, the serenity, the immortal pearl, the heavenly bread, the table of good things, the body of eternal life, the unmuddied fountain, the inviolate treasure, the savior of men, the founder of the world and architect of heavenly things, the ruler of the Cherubim; him I love, who is to come in the glory of the Father, and will snatch me from the servitude of Satan, and will give me the liberty of the Holy Spirit unto the ages of ages. Amen.
[13] she is assailed; These things heard, Hilarianus says to his ministers: Carry her, seized, at once to the temple of the great Dioscorus. But when the holy woman would not sacrifice to the gods; carrying her, they led her to the temple of the idols, and Hilarianus said to her: Come now, Cyriaca, and offer them a sacrifice, and let go the bedecked words of the Crucified: see the multitude of those adoring, and obey: for it is fitting for thee, since thou art a vigorous virgin, to minister to the gods. And Cyriaca, answering, said: It is fitting for thee, Hilarianus, to serve the darkness, to follow after chaos, and the Gehenna of fire, whose inheritance thou wilt soon enter; where also thou wilt find the worm that never sleeps; where too [is] the gnashing of teeth.
CHAPTER II.
She is strengthened from heaven; the governor Hilarianus is punished with death; Cyriaca overcomes the idols, the fire, and the beasts, and is borne to heaven by Angels.
Ἐπιστραφεῖσα δὲ ἡ ἁγία Κυριακὴ, τῷ βδελύγματι, ἤγουν τῷ εἰδώλῳ, λέγει· Μὴ σχῇς ἄνεσιν μήτε χαρὰν, ἐπικατάρατον πνεῦμα· ἡ πλάνη σου δυνάμις· καταπλαγήτω σου ἡ ἀναισχυντία, ἀσχημονείτω σου ὁ πατὴρ· ὀδυρέτωσάν σε οἱ σύμβουλοί σου, πενθησάτωσάν σε οἱ δαίμονες· ὑπερησυχασάτωσάν σε οἱ μιαροὶ μεγιστᾶνες· ἐξεδαφισθήτω τὸ κράτος τοῦ παρανόμου, καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ διαρπαγήτω, ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ ἀπαχθήτω εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ ὁ στρατὸς αὐτοῦ καταναλωθήτω ὑπὸ ῥομφαίας· γενηθήτω ἔρημος ἡ ἔπαυλις τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ· νικησάτω αὐτὸν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ· καταβαλέτω αὐτὸν τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα, κατελθὼν ὡς πρέσβυς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ δῶσον αὐτὸν τῷ ταρταρούχῳ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἀβύσσου, καὶ σπευσάτω ἡ βασιλεία σου Χριστε ἡ ἀπαράλλακτος, καὶ ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ ἀνίκαστος, καὶ ἡ κυρία καὶ ἀδιάλειπτος, ἐξουσία ἀπεριέργητος, ἡ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν γνωρισθεῖσα, καὶ διὰ τῶν μακαρίων Ἀποστόλων ἐν ἡμῖν ὁμιλοῦσα.
[15] Αὐτὸς ἦλθες, ἵνα ζητήσῃς τὰ ἐσκορπισμένα, καὶ ζωοποιήσῃς τὰ νενεκρωμένα, καὶ ἀνορθώσῃς τὰ τετραυματισμένα, σὺ Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ. Ἰδὲ, τὴν ἐν τοῖς θηρίοις τοῖς λογικοῖς, οἱτινες λύκων γνώμην ἀνελάβοντο κατὰ τῶν ποιμνίων σου· δεῖξαι ἐν αὐτοῖς τὰ θαυμάσιά σου, ὅτι πονηρὸν τὸ ἐνθύμημα αὐτῶν. Καὶ φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἦλθεν, λέγουσα· θάρσει, Κυριακὴ ἀθλοφόρε· ἐπήκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Χριστὸς τῆς δεήσεώς σου· ἴσχυε καὶ ἐνδυναμοῦ, καὶ μὴ φοβηθῇς Ἱλαριανοῦ τὰς ἀπείλας· ἐγώ εἰμι Ῥαφαὴλ ἀρχάγγελος, ὁ λαλῶν σοι, ἀπεσταλμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐνισχῦσαί σε, καὶ μεταδοῦναί σοι ῥήματα Ὑψίστου, ἐφ᾽ ὃν ἔθου τὴν ἐλπίδα σου εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ ἐξελοῦμαί σε καὶ δοξάσεις τὸν ἐνδυναμοῦντά σε Κύριον.
[16] Γενομένης δὲ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης, σημεῖον ἐγένετο καὶ συνέτριψε πᾶν βδέλυγμα, ἤγουν τὰ εἴδωλα ἐν τῷ ναῷ, καὶ ἐγένοντο κονιορτὸς, καὶ φῶς ἔλαμψεν, καὶ ἀποσταλεὶς λαίλαψ ἐξελήκησεν τὰ ἐκεῖσε ὄντα εἴδωλα ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ ἕως τοῦ αἰγιαλοῦ τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ ἦλθεν ἄφνω ἀστραπὴ πυρὸς καὶ ἔφλεξεν τὸ πρόσωπον Ἱλαριανοῦ, καὶ πεσὼν ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, ἦλθεν ἄγγελος πικρὸς καὶ ᾖρεν τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραγεινάμενοί τινες τῶν οἰκετῶν αὐτοῦ, ᾗραν αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ἔθηκαν ἐπὶ σωροῦ ὑψιλοῦ.
[17] Καὶ ἦλθεν διάδοχος τοῦ Ἱλαριανοῦ στεῤῥὸς, ἄρχων πρόσφορος ἀπὸ Καμπανίας, καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ τὸν μακαρίαν Κυριακὴν, καὶ ἐλθούσης αὐτῆς, ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὴν, λέγων· Παρθένε εὐγενεστάτη, δεῦρο, ἄκουσόν μου, καὶ πίσθητι τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς, προσφέρουσα αὐτοῖς θυσίαν, λαμβάνουσα παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ πλῆθος χρημάτων καὶ κτήσεις περιουσιῶν. Ἐπεὶ μόνον δὲ παραιτουμένη, καὶ μὴ ὑπακούσασα τῶν ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ σεσαφηνημένων, θηρίοις σε παραδώσω, καὶ πληρώσω τὰ προστάγματα τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος, ἵνα καὶ ἄλλοι θεωρήσαντες, φόβον σχῶσιν. Μὴ οὖν κᾀμὲ ὑπογράφῃς, ὡς τὸν πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἄρχοντα, ὅστις ἂν ἐχόμενός σου, προσκρούσας τοῖς θεοῖς, τὸ τέλος τοῦ βίου ἐπλήρωσεν.
[18] Ἡ δὲ μακαρία Κυριακὴ στενάξασα πικρῶς, καὶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀτενίσασα, ἐδάκρυσεν, καὶ εἶπεν· Πανάθλιε καὶ κακὴ κεφαλὴ, καὶ πρόσωπον ἀναίσχυντον καὶ διεσκοτισμένον, καὶ οὐ διατραμμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου Θεοῦ, ποίει τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου ὑποβαλλόμενα, οὗ ἡ μερὶς αὐτοῦ μετά σου· οὐ δύνασαι γὰρ τὴν δούλην τοῦ Θεοῦ πλανῆσαι, ἐστηριγμένην τῇ ἀοράτῳ δυνάμει τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἔστιν γὰρ ὑπέρμαχος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐμῆς ταπεινώσεως, καὶ κατακλεῖ σε τῷ δεσμοτηρίῳ τῆς ἀβύσσου, ὅπου ὁ σύγχωρός σου Ἱλαριανὸς δαμάζεται. Καὶ ὀργισθεὶς Δουκηφέρνης, ἐκέλευσεν ἀχθῆναι πάντας ἐπὶ τὸ στάδιον ἅμα καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν Κυριακὴν, καὶ πυρὰν παμμεγεθῆ ἐκκαυθῆναι, καὶ οὕτως ῥιφῆναι αὐτὴν εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ μεσολαβήσαντες αὐτὴν ἔῤῥιψαν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸ πῦρ. Καὶ πυρᾶς παμμεγεθοῦς ἐξαφθείσης, καὶ ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀνυψουμένης, ἵστατο εἰς τὸ μέσον, δεομένη τοῦ Ὑψίστου μετὰ κραυγῆς καὶ δακρύων, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀτενίσασα, κλαίουσα, λέγουσα· Ἐξελοῦ με, Κύριε, κατὰ τὰ θαυμάσιά σου, ἃ ἐποίησας τοῖς δούλοις σου, τοῖς τρισὶν παισὶν, καὶ ἐκ πυρᾶς ταύτης ἀφελοῦ με· τήρησόν με, ἵνα καταπατήσασα τὰ βέλη τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, εὐλογήσω σε εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.
[19] Καὶ ὄντος θερινοῦ τοῦ ἀέρος, ἦχος ἐγένετο ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἦλθεν νεφέλη καὶ πλῆθος ὑδάτων, καὶ κατεσβέσθη τὸ πῦρ. Καὶ ἵστατο ἡ μακαρία Κυριακὴ, λέγουσα οὕτως· Ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψαλῶ σοι καὶ δέομαί σου, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐπήκουσάς μου καὶ ἐῤῥύσω τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ παγίδος ταύτης, ἧς ἔκρυψάν μοι, ὑποσκελλῆσαί με θέλοντες, καὶ εὐλογήσω τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον καὶ φοβερὸν, καὶ σοι προσφέρω θυσίαν αἰνέσεως, καρπὸν τῶν χειλῶν μου. Ἄκουσόν μου, Δέσποτα, καὶ μὴ χρονίσεις, μή ποτε εἴπῃ ὁ ἐχθρὸς· Ἴσχυσα πρὸς αὐτήν. Πλήρωσον τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ἀτιμίας καὶ κατάξῃς αὐτοὺς εἰς φρέαρ διαφθορᾶς, ὅτι ἐπονηρεύσαντο κατὰ τῶν Ὁσίων σου καὶ παρεπίκραναν τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα· καθελεῖς αὐτοὺς καὶ οὐ μὴ οἰκοδομήσεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοί σε, ὄψονταί σε καὶ εὐφρανθήσονται, καὶ οἱ ἀγαπῶντές σε εἰπάτωσαν διὰ παντός· Μεγαλυνθήτω ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.
[20] Προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ ὁ Δουκηφέρνης τοὺς ὑπηρέτας αὐτοῦ, λέγει· Τί ποιήσας ἐνέγκω αὐτὴν εἰς προσκύνησιν τῶν θεῶν; Οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες, εἶπον· Κελεύσει τῷ μεγέθει σου κυνήγια ἐπιτελεσθῆναι, καὶ ὁρώσης αὐτῆς τὰ θηρία, δειλιάσει, καὶ θύσει· πάνυ γάρ σοι θῆρες ἀνήμεροί εἰσιν· καὶ ἔδοξεν οὕτως. Καὶ ὁ κῆρυξ ἐν φωνῇ λέγων· Θῦσον Κυριακὴ, καὶ μὴ βραδύνῃς· πικροὶ γὰρ θῆρες ἡτοιμάσθησαν κατά σου. Ἀγομένων δὲ τῶν θηρίων, ηὔχετο ἡ Μακαρία, λέγουσα· Πρὸς σε ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ἕως τοῦ οἰκτειρήσεις τὴν δούλην σου, καὶ λυτρώσεις με ἀπὸ πάσης θλίψεως. Καὶ ἅμα τῷ εἰσαχθῆναι ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ, ἰδοῦσα τὸν Ἄρχοντα, ἔφη· Δεδιωγμένε ἐκ τῆς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ συνδεδεμένε ὑπὸ τῆς ἀσεβείας τῶν ἀτειχεστάτων καὶ ψευδωνύμων θεῶν, νενίκηταί σου ἡ δύναμις, τέθραυσταί σου ἡ ὀργή, καταπέπτωκέν σου ἡ ἰσχὺς, ἐβδελύχθη σου τὸ κράτος. Περιεβάλου τὴν αἰσχύνην καὶ τὴν ἐντροπὴν καταθεματισμένε, καὶ τῆς γεέννης τοῦ πυρὸς κοινωνέ. Ὁ γὰρ Κύριός μου Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ἐπήκουσέν μου, καὶ τὸν κακότροπόν σου, καὶ δηλοθρύλλητον γνώμην οὐ φοβηθήσομαι.
[21] Ὀργισθεὶς οὖν ὁ μιαρὸς Ἄρχων, ἐκέλευσεν ἀπολυθῆναι τὰ θηρία καὶ τὴν παρθένον στῆναι ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν· ἐξελθόντα δὲ ἐκ τοῦ φουστικίου, καὶ τὴν μακαρίαν Κυριακὴν προσκυνήσαντα, εἰς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν τόπους ὑπέστρεψαν, καὶ εὐθέως ἀνακράξαντος τοῦ ὄχλου, ἐγένετο μία φωνή· Μέγας ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν· μεγάλη ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ ὑπερμαχοῦντος τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἐχόντων. Πολὺ δὲ πλῆθος τῶν ἐπισυναχθέντων ἐπίστευσαν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἐν τῇ θεάσει τῆς νίκης τοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ τῆς δούλης τοῦ Χριστοῦ Κυριακῆς. Τοῦ δὲ παρανόμου καταισχυνθέντος καὶ
ἀπορουμένου, ἐκέλευσεν ἐπιτελεσθῆναι Ὀλύμπια καὶ τῶν βδελυγμάτων τοὺς ἀγῶνας· καὶ παραγεινάμενος μετὰ πάσης τῆς δορυφόρου ἀυτοῦ ὑπηρεσίας, εἵλκετο καὶ ἡ ἁγία ἀμνὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπὸ τῶν δημίων. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ δύνοντος τοῦ ἡλίου, ὁ σύμβουλος τοῦ σατανᾶ λέγει· Τὴν δυσσεβεστάτην παῖδα κατάκλειστον ποιήσατε ἕως τῆς αὔριον, ἵνα τὸ πέρας θήσομαι.
[22] Κατέκλεισαν οὖν τὴν μακαρίαν Κυριακὴν, τοὺς πόδας αὐτῆς ἀσφαλισάμενοι εἰς τὸ ξύλον, φυλάσσοντες καὶ τὴν θύραν. Ηὔχετο δὲ ἐν τῷ δεσμοτηρίῳ ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Δούλη, καὶ ἔλεγεν· Μακάριος, ὃν παιδεύσῃς, Κύριε, ἐβοήθησάς μοι ἐν τῷ πλήθει τῶν ὀδυνῶν μου, καὶ ὅτι παράνομοι ἐθήρευσαν τὴν ψυχὴν μου, ἀπόδως αὐτοῖς, Κύριε, κατὰ τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτῶν, καὶ κατὰ τὴν πονηρίαν αὐτῶν· ἐγὼ δὲ ἀγαλλιάσομαι ἐπί σοι, τυχοῦσα τῆς σωτηρίας σου, ἐρυμνωθεὶς γὰρ ἔσωσάς με· ἐξελοῦ τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ θανάτου, τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου ἀπὸ δακρύων, καὶ τοὺς πόδας μου ἀπὸ ὀλισθήματος, ὅπως εὐάριστος γίνομαι εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων.
[23] Μετὰ δὲ τὸ πολλὰ παθῆναι τὴν ἁγίαν Κυριακὴν, καὶ μὴ ἐκκλίνουσαν τῆς ὁμολογίας τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ὄρθρου γειναμένου προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ μιαρὸς Δουκηφέρνης τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπηρέτας, λέγει· Λαβόντες τὴν ἀσεβεστάτην παῖδα ἐκείνην, πόῤῥωθεν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἀνείλατε αὐτὴν ἐν τάχει, καὶ τὸ αὐτῆς λείψανον τῆς μιαρᾶς αὐτῆς θρησκείας ἄφετε τοῖς τὸν Ἐσταυρωμένον σεβομένοις. Λαβόντες οὖν ἐν μέσῳ τῷ κριτηρίῳ τὴν μακαρίαν Κυριακὴν, ἀπήγαγον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ τοὺς τραχεῖς τόπους [καὶ] τοὺς ἀποκρύπτους, καθὼς ἐδιδάχθησαν, καὶ ἦλθον διάστημα μιλίων τριῶν· ἐπηκολούθουν δὲ ἄνδρες καὶ γυναῖκες, καὶ ἕτεροί τινες ἐκ τῶν οἰκετῶν τῆς μάρτυρος Κυριακῆς, καὶ ἦλθον πλησίον τοῦ τόπου, οὗ ἤμελλε τελευτᾷν, καὶ ἠξίωσεν τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐνδοῦναι αὐτῇ ὀλίγον, ἵνα εὔξηται.
[24] Παρέσχων δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὸ αἴτημα τῆς ἁγίας Κυριακῆς. Ἀποχωρήσασα δ᾽ οὖν αὐτὴ διάστημα ὀλίγον, ἀναβλέψασα εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸ ὕψος τανύσασα, ηὔχετο πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτῆς δεσπότην, λέγουσα· Σὲ ἐπικαλοῦμαι, Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, ἐπὶ σοί τε καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα ἐθέμην, καὶ οὐ φοβοῦμαι τὸν θάνατον. Ἔρχομαι πρός σε, τὸν πηγὴν τῆς ζωῆς· δέομαί σου, καὶ ὀξέως βράβευσον τὴν σὴν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν, ἵνα μὴ λοιπὸν κυριεύσῃ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀναστῆσον βασιλεῖς τοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ ὄνομά σου δεομένους, καὶ δὸς μισθὸν τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις τὸ ὄνομά σου, Κύριε. Προσδέξαι τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν … καὶ καταρίθμησόν με μετὰ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν σου ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῆς ἀτελευτήτου σου βασιλείας καὶ ἀφθαρτοῦ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· Ἀμήν. Καὶ παρεγένοντο ἄγγελοι φωτινοὶ, καὶ ἔλαβον τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀθληφόρου μάρτυρος Κυριακῆς ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει, καὶ ἐπορεύοντο εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς.
[25] Ἑώρων δὲ καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν συνελθόντων εἰσπορευομένων τῶν ἀγγέλων. Ἐγένετο δὲ δύο ὡρῶν διάστημα ἐπικαλουμένης τῆς Μάρτυρος, καθ᾽ ἃς ηὔχετο, κειμένη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ στρατιῶται, ἤγγισαν τῷ λειψάνῳ, καὶ εὗρον αὐτὴν τελειωθεῖσαν. Καὶ φωνὴ ἦλθε ἀπὸ ἀέρος τῆς μάρτυρος Κυριακῆς, λεγούσης· Πορεύεσθε, ἀδελφοὶ, εἰς τὴν πόλιν μετ᾽ εἰρήνης, καὶ διηγεῖσθαι τὰ μεγάλα θαυμάσια τὰ γενόμενα εἰς ἐμὲ, τὴν δούλην αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀκούσαντες τῆς φωνῆς, πεσόντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μετὰ δακρύων καὶ κατανύξεως ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τύπτοντες αὐτῶν τὰ στήθη, εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. Ἐτελειώθη δὲ ἡ ἁγία Κυριακὴ μηνὶ Ἰουλίῳ ζ᾽ ἐπὶ Ἱλαριανοῦ, καὶ Μαξιμιανοῦ καὶ Δουκηφέρνης, καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς δὲ βασιλεύοντος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ι. Χ., αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
[14] but in vain. But holy Cyriaca, turning to the abomination, that is, the idol, says: Mayst thou have neither rest nor joy, accursed spirit. Thy power is fraud. Let thy shamelessness be astounded, let thy father be confounded, let thy followers mourn thee, let the demons pursue thee with laments, let thy nefarious magnates be struck dumb; let the power of the wicked one be overthrown, and his kingdom plundered; let his house be led into captivity: and his army consumed by the sword: let the dwelling of his kingdom become desolate, let the virtue of Christ overcome him, let the Holy Spirit cast him down, descending as a legate from heaven, and give him to the angel of the abyss, who holds Tartarus: let thy immutable kingdom hasten, O Christ, and thy invincible throne, and thy perennial principality, and thy power, circumscribed by no bounds, which was both manifested through the Prophets, and conversed among us through the blessed Apostles.
[15] Detesting the idols and trusting in Christ, she is strengthened from heaven, Thou thyself, Lord Jesus Christ, camest, to seek the scattered, to quicken the dead, to heal the wounded. Behold, there are those who, like beasts partaking of reason, assume a fox-like mind against thy flock. Show in them thy wonders; for their thought is evil. And a voice came from heaven, saying: Be of good courage, Cyriaca the victress; Christ the king has heard thy prayers, be strengthened and be strong: fear not the threats of Hilarianus. I am Raphael the archangel, who speak with thee, sent by the Savior to strengthen thee, and to communicate to thee the words of the Most High; because thou hast placed thy hope in Christ, I will snatch thee out, and thou shalt glorify the Lord, who strengthens thee.
[16] the deceits being crushed, and Hilarianus punished with death. These things said, she made the sign of the Cross, and crushed every abomination, namely the idols which were in the temple, and reduced them to dust: light shone forth, and a storm arising, drove the idols which were there out of the temple even to the shore of the sea; and suddenly came a flash of fire, and burned the face of Hilarianus; who, when he had fallen from his seat, a bitter angel came, and took away his spirit. And when some of his domestics had approached, they took up his body, and placed it on a high mound.
[17] And after Hilarianus came a cruel successor, a competent Governor, She is set before the governor, sprung from Campania. To him they led blessed Cyriaca: to whom, when she had come, he questioned her, saying: Most noble Virgin, come now: hear me, and obey my words, and sacrifice to the gods, immolating a victim to them, that thou mayst receive from me abundance of wealth and possessions of estates. But if thou refuse, and obey not my will, I will deliver thee to the beasts, and fulfill the Emperor's commands, that others, beholding this, may be terrified. Beware, therefore, lest thou deceive me also, as thou didst the Governor, my predecessor, who, after, indulging thee, he had incurred the offense of the gods, ended his last day by death.
[18] Amid these things, blessed Cyriaca, grievously groaning, and sighing to heaven, inveighing generously against whom, she is cast into the fire: wept, and said: Most unhappy one, evil head, shameless face covered with darkness; O thou not nourished by God, accomplish those things which are suggested to thee by thy father the devil, whose portion shall be with thee. For thou canst not deceive the handmaid of God, confirmed by the invisible virtue of Christ. For he is the champion of my humility, and will shut thee in the prison of the abyss, where he who agrees with thee, Hilarianus, pays the penalty. Ducaphernes a, angered, ordered all together with Cyriaca to be led into the stadium, and a huge pyre to be kindled, and thus her to be cast into the midst. And without delay, seizing her in the midst, they put her into the fire. And now the very great pyre was burning, and ascending high into heaven; while in the midst stood Cyriaca, with crying and weeping praying the Most High, with hands stretched upward, mourning and saying: Snatch me out, Lord, for thy prodigies which thou didst work for thy servants, the three children, and from this pyre snatch me. Keep me, that, the darts of the enemy being trodden down, I may bless thee unto the ages.
[19] While the air was clear, there came from heaven a sound, which is extinguished at her prayers. and a cloud rushed on, and abundance of waters, and the fire was extinguished. Then blessed Cyriaca stood, and thus said: In the sight of the angels I will sing to thee, and I adore thee, Lord, because thou hast heard me, and freed my soul from this snare, which they have hidden, who wish to supplant me; and I will bless thy holy and terrible name, and to thee I offer a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of my lips. Hear me, Lord, and delay not: lest at any time the enemy say: I have prevailed against her: fill their face with confusion, and plunge them into the pit of corruption: because they have acted malignantly against thy saints, and exasperated the Holy Spirit: thou wilt destroy them, and not build them up: and they who fear thee shall see thee, and rejoice, and they who love thee, let them say always: Let God be magnified unto the ages. Amen.
[20] Ducaphernes, having summoned his ministers, addresses them with these words: She is condemned to the beasts, By doing what shall I bring her to the worship of the Gods? But they answered, saying: Command amphitheaters to be constructed for thy greatness; and, having seen the beasts, she will fear, and will sacrifice. For the beasts are utterly savage to thee. And so it seemed good. And now the herald with a loud voice said: Cyriaca, sacrifice, delay not: for cruel beasts are prepared against thee. But the beasts being led in, the Blessed woman prayed, saying: To thee have I lifted up my eyes, who dwellest in heaven, until thou have mercy on thy handmaid, and free me from all tribulation. As soon as she had entered the stadium, beholding the Governor, she said: O Governor, whom justice pursues, and the impiety of the wretched and false gods binds fast: thy power is vanquished; thy wrath broken: thy strength has fallen; thy dominion devoted to curses. Thou hast put on ignominy and confusion, O execrable one, and partaker of the Gehenna of fire. For my Lord Jesus Christ has heard me, and I will not fear thy malignant and turbulent temper.
[21] by whom she is not harmed, but honored. The impious Prefect, kindled with wrath, ordered the beasts to be loosed, and the virgin to stand opposite. They, having gone out of the cage b, and having venerated the Blessed woman, returned to their places. And soon of the exclaiming crowd there was made one voice: Great is the God of the Christians! great is the power of Christ! who fights for those who place their hope in him. And indeed a great multitude of those who had assembled believed in the Lord, having contemplated the victory of Christ through the handmaid of Christ, Cyriaca. But the wicked Governor, confounded, and uncertain of mind, ordered the Olympic games, and the abominable contests, to be prepared. When he himself had come thither with all his military retinue, the holy lamb of Christ too was dragged by the lictors. And at sunset, the follower of Satan, having entered the temple, commanded his [men]: Thrust the most impious girl into prison until tomorrow, that I may set an end.
[22] Again she is shut in prison; So they consigned blessed Cyriaca to prison, her feet bound in the wood c, and a guard set at the door. But the handmaid of Christ prayed in the prison, and said: Blessed is he whom thou instructest,
Lord. Thou hast helped me in the multitude of my sorrows: and because the wicked have sought my soul, requite them, Lord, according to their iniquity, and according to their malice. But I will exult in thee, because I have obtained salvation through thee: for keeping [me], thou hast saved me: snatch my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from falling, that I may please thee unto the ages of ages.
[23] at last condemned to death by the Governor, Blessed Cyriaca having suffered much, and not turning aside from the confession of the Christians, the sun being now risen, the impious Governor, summoning his ministers, thus said: Taking this most impious girl, hurry her far outside the city, and take [her] out of the way quickly, and withdraw her body from the nefarious superstition of those who worship the Crucified. And without delay, in the midst of the tribunal they took blessed Cyriaca, seized, [and] led her outside the city through rough and hidden places, as they had received in commands, and measured out a space of three miles. There followed men, women, and some others, familiars of the blessed Martyr, and they came near the place where she was to die. And she asked the soldiers to indulge her a little more for praying.
[24] a delay for praying obtained, The men consented to the wishes of blessed Cyriaca. After, therefore, she had withdrawn a little space, looking to heaven, with hands stretched upward, she poured out such prayers to her Lord. I invoke thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and in thee I have placed my hope, and I will not fear death. I come to thee, the fountain of life: I beseech thee, that thou quickly grant thy peace as a prize to the people, that the kingdom of the enemy may no longer rule; but raise up emperors, praying in thy name: and give reward to those who invoke thy name, Lord. Receive my soul, … and number me with thy elect in the resurrection of thy kingdom, lacking end and corruption, unto the ages of ages. Amen. And there came Angels, shining with light, and received the spirit of the victorious martyr, blessed Cyriaca, in exultation, and departed into heaven.
[25] she dies of her own accord, and is borne to heaven by Angels. But the multitude which had assembled watched, as the Angels departed. And now the space of the Martyr's praying had been two hours, during which she prayed, lying on the earth. And the soldiers, arriving, approached the body, and found her dead. Then from the air sounded the voice of the blessed Martyr Cyriaca, saying: Depart, Brethren, into the city in peace, and recount the great prodigies which the Lord has done for me, his handmaid. The voice heard, they, collapsing to the earth, with tears and compunction glorified God; and entered the city, striking their breasts, and confessing their sins. St. Cyriaca migrated from this life on the seventh day of the month of July, under Hilarianus, Maximian, and Ducaphernes; our Lord Jesus Christ reigning among us. To him [be] glory and power unto the ages of ages. Amen.
ANNOTATA.
LATIN ACTS
From the ancient, as they call it, Breviary of the church of Tropea.
Dominica, Martyr, at Tropea in Calabria (S.)
FROM THE MANUSCRIPT.
Lesson 1. The blessed virgin Dominica, under the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, of a father Dorotheus and a mother Arsenia, was born in a city of Campania, The birth of St. Dominica; who, devoted to Christ, begot an only daughter, by name Dominica. Now there was then a very great persecution of the Christians. But these, together with their daughter, being denounced as Christians, strengthened their daughter, saying: Be strong in the contest, daughter, and keep thy virginity inviolate: fear not the torments, because the labor is small, and the rest eternal.
Lesson 2. These things said, seized by the ministers, they are led before Diocletian, who first coaxing, then terrifying with threats, the parents sent into exile; since they would not sacrifice, having beaten them with staves, destined them for exile to the parts of the river Euphrates, and commanded Dominica to be presented to Maximian Caesar. And, given for ten days to women, that they might change her soul, she prayed to the Lord not to permit her to be confounded. But being again brought before him, the Emperor says: Dominica, sacrifice to the gods: She says, O transgressor of the law, counsel of the malignant one, servant of demons, why dost thou not cease to sow tares in the midst of the wheat?
Lesson 3. Then the Emperor rose from his seat, and commanded her to be laid low in the way, her torments and death. and on the ground she was trodden underfoot. But she, looking up to heaven, said: Lord, according to thy mercy, hear the prayers of my heart; and, led to the temple, she crushed the idols; placed in the fire, she escaped: exposed to the beasts, she rendered them gentle; and those who saw were converted. But the Emperor, confounded, commanded [her] to be slain outside the city, and she, praying to the Lord, said: Lord, I come to thee, the fountain of life; give peace to thy people; preserve the prelates of the Church, and the priests, and forsake not me who invoke thee. And beheaded, amid the hands of the Angels, the soldiers seeing and being converted, she migrated to the heavens on the 6th day of July. But her body was miraculously carried to Tropea in Calabria, which was once called Magna Graecia.
There are added in our manuscript two Prayers, of which in the one the patronage of the Saint is invoked; in the other it is asked that God deign to reveal her body: which, laboriously sought in the year 1624, has not hitherto been found.
Prayer 1. Proper Prayers; O God, who didst make blessed Dominica, the glorious virgin, ascend to heavenly glory through the palm of martyrdom, grant, we beseech, that we who today keep her natal day may mercifully feel her promised patronage in all things. Through our Lord.
Prayer 2. O God, who by the ministry of the Angels didst will the body of blessed Dominica, thy virgin and martyr, to be marvelously carried to Tropea, grant, we beseech, that, to the praise of thy name, every error being set aside, we may be able by thy help to find it, and, by the finding of the illustrious body, may enjoy [it] with a secure mind. Through our Lord.
On the feast of St. Dominica, Virgin and Martyr: The Office. Double of the first Class.
At first Vespers all from the common of Virgin Martyrs except the Prayer, which is proper: commemoration of the Octave of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, unless it fall on a Sunday, because then a commemoration is also made of the Sunday.
Prayer 3. O God, wonderful in thy Saints, who by thy grace didst confer on blessed Dominica the twofold crown of virginity and martyrdom, grant to us thy servants, that, triumphing over the flesh, the world, and the devil, we may obtain the eternal rewards by her patronage. Through our Lord, etc.
At Matins and Lauds all likewise, as in the same common. The Lessons of the First Nocturn from the first Epistle of the blessed Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, "Concerning virgins I have no precept of the Lord."
IN THE SECOND NOCTURN.
The Lessons. Lesson IV. Dominica the Virgin had pious and noble parents, Dorotheus and Arsenia, from whom, from infancy, imbued with the Christian religion, she sucked holy morals with her milk. But the Parents being brought before Diocletian Augustus, because they were Christians, when they were being led to martyrdom in Campania, they exhorted their daughter, that, mindful of eternity, she should keep her faith and virginity unblemished, and, the torments being despised, remain strong in the contest.
Lesson V. But brought to the tribunal to deny the faith, first enticed by the blandishments of words, then deterred by the fear of punishments; but when they could in no way be moved from their purpose, they are ordered to be sharply beaten with cudgels, then, Dorotheus and Arsenia being deported into exile to the shores of the river Euphrates, Dominica was reserved for the judgment of Maximian Caesar, by whom, delivered to certain impure women, that they might induce her to sacrifice to the idols, when she could neither be called away from the faith, nor hear their unchaste speeches, she prayed to the Lord, saying: Let my heart become immaculate, Lord, that I be not confounded.
Lesson VI. These things heard, Maximian again commanded Dominica, set before him, most constantly persevering in the confession of the faith, to be prostrated on the ground, and trodden underfoot by his attendants; then, led to the temple, when with the sign of the Cross she had broken the idols, she was cast into a burning furnace, from which, going out without harm, she was exposed to the beasts; and they, forgetting their ferocity, cast themselves at the Virgin's feet, fawning upon her; which beheld with the greatest wonder, many worshippers of idols were converted to the faith of Christ. These at last, and other most savage torments, overcome with a cheerful mind, her head being cut off, she consummated her most noble contest. Her body, carried by the ministry of Angels, according to ancient tradition, to Tropea in Calabria, in which city she is said to have been born, is preserved there with great veneration of the faithful.