ON ST. EUSTATHIUS, MARTYR,
AT ANCYRA IN GALATIA.
The cult from the Greek Fasti and the Roman Martyrology, eulogies.
Eustathius, Martyr, at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. P.
There is a double Ancyra, one a city of Phrygia, the other of Galatia; each sufficiently known, especially the former, which is the metropolis of all Galatia, and memorable for several Saints, as is clear from the Roman Martyrology: among whom St. Eustathius holds a place, The cult from the Greek Fasti, most well known among the Latins as among the Greeks. In the Menologion which Canisius published with the most eminent Sirletus as translator, it is thus reported: "On the same day (the 28th of July), of holy Eustathius the martyr, at Ancyra." He is inscribed also in the great printed Menaea in this manner: "Of the holy-martyr Eustathius at Ancyra." Maximus, bishop of Cythera, follows the Menaea in his manner; add the Basilian Synaxarion, the Menaeum of Chifflet, our copies from the Menaea of the Ambrosian library, and the Arabic-Egyptian Martyrology: but this last does not express the wrestling-ground of the contest. In our manuscript supplement to the printed Menaea, from the
Sirmond-Chifflet copies, he is announced on the immediately following day with these little verses:
Ῥυθεὶς ποταμοῦ Παμμάκαρ παρ᾽ ἀγγελου, Ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ σώματος ἐκπνεῖ ἀγγέλου. That is: Drawn from the waves, the Saint, by an angelic hand, leaves his body among angelic hands.
The all-blessed one, drawn from the river by an angel, His body he leaves among the angelic hands.
[2] and from the Roman Martyrology: The allusion will become clear from the eulogies of the Saint, of which shortly there will be treatment, and from the Roman Martyrology, which reports him on this day in these words: "At Ancyra in Galatia, of St. Eustathius the martyr, who, tormented with various kinds of tortures, and plunged into a river, but thence snatched by an angel, at last, a dove coming from heaven, was called to eternal rewards." The eulogies are at hand: this one, in the manner otherwise usual with us, I render whole into Latin, which is found printed in Greek at the end of the first volume of the month of July, that it may be understood by those not sufficiently versed in that language. Thus, then, it sounds:
[3] Eustathius, martyr of Christ, was indeed a soldier, but a Christian: and being brought forth to Cornelius, governor of Ancyra, the eulogy from the Basilian synaxarion: and interrogated, with free voice confessed Christ: whence, being vehemently beaten, and his heels pierced, and also bound with ropes, he is dragged from the city of Ancyra even to the river Sangarus, the governor following and watching. There he was put into a chest, and cast into the river. But according to the good pleasure of God, the divine angel, who stood by, brought the chest onto dry land, and the Saint was found in it unharmed, singing: "He who dwells in the help of the Most High"; and what follows. When the governor had understood this, being suffused with shame, he drew his sword, and took himself out of the midst. But the holy Martyr, prayers being poured forth, and the divine gift being received, through a dove sent down to him from heaven, commended his spirit into the hands of the angel who appeared to him. And his body was deposited in the city of Ancyra.
[4] Thus far the eulogy; in which a few things offer themselves to be noted. concerning whose text some things are observed. That governor Cornelius, when he lived, and other things which regard him, are more unknown to us than that we could thence fetch any support for fixing the time of this martyrdom. Cornelius the duke, of whom on the 23rd of April, page 97, pertains to Gaul. This Sangarus, otherwise Sagaris, is the river Sangarius. It has its sources, on the testimony of Strabo, at the village of Sangia, about 150 stadia from Pessinus, and glides through the greater part of Phrygia Epictetus (that is, "acquired") [*], and also some part of Bithynia, so that it is distant from Nicomedia a little more than 300 stadia: at which place the river Gallus meets it. But by that which is placed toward the end of the aforesaid eulogy, "the divine gift" (τῆς θείας δωρεᾶς), understand the sacred synaxis, in the same manner in which δῶρον (dōron) or τὰ δῶρα (ta dōra) are taken for the same in Du Cange's Greek-barbaric Glossary. Special is that of Theophanes in the Chronographia, page 336, of the royal Paris edition: μετελάμβανον τὸν ἁγίαν δωρεάν—"they received the holy gift." But in the prayers of the Roman Missal which have the name of Post-communion, that phrase is usual; namely "sacred gift," "heavenly gift," "consecrated gifts," "gift of heavenly life," etc.
[5] several things which could be asked concerning the Martyr lying hidden from us. Further, what the eulogy hints concerning the Eucharist, brought to the Saint by the ministry of a dove; what it likewise reports concerning Cornelius the governor, as if he inflicted voluntary death on himself, having heard the marvels that were done in the Saint, we wish to be so taken that we may remember that these and similar things smack of the episodic ornament so familiar to the Greeks. But with the aforesaid eulogy agrees that which is found in the printed Menaea, and in Canisius. But at what time, or under what emperor, the holy Champion of Christ obtained the little laurel of his contest, we cannot hitherto determine; for these and several things which could here be asked concerning him lie hidden from us.
Annotations* that is, "acquired"