ON THE TEN HOLY EGYPTIAN MARTYRS,
MARCIANUS, NICANDER, APOLLONIUS, LEONIDES, ARIUS, GORGIUS, HYPERECHIUS, SELLENIAS, IRENE, PAMBO.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Their cult among the Latins and the Greeks; and the manner of their martyrdom from manuscripts.
Marcianus, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Nicander, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Apollonius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Leonides, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Arius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Gorgius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Hyperechius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Sellenias, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Irene, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Pambo, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
Famous is the memory of these among the Greeks, and of the first three among the Latins. For with these the Hieronymian Martyrology begins the present day, in whose Epternach copy these things are read: On the Nones of June. In Egypt, of Marcianus, Memory in the Latin Calendars, Nicander, and Apollinus. In the Lucca and Corbie copies the names of two are written, of Nigander and Apollonus, or Apollonius. In the Corbie copy there was added "of Felicula and of Jocus": but Felicula is the first among the 25 Roman Martyrs soon to be set forth, and perhaps the name "Jocus" there is "Gagus." But supposing it be another, at least we do not think he is to be reckoned among these ten. In the Martyrologies of Usuard and Ado these things are found: At Egypt, the natal day of the Holy Martyrs Martianus, Nicander, and Apollonius, whose deeds are extant. But, with the last words omitted, concerning the deeds, the rest are reported in the same manner in Notker. Bellinus and Maurolycus have the same as Usuard and Ado, but in place of Nicander they wrote Nicanor: which name is preserved in the present-day Roman Martyrology, where these things are placed: In Egypt, the natal day of the holy Martyrs Marcianus, Nicanor, Apollonius, and the others, who in the persecution of Galerius Maximianus accomplished an illustrious martyrdom. In the Notes Usuard and Ado are cited: but these call him Nicander. In the Cassino manuscript only the names of the first three are found, but on the preceding day. Galesinius added the persecution of Maximianus; and in the Notes he judged that the name of Nicander, not Nicanor, should be retained, on account of the authority of the Greeks. The name of Maximianus was perhaps assumed by him from the later edition of Petrus de Natalibus, who on this day treats of the Atinate and Venafrian Martyrs, Nicander and Marcianus, who suffered on the 17th of June. SS. Marcianus, Nicander, and Apollonius, though with some interposed after the first, are also found in the manuscripts of Gellone, Augsburg, S. Gall, and Labbe.
[2] The Greek Menologium, cited by Baronius in the Notes, was composed by Sirletus in these words: On the 5th day of June. Of the Holy Martyrs, from Sirletus's Menologium, Martianus, Nicander, Apollinus, Leonides, Arius, Gorgius, Hyperechius, Sellenias, Irene, and Pambo. All these Saints, under the Governor of Egypt, because they were unwilling to deny Christ himself, vexed with hunger, thirst, and heat, enduring the contest of martyrdom, gave up their souls to the Lord. These things there, which are found the same in the Menaea, except that two names are thus written, and in the Menaea, Marcianus and Apollon; and that they are said to be vexed with hunger, thirst, and cold—in Greek "by frost"; which was rightly corrected by Sirletus, since from the Acts it is established that they were killed by heat. Meanwhile the same things which are found in the said Menaea are also repeated in the Lives of the Saints, published by Maximus, Bishop of Cythera. The memory likewise of the ten Martyrs is inscribed in the Arabo-Egyptian manuscript Martyrology translated by Simonius. And they indeed are said to have been condemned to death by the Duke of Egypt: but since neither his name, nor that of the Emperor under whom he served, is expressed, no occasion is left us to divine anything about the time in which they suffered.
[3] Baronius in his Notes asserts that on the Nones of April these same are treated of: The same seem to be reported on the 4th, 5th, on which day—indeed on both the preceding and the following—we have referred the reader to this 5th of June. And firstly, on the fourth day of April, from Galesinius, there are reported among the Passed-Over: Paulus, Victor, Nicanor, Apollonius, Martiniana the Virgin. Of these, Paulus and Victor with twelve others were set forth for sacred cult on the said 4th of April; Nicanor and Apollonius are deferred to this 5th of June, together with Martiniana, because on the following 5th of April "Marciana" was held in place of "Marcianus." But a greater difficulty arises at the said 5th of April, on which day in the Epternach copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology the memory of Marcianus in Egypt is indicated; in the Lucca copy, In Egypt the natal day of Marciana, Nicanor, Apollonius. Usuard, on the Nones of April, At Egypt of Martianus, Nicander, and Apollonius. and the 6th of April. Notker has Nicanor; Ado adds also Martiana, whence the "Martiniana" of the day before was formed by Galesinius. Finally, on the 6th of April SS. Marcianus, Nicanor, and Apollonius, Martyrs in Egypt, were inscribed in the manuscript Martyrology of Brussels of the church of S. Gudula; and everywhere we judged that all should be deferred to this day; nor even now do we find any cause on account of which we should withdraw from our former opinion.
[4] The earlier torments from the Menologium of the Emperor Basil. Perhaps in the month of April, on three consecutive days, the Saints endured those things which are found in the Menologium of the Emperor Basil, taken from the Acts cited in Usuard and Ado, and likewise alleged in the Lucca Hieronymian, which hitherto have been found neither in Greek nor in Latin; but in the month of June, consumed by hunger, thirst, and heat, they expired, and perhaps on the third day after the rest Marcianus, as Martyr in Egypt, was again reported in the Hieronymian copies and elsewhere on the 8th of June. The words of the Menologium are of this kind.
[5] On the fifth day of this month of June, the Contest of the holy Martyrs Marcianus and Nicander and their companions. Marcianus and Nicander, Martyrs of Christ, with their companions lived in the region of Egypt, and on account of their confession of the Christian faith they were seized by the Governor, and suffered violence, that they might deny Christ and offer worship to idols. But when they refused to do this, first they were subjected to dreadful scourgings, soon their sides were burned with torches, then, being hung up, they were torn with iron claws, so much that their flesh fell to the ground. Afterwards, half-dead, shut up in prison, they were healed by an Angel of God who appeared; and thus after many days, wholly sound, they went out of custody. Then, presented at the tribunal of the Governor, on account of this miracle many of the unbelievers were converted to the faith of Christ. They, again placed in custody, in this gave up their souls to God. Thus far there.
[6] But of what kind this custody was, the last contest of the Saints will explain—gravely and elegantly described, in Greek most probably by Eusebius, in his work on the Martyrs; of which I made mention above at the 1st day, where I treated of S. Justin and his Companions, no. 11. For it is a certain continuation (as appears from the beginning) of like argument, the last contest perhaps from the book of Eusebius on the Martyrs, of Martyrs led about through various regions, especially of the East, made illustrious by their passions: but this part of such a Work was found by us in the Vatican Greek Codex, under number 655, and with this title, The Martyrdom of the Holy
Ten Martyrs, of Marcianus and his Company.
The Passion of the Holy Ten Martyrs, of Marcianus and his Companions; of which we have also copied out in the same place the Latin translation, made by Guilielmus Sirletus, and we likewise give it here.
THE ACTS OF THE MARTYRDOM
From the Vatican manuscript, the translator being Guilielmus Sirletus.
Marcianus, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Nicander, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Apollonius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Leonides, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Arius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Gorgius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Hyperechius, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Sellenias, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Irene, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
Pambo, Martyr in Egypt (S.)
BHL Number: 5260
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
The Greek text reads: Fair indeed, O beloved, was the choir also of those who in Egypt bore witness as martyrs for God—fair, I say, and worthy of narration. For men together with women, found to be of one mind, having resolved to serve the Lord, and having trained their understanding and their body to undergo anything whatsoever, are all subjected to one and the same punishment; and journeying together in common with one another, having conquered the good contest, they bound upon themselves a splendid crown. For when those who slew them were worn out, and those who delivered them up grew weary, and abhorred to make them victims of stoning any longer, the Duke of Egypt devised a punishment beyond human contrivance, taking as his accomplice the situation of the place. For as the sun burned and sent down a great force of fire-heat upon the plains—the situation of Egypt being by nature such that it is heated more quickly than other lands, and is set ablaze more than the rest—he built a wall upon the plain, raising it so high that those who wished could not escape from it; and having shut up the like-minded ones within, "Pay the penalty," he said, "all of you, you defiled ones, since you have held the same opinion." And having set guards over them, and commanded them to ask from time to time: "There is water in abundance, the necessaries of life are overflowing; if you thirst, deny your God and be saved; if you have need of food, do this, and you shall have it." But they, knowing well that martyrdom is the one liberty, that the one salvation is the confession toward God, that the one life is death here, neither were turned aside by the sun that scorched and burned, nor turned to the famine that wore them down, nor would endure to relieve their parching thirst; but to them their food was a psalm, and their drink the praise of the Lord. And their faith in these things was not out of tune with the voice of the Gospel. For the devil said on the mountain, "Tell this stone that it become bread"; and Jesus answering said to him: "It is written thus: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." And again in another place, answering the Samaritan woman, Jesus said: "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but he who drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst forever; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life." Thus were these most holy ones nourished; thus did a good thing, truly steadfast as drink, and like to the fountain to which they hastened. This psalm, this praise, made them strive the more to enjoy paradise, the more they wished to draw from the holy fountain. And after these things, when the time was come for their souls to hasten to their own places, toward their own God, they delivered them up full of many hymns and praises of God, and rendered them most pure. When these things were announced to the Duke, he commanded that the wall built for them as a guard should become their tomb; but let us Christians send up glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages. Amen.
[6] Most beautiful indeed, dearly beloved, was the choir also of those who in Egypt underwent martyrdom for the confession of God; most beautiful, I say, and most worthy of narration and of history. For men and women, agreeing and concordant in mind, when they had proposed to themselves to serve the divine worship, and for that cause were prepared to suffer anything whatsoever in soul and body, After enduring great torments, all underwent indeed an equal torment, but yet in common, the contest being overcome, joined together among themselves, performed their martyrdom and were clothed with a splendid crown. For when the executioners were worn out with inflicting torments, and those who had delivered the Martyrs themselves to them shrank from making a stoning upon them, the Governor of Egypt devised a certain torment, greater almost than could be devised by human counsel: and the condition of that region brought much help to the matter exposed to the burning soil, which he had proposed to do for himself. For when the sun itself burned, and sent a great force of heat through the fields; and the nature of the Egyptian region was such that it grew hot more quickly than other lands, and beyond other lands was kindled by the heat of the sun; and shut up within a wall, the Governor himself built a certain wall in the field, and so raised it that those who wished to flee thence could not. And when he had shut those concordant Martyrs within that wall, "Pay," he said, "all of you, one penalty, since you labor under one and the same madness." And he set guards, whom he ordered to ask the Martyrs frequently, whether they were willing to depart from their resolve; and he charged them to say these things to the Martyrs: "We have water, and that in plenty, and we have the things necessary for sustenance. If therefore you thirst, or hunger, deny your God and be safe; do this, and we will supply you with what is necessary." They, since they rightly perceived that the one and true liberty was martyrdom itself, they are extinguished by heat, hunger, and thirst, that the one salvation depended on the confession of God, that the one life proceeded from the present death, were moved neither by any heat of the burning sun, nor by grievous hunger: nor at last did they care to soothe their parching thirst, but for food they recited psalms, and for drink the praise of God.
[7] And so their faith did not differ from that voice of the Gospel, which voice Jesus answered to the devil, who on the mountain proposed these things to him, "Say that these stones be made bread"; "It is written thus," said he: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Luke 4:4 And in another place he said to the Samaritan woman: "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but he who drinks of this water which I shall give shall never thirst forever; but the water which I shall give shall become in him a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life." John 4:14 Thus were those most holy Martyrs nourished, thus did the perseverance in good things afford them true drink, like the fountain to which they hastened. This was their exultation; this praise set before them most urged them to attain the delight of paradise: for they longed to draw drink from that holy fountain. occupied at their death in singing hymns to God. After these things, when the time was at hand for their souls to hasten to their own places and to their own God, the Martyrs themselves, having pronounced many hymns and praises to God, delivered up their most pure souls, as was fitting, to God. When this matter was brought to the Duke of Egypt, he ordered that the wall built for guarding them should be their sepulchre: but let us Christian men sing glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; now, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.