Lycarion

ON SAINT LYCARION, WITH HIM WHO HAD MIXED POISON FOR HIM,

MARTYR AT HERMOPOLIS IN EGYPT.

On the cult and Martyrdom from the Menaia.

Lycarion, Martyr at Hermopolis in Egypt (S.)

Companion, Martyr at Hermopolis in Egypt

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

Hermopolis in Ptolemy lib. 4 of Geography cap. 5 Ἑρμούπολις μεγάλη, "Great," and a metropolis, mediterranean from the western fall of the Nile (whence also the Nome Hermopolites is reckoned there), was a city, after receiving the faith of Christ, the first Episcopal in Egypt. In this city suffered S. Lycarion, and the torturer converted by him. His memory is celebrated on this 7th of June in the Roman Martyrology with these words: "In Egypt of S. Licarion the Martyr, The Roman Martyrology on him. who being torn, beaten with red-hot iron rods, and having suffered other most cruel things, finally struck by the sword, consummated his martyrdom." In the Notes the Greek Menology is cited, namely of Cardinal Sirletus, which he contracted from those which in the Menaia of the Greeks and in Maximus Bishop of Cythera ἐν Βίοις Ἁγίων are thus held.

[2] Οὗτος ἦν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου πόλεως Ἑρμοῦ· διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐις Χριστὸν πίστιν συλληφθεὶς, ἄγεται ἐις ἐξέτασιν, Passion from the Menaia, καὶ παραστὰς τῷ Ἄρχοντι ἀναγκάζεται τὸν Χριστὸν ἐξομόσασθαι· μὴ πειθομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐν ζοφώδει καὶ δυσωδεστάτη φρουρᾶ καθειρχθῆναι, προστάσσεται. Μετὰ δέ τινὰς ἡμέρας ἐξενεχθεὶς ξέεται σιδήροις, καὶ σταυρῷ καταπήνυται, καὶ κατὰ μέλος αἰκίζεται. Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἀποσπασθεὶς στρεβλοῦται καὶ μαστίζεται, καὶ τὰς πλευρὰς κατακαιεται,

[3] among which by harmless poison drunk, "Lycarion of Egypt, from the city of Hermes or Mercury, on account of his faith in Christ taken captive, is led to inquisition; and presented to the Prefect, is bidden to abjure Christ. But unwilling to obey him, he is ordered to be shut up in a prison full of darkness and worst stench: and after some days brought out, he is torn with iron claws; and fixed to a cross, is tortured limb by limb. Thence dragged away, he is again tormented, and beaten with scourges. Then also his sides are burned, is converted and beheaded he who had prepared it for him. and his chest is scorched with iron rods red-hot in fire. Cast afterwards into a burning furnace, after three days he came out from it unharmed. Compelled also to drink medicaments mixed with poison, he took them unharmed; and him who had prepared the poison, he drew to the faith of Christ: who was soon beheaded. But the Saint, with his nerves torn out, is thrown into a heated pot; and with the skin torn from his head, thus struck with the sword, met his death." Thus there: but at what time he received the crown of martyrdom is not expressed; nor anything else is at hand, whence about him any reasonable conjecture may be made.

ON SS. TARASIUS AND JOHN,

MARTYRS AMONG THE GREEKS.

From the printed Menaia.

Tarasius, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

John, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

G. H.

After S. Lycarion, these are subjoined in the Menaia of the Greeks: Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ οἱ ἅγιοι Μάρτυρες Ταράσιος καὶ Ἰωάννης, ξίφει τελειοῦνται. "On the same day the holy Martyrs Tarasius and John are consummated by the sword": and these verses are added, with allusion to the name of Tarasius, as if taken ἀπὸ τοῦ ταράσσω, "I disturb, I terrify."

Ἰωάννην τέμνουσι σὺν Ταρασίῳ, Οὐ πρὸς τὸ τέμνον ἐνταραχθέντας ζίφος

"With the sword they cut John with Tarasius, At the point of the iron with mind disturbed nothing."

The same killed by sword report the Menaia Mss. found by us at Dijon with our Peter Francis Chifflet, as also the same have been inserted in βίοις Ἁγίων by Maximus Bishop of Cythera.