ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF APOLLONIA
ISAURUS THE DEACON, INNOCENTIUS, FELIX, HERMIAS, AND PEREGRINUS,
HISTORICAL COLLECTION.
From the Great Menaea of the Greeks.
Isaurus, Deacon, Martyr, an Athenian, at Apollonia in Macedonia (S.)
Innocentius, Martyr, an Athenian, at Apollonia in Macedonia (S.)
Felix, Martyr, an Athenian, at Apollonia in Macedonia (S.)
Hermias, Martyr, an Athenian, at Apollonia in Macedonia (S.)
Peregrinus, Martyr, an Athenian, at Apollonia in Macedonia (S.)
G. H.
The Greeks in the printed Menaea, & in Maximus the Bishop of Cythera "in the Lives of the Saints," celebrate the memory of these Martyrs in this manner. On the same day, the Contest of the holy Martyr Isaurus, & of those with him, Innocentius, Felix, Hermias, & Peregrinus. On the same day, the 17th of June, the Contest of the holy Martyr Isaurus & of his companions, Innocentius, Hermias, Felix & Peregrinus. Then is subjoined this Elogium. The holy Isaurus, & those with him, set out from Athens. And having departed from their homeland, coming to be in a certain cave of Apollonia, they fell in with Felix & Peregrinus & Hermias; whom the holy Isaurus, teaching not to be terrified by present things, these confirmed his words by their deeds. For turning away from the company of their kinsmen, they are accused by them to Tripontius the Prefect; whom, having seized, & being unable to make them stand off from Christ, he commands their heads to be cut off with the sword. But Isaurus the Deacon of Christ, & those with him, are handed over to Apollonius, the son of the Prefect: under whom, tested by fire & water, & since many, by their being marvelously delivered from these, were transferred to the faith in Christ, among whom were also the Chief men of the city, Rufus & Rufinus the own brothers, at last, having received the sentence, they are beheaded.
[2] So they in Greek, which you will render in Latin thus. The holy Isaurus & his Companions drew their origin from Athens: Elogium from the Menaea, who, when they had departed from their homeland, having stayed in a certain cave of Apollonia, fell in with Felix & Peregrinus & Hermias, whom the holy Isaurus also taught, the present things being neglected, to look to the future. But these confirmed his discourses by deeds: for, having turned away from the familiarity of their kinsmen, they are accused by them before Tripontius the Prefect: whom, having seized, since he could not turn them from the faith in Christ, he ordered their heads to be cut off. But Isaurus the Deacon of Christ, & those who were with him, are handed over to Apollonius the son of the Tribune: by whom, tested by fire & water, since they had been admirably delivered from these, they converted many to the faith of Christ: among whom also were the Chief men of that city, Rufus & Rufinus, own brothers, who at last, having received the sentence, were beheaded.
[3] These things there, which thence Sirletus deduced to his Menologium; & this being alleged, they were inscribed in the Roman Martyrology in these words: The arena Apollonia. At Apollonia in Macedonia, the holy Martyrs Isaurus the Deacon, Innocentius, Felix, Hieremias & Peregrinus, Athenians, who, variously tortured by Tripontius the Tribune, were beheaded. This Hieremias is the one who by the Greeks is written Ἑρμείας & by Sirletus Hermias; & Apollonia is said to be in Macedonia—to which name three cities are attributed by Philippus Ferrarius in the Geographical Lexicon, namely the maritime one to the West, an Episcopal city between Dyrrachium & Aulon, another inland, an Archiepiscopal one, in the region of Mygdonia; & a third on Mount Athos, also Episcopal. Baudrandus in his Geography indicates besides several Apollonias in Africa, Bithynia, Caria, Mysia, & Sicily; so that it is difficult firmly to assent to the Gregorian recognizers of the Roman Martyrology, who from their own conjecture ascribe the one of which here we treat to Macedonia. Yet this conjecture is favored by the fact that Macedonia is nearer to Athens, whence the Saints came, & need not be reached across the sea. The indicated Rufus & Rufinus seem to be reported in the same Menaea on the 8th day of September, & are said to be Rufus & Rufinianus, brothers slain by the sword. At Barcelona is the body of S. Innocentius the Martyr, received from Urban VIII, & deposited with the Discalced Brothers of the Most Holy Trinity, which they honor on this day, as if it were the body of this S. Innocentius reported in the Roman Martyrology, which we less approve; although Tamaius in the Spanish Martyrology hints at this.
[4] Whether S. Isaurus had at Constantinople his own temple, to which his body was translated, I have hitherto not ascertained; The proper temple of S. Isaurus nor did Cangius, who scrutinized such things more accurately, ascertain it. If he had had one, I think it should not have been passed over in that Ms. Synaxary which we found at Paris of our College there, since it was augmented chiefly for the use of the churches of the Royal city: but in this there does not appear even an elogium of him & his companions. That therefore in the printed Menaea the same S. Isaurus occupies the first place, with a full Office & frequent mention of miracles worked in his temple & at the chest; I think this is among those with whom he suffered. The Canon is of an uncertain Author, bearing this Acrostich:
Isaurus, Martyr, show yourself kindly to me, Isaurus the Martyr, be propitious to me.
But the eight strophes of the Odes, which ought to correspond to the individual letters of this verse, not only exceed their number, but also proceed without any respect to them, except at the beginning & end, & the Office In one of them the names of all are briefly gathered, which in the second Sticheron prosomoion or similar Versicle before the Canon, with an honorific epithet, are thus each named.
Isaurus the glorious, & steadfast Innocentius, the divine Basilius, Felix the wonderful, the famous Hermias & Peregrinus, who made heaven of the earth, let them faithfully be blessed, in which his companions also are praised, as the servants of the Lord, & ever driving away the sufferings of our souls. Isaurus the glorious, the strong Innocentius, the divine Basilius, & Felix the admirable; the illustrious Hermias & Peregrinus, who changed earth into heaven by the heavenly flashes of their miracles, let them be faithfully beatified; as the servants of God, & ever driving away the diseases of our souls. He who here is named in the third place, Basilius, passed over by the authors cited at first,
deserved also to be placed in the title by the authority of this Canon, just as he is placed in the title of this day & in the Menaea: but he will be placed in the supplement of this place. Elsewhere Isaurus almost alone is praised: & in Ode III it is thus sung to him:
Your tomb, gushing forth streams of healings, makes cease all manner of men's sicknesses, Isaurus. Your chest pours forth streams of healing, & makes cease all manner of men's diseases, Isaurus. & he himself is more specially invoked But the first strophe of the last Ode alludes to this: Deemed worthy of great gifts from God, all-renowned Isaurus, to drive away demons & diseases of every kind, & temptations & death, granting to all their requests: therefore to me also grant peace & redemption from offenses. Deemed worthy of great gifts from God, most reverend Isaurus, to drive away demons & diseases of every kind, temptations also & death itself, you bestow on all their requests: therefore to me also grant peace & health with the pardon of sins. But the presence of his body the following strophe notes more distinctly: Your divine & venerable temple, possessing your most precious holy body, as an inalienable treasure, enriches the faithful with the distributions of gifts: therefore may I too obtain a share of your divine gifts, I who have taken refuge at your divine tomb. on account of the grace of healings flowing from his sepulcher Your divine venerable church, possessing your body most worthy of all honor, as an inalienable treasure, enriches the faithful on every side with the distribution of graces: wherefore may it befall me too to be made a partaker of your heavenly gifts, I who have taken refuge at your divine sepulcher.