ON THE HOLY PERSIAN BROTHERS, MANUEL, SABEL, AND ISMAEL,
MARTYRS AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
IN THE YEAR 362
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY,
The cult of the Saints & the double Greek Acts.
Manuel, a Persian Brother, Martyr, at Constantinople (S.)
Sabel, a Persian Brother, Martyr, at Constantinople (S.)
Ismaël, a Persian Brother, Martyr, at Constantinople (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
The church of the holy Manuel, Sabel & Ismael, which is situated at the land wall, Theodosius the Great built. For after they had been burned by Julian the Apostate, their Relics were deposited there in the place of execution. Churches & Relics at Constantinople. So Georgius Codinus, "On the Origins of Constantinople," page 61, & following him Carolus du Fresne, Lord of Cange, in book 4 of "Christian Constantinople," chapter 6, no. 61. In the Elogium soon to be given, their Confession is said to be near the holy Prophet Elisha. But in the first Acts the time of the deed is accurately noted, when all the things are said to have been done, with Mamertinus & Nevita as Consuls, on the 17th of June, on the second feria (Monday) at the ninth hour: by which is distinctly noted the year of Christ 362, reckoning the Dominical letter F.
[2] We have those Acts, & we have made them Latin, from the Ms. of the Vatican Library under the number-mark 655; the year of the Martyrdom. & Leo Allatius saw & reported them, in his Dissertation on the writings of the Symeons, among those which are certainly not Metaphrastes', a thing anyone would easily grant him: but not likewise, that they are of a synchronous Author. He only professes here to write them, "just as the acts of the records, which were made about them, teach us"; namely by the Notaries assisting at the interrogation: whose words the Author seems by rhetorical license to have amplified in that manner, in which he framed the words of the Saints praying in prison, & the voice that came down from heaven to them. Nor would it be absurd to believe that, Julian having departed, who perished the very next year, the Christians summarily wrote the history of this Martyrdom, which also the writer had before his eyes. However that may be, even from the very preface it appears that the Passion was written down rather later, a century or two after, such as will be given by us, under the title of older Acts, The double Greek-Latin Acts in respect to those which Henschen designated to be given also in the second place, in Greek-Latin; not as about to teach anything new, but as a more elegant Paraphrase of the former, & probably elaborated by Symeon Metaphrastes. For although Allatius in the aforesaid Dissertation did not ascribe it to him; I think nevertheless that this omission must be ascribed either to the pure forgetfulness of Allatius, or to the negligence of the typesetters, especially since it is not reported among those which Leo adjudged not to be Metaphrastes': for he could not here have failed to see it, either at Venice in the Library of S. Mark, whence, through Petrus Franciscus Zinus, Aloysius Lipomanus had it rendered into Latin, & inserted it into his Lives of the Saints, & preceded Surius who was about to do the same; or in the Royal one at Paris, whence Bolland received the Greek text. Therefore Henschen judged these too worthy of the press, & they had already begun to be prepared by me, when I found the Paris exemplar so imperfect & obscure, that, unless written again & collated with the original, it could not serve for printing: Yet only the older ones are given here. wherefore I preferred to abstain from a less necessary labor; & leaving it to another, who will follow the footsteps of Joannes Baptista Cotelerius, from whom we have the monuments of the Greek Church, others unedited, printed in two volumes, I signify that this is the beginning of the later Acts in the Royal & Venetian Codices. The other persecutors & tyrants, even if they happened to be attached to the idols, yet, brought up in error from the beginning, seemed to follow a worship not foreign & out of place. The other persecutors & tyrants, although they adhered to the idols, yet, deceived by ancient error, seemed to follow a religion by no means foreign & absurd.
[3] The memory of these Martyrs is celebrated in the ancient Typicon of S. Sabas, Memory in the Greek fasti, & in the Metrical Ephemeris, which indicates their chief cult on this day at Constantinople, under this verse: The seventeenth saw three men contending. The seventeenth saw three men, contending pugilists. But the Elogium which is held both in the Ms. Menologium of Basil Porphyrogenitus the Emperor & in absolutely all the Menaea, Ms. & printed, that we have seen, is held from the ancient Ms. Synaxary of the Church of Constantinople somewhat more fully than we give elsewhere, & to it in the Menaea this Distich is prefixed: Manuel, Sabel, Ismael, three men-at-arms, put to shame the enemies of the Trinity, the captains. Three armor-bearers, Manuel, Sabel, Ismael, confounded the Leaders, the enemies of the Trinity. The Canon composed for them we have not yet found; but only three Stichera prosomoia, usually set before the Canon: to which is added a Chant of Anatolius the Patriarch of this kind. Sincerely having longed for you, O Word of God, the glorious Martyrs, having ceased the worship of fire, elogium from the Synaxary of Constantinople & having left the land of the Chaldeans, were illuminated by your light: & armored with the arms of faith they put to shame Julian the tyrant, Manuel the glorious, & Sabel the ever-memorable, & Ismael the thrice-blessed, who, hymning you with the Father & the Spirit, intercede that our souls may be saved. Sincerely loving you, Word of God, the glorious Martyrs, having dismissed the worship of fire & the land of the Chaldeans, shone with your light: & armored with the arms of faith they confounded Julian the tyrant, the glorious Manuel, Sabel to be remembered for all time, & the thrice-blessed Ismael; who, singing a hymn to you, with the Father & the Holy Spirit, pray that our souls may be saved.
[4] The Elogium, or summary of the Acts, is of this kind. These were from Persia, of a father indeed an Archimagus, but of a Christian mother, taught piety & the sacred Letters by a certain Eunicus a Presbyter, a devout man. And having been sent by Baltanus the King of the Persians, & treating the things which pertained to peace, in the times of Julian the transgressor, whom, when they had seen him sacrificing to the idols in the idol-temple called Trygon across the strait at Chalcedon, & many adhering to his error, they themselves being pious toward God & worshippers of Christ, lamented; & besought Christ that he keep them safe in the faith in him, & that they not share with the idolaters in the error. And having been accused by Indicus the chamberlain, & led to the impious Julian, they are beaten & their ankles pierced through with nails, & their armpits burned with lamps of fire. And these things indeed in common; but individually the holy Manuel, having received promises & exhortations from the abominable king Julian, & not persuaded to offer sacrifices to the idols, is nailed through the head, & both ears; & wrapped about with reeds is bound tight, & pierced with other sharp things. And thus, together with his two brothers Sabel & Ismael, on the wall toward Thrace which is called that of Constantine, in a steep place, having been led away with them he was beheaded. And the transgressor having ordered their bodies to be burned, immediately the earth split & received the remains of the Saints; & many, from such a miracle, believed in Christ. And after these things, certain devout men, these sacred Relics having been revealed to them by our Lord Jesus Christ, buried them seasoned with unguents & spices. But the iniquitous Julian, afterward returning from the Persian war, is struck by a heavenly blow, & sent forward to the eternal fire. And their solemnity is celebrated in the most holy oratory built for them, situated near the temple of the holy Prophet Elisha. These were sprung from Persia, of a father indeed an Archimagus, but a Christian mother, taught piety & the sacred Letters by a certain Eunicus a Presbyter, an upright man. And they were sent by Baltanus the King of the Persians, to treat the things that pertained to peace, in the time of Julian the apostate, whom, when they had seen sacrificing to the gods across the strait at Chalcedon in a place dedicated to the idols, called Trygon, & many adhering to his error, they themselves pious toward God & worshippers of Christ, deplored those miserably seduced: & they prayed to Christ that he keep them safe & whole in the faith, that they not in any way be contaminated by the errors of the idolaters. And having been detected by Indicus the chamberlain, & led to the impious Julian, they are beaten & their ankles pierced through with nails, & all burned beneath the armpits with burning lamps. But separately S. Manuel, invited in vain with many promises & exhortations by the impure Emperor Julian to sacrifice to the gods, is transfixed with nails through the head & each ear, & bound about with reeds, & pierced with other sharp things. Then both himself & his two brothers Sabel & Ismael, on the wall of Thrace, which is called that of Constantine, in a steep place, are beheaded, & by the command of the apostate their bodies are burned; & suddenly the earth was split, & received the Relics of the Saints. But many, on account of such a miracle, believed in Christ. And after these things, certain pious men buried these sacred Relics, revealed to them by our Lord Jesus Christ, seasoned with unguents & aromatics. But the iniquitous Julian, afterward returning from the Persian war, is killed by a heavenly blow, & sent forth to the eternal fire. And their solemnity is celebrated in the most holy oratory built for them, situated near the temple of the holy Prophet Elisha. These things there. Mention in the Latin fasti. Galesinius also published an illustrious elogium in his Latin Martyrology, & Molanus inserted their memory also in his Auctarium to Usuardus, but Baronius in the Roman Martyrology.
OLDER ACTS
From the Ms. of the Vatican Library 655, the translator D. P.
Manuel, a Persian Brother, Martyr, at Constantinople (S.)
Sabel, a Persian Brother, Martyr, at Constantinople (S.)
Ismaël, a Persian Brother, Martyr, at Constantinople (S.)
FROM THE VATICAN MS., TRANSLATED BY D. P.
CHAPTER I.
Their embassy to Julian, & the first confession.
[1] At that time, with the most impious Julian reigning, & idolatry prevailing, & the demons feasting toward the deception of pious souls; this lawless man sent out commands through every city & country, that all should worship the vain gods, or, if unwilling, be examined with various punishments. Many therefore, for the sake of the faith in God, endured afflictions & distresses, awaiting the hope of eternal life. Whence also these blessed & holy martyrs Manuel, Sabel, & Ismael, sprung from the country of the Persians, & possessing one homeland, through their good confession inherited the kingdom in the heavens; just as also the acts of the records, which were made about them, teach us, containing thus.
[2] With Baltanus reigning in the country of the Persians, a great war having been stirred up, the impious Julian sent letters to King Baltanus containing this manner: Julian Caesar, to King Baltanus, greeting. It is necessary for us to be at leisure for the sacrifices of the gods, & not, as is likely, persuaded by certain notions, to raise up wars between us, becoming a destruction of the souls of men, & especially when we belong to the same dispositions; & it is better to bestow peace upon us through the service of the gods, that we may pass our life without disturbance. Farewell.
[3] Receiving these letters, King Baltanus, concerning the impious Julian, & having read & been persuaded, sent to Julian, for a firm security to come about between them & peace, certain servants whom he had belonging to him, these blessed & holy martyrs Manuel, Sabel & Ismael, who were comely in beauty, but young in age. Whom the King Julian, seeing, received with great joy, & ordered them to dwell together with him. And going out into the province of the Bithynians, coming to Chalcedon he ordered a great festival to be held, & sacrifices to be offered to the idols. Many therefore having come together to the sacrifices of the vain gods, according to the command of the impious King Julian, these blessed & holy martyrs Manuel, Sabel, & Ismael were standing outside the gate of the temple called Trygon, seeing how they had been led astray, & how readily they thus offered the sacrifices to the vain gods; & striking their own breasts & weeping, they besought the Lord Christ that they not be numbered together with them; for they had been taught the precepts of the holy scriptures by a certain Eunicus, a presbyter, a wonderful & pious man, & filled with the Holy Spirit.
[4] Now Arion the Indian, the chamberlain of the impious Julian, having much longing for the error of the vain idols, seeing them standing outside the temple, says to them: Why do you too not enter, & celebrate the festival together with all, & speak well of the immortal gods, but are so gloomy? And the blessed & holy martyrs Manuel, Sabel & Ismael answered him saying: Go away, man, depart from us; for we are afflicted, because we see souls being led astray, & the demons feasting, & our Lord Jesus Christ being despised. And Indicus the chamberlain, hearing these things from the holy martyrs, & summoning certain men, & seizing them, led them to the King Julian saying to him: Master King, why do these alone not sacrifice to the gracious gods, but use such madness, not wishing to propitiate them? And much disturbance arising & a running together of the crowds, immediately the impious Julian ordered them to be led away & cast into prison, saying: If indeed they wish to sacrifice this present day to the gracious gods, they will be saved; otherwise on the morrow, I will punish them. And the holy Martyrs sang psalms in prison saying, Come let us exult in the Lord, let us shout aloud to God our savior.
[5] But the holy Martyrs not having come to sacrifice to the idols, on the morrow the impious Julian, seated beforehand, ordered those holy Martyrs to be brought, & mad with rage says to them: For this did your King Baltanus send you to me, that you should not wish to celebrate the festival together with us, & to offer sacrifices to the gods? And the holy ones answering said to him: Hear, lawless King, with truth: Our father was a Magus, & was greatly loved by our King Baltanus; but our mother was God-fearing; & when these had died, our King took us in his arms, & we passed our life with him, in no way compelled by him concerning such sacrifices; but now he sent us to you for the bestowal of peace, & not that you should force us to worship idols. For we were taught by a certain Eunicus, a Presbyter, a wonderful man & a Christian, to know the living & true God, who made heaven & earth, & the stars, & sun & moon, & all creation, & to keep his commandments unswervingly, & we hasten to render to him a sacrifice of praise.
[6] And the impious King Julian, becoming mad, & raging in soul, said: How do you, coming before such a King, happen to be like private persons? And the holy martyrs answering said to him: Do not hasten to call private persons the servants of God; for our Lord Jesus Christ can present us to you as sophists; for through his holy & divinely-inspired scriptures, he teaches us saying: When you stand before Kings & Governors, be not anxious what you should say, or what you should speak; for the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must speak. And the King Julian said: I too once, having read these follies, obtained no benefit from the one called Christ; wish therefore, you too, to stand off from him, & coming forward sacrifice to the immortal gods; but if not, you will be deemed worthy of many punishments, & Christ will profit you nothing. And the holy martyrs answering said to him: Impious & unholy King, how are you so senseless, that you, daily coming before your gods, do not see the speechlessness that belongs to them, that, being lifeless stones, & being dwellings of demons, they lead astray the souls of men.
[1] In those days, when the most impious Julian had seized the Empire, & idolatry was predominant, & the demons were taking delight in the perdition of pious souls; Julian persecuting the Christians this sacrilegious man, through all regions & cities, sent out edicts, by which he commanded that the false Gods be worshipped by all, & that those who refused this be tortured with various torments. Therefore many, for the sake of the faith in God, endured tribulations & hardships, awaiting the hope of eternal life; just as also these blessed & holy Martyrs, Manuel, Sabel & Ismael, brought from the region of Persia, where they had a common homeland, by their illustrious confession inherited the kingdom of heaven; just as the Acts of the records, written above in this manner, teach us.
[2] When Baltanus reigned among the Persians, & a grave war had been stirred up, the impious Julian sent to him a letter of this tenor. Julian Caesar, to King Baltanus, greeting. It behooves us to be at leisure for the sacrifices of the Gods; & wishing peace with the Persians but not to stir up wars between us, induced by I know not what pretexts to the destruction of men; especially since, having embraced the same view, it is more advantageous to obtain peace on account of the religion of the Gods, that we may live without disturbance. Farewell.
[3] Receiving such a letter from the impious Julian, & being persuaded by reading it to confirm the peace between them, King Baltanus sent the most faithful ministers whom he had, these blessed & holy Martyrs, Manuel, Sabel & Ismael; comely in form, young in age. Whom, when the Emperor Julian had seen, he received with great joy, & ordered them to dwell with him. Then going out into the province of Bithynia, & coming to Chalcedon, to the place which is called Trygon, he ordered a solemn festival to be celebrated & Sacrifices to be offered to the idols. And so, many running together to the sacrifices of the vain gods, according to the command of the Emperor Julian; these holy & Blessed Martyrs Manuel, Sabel & Ismael were standing outside the gate of the temple which is called Trygon; & seeing how the deceived ones eagerly sacrificed to the false gods, they struck their breasts; & weeping they prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might never be numbered among them: for they had learned the commandments of the sacred Scriptures from Eunicus the Presbyter, a religious & admirable man, & full of the Holy Spirit.
[4] Seeing them thus standing outside the temple, Arion Indicus, the chamberlain of the impious Julian, & zealous much for the erroneous worship of the idols; they refuse to attend: Why, he says, do you not enter, & with the others keep the festival, in praise of the immortal Gods, but remain sad? But the blessed & holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel, & Ismael answered him saying: Away from here, & depart from us. We are sad, because we see souls deceived, the demons rejoicing, & our Lord Jesus Christ treated with contumely. Hearing these things from the holy Martyrs, Indicus the Chamberlain, having called certain ministers, seized them, & led them to the Emperor Julian, saying: Lord Emperor, & therefore being delated they are handed over to prison, why do these alone not sacrifice to the kindly Gods, & are moved by such madness, that they will not propitiate them? Great was the concourse & crowding of the people in that place; & therefore the impious Julian at once ordered them, being led away thence, to be cast into prison, saying: if indeed today they shall be willing to sacrifice to the good Gods, let them be kept unharmed; but if not, tomorrow I will hold an interrogation about them, & will punish them. But the holy Martyrs sang psalms in custody saying: Come let us exult to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to God our savior.
[5] When therefore the holy Martyrs did not come to sacrifice to the idols, on the following day; the next day brought forth, the impious Julian, sitting before the tribunal, ordered them to be set before him, & full of wrath said: Did your King Baltanus send you to us for this, that you should neither keep the festival with me, nor offer sacrifices to the Gods? To whom the holy ones answered in these words: Hear, sacrilegious Emperor, the truth of the matter: Our Father was a Magus, they confess themselves to be Christians, & was much loved by our King Baltanus: but our Mother worshipped God: when they had died, our King took us into his protection, & we were with him, in no way compelled by him to such sacrifices: but now he has appointed us to you to establish peace, & not that you should force us to sacrifice to idols. For by Eunicus, an admirable man & a Christian, we have been taught to know the living & true God, who made heaven & earth; the stars, sun, moon & every creature; whose commandments we are eager to keep unswervingly, & to offer to him a sacrifice of praise.
[6] At this, driven into a fury, the impious one, & seething in mind: Coming to me, he says, so great an Emperor, you seem to be utterly ignorant fellows. sufficiently well instructed from the scriptures, The holy Martyrs answered him: Do not precipitate sentence, by calling the servants of God ignorant fellows: for our Lord Jesus Christ can make us, standing before you, appear sophists: who through the sacred & divinely inspired Scriptures taught us, saying: When you stand before Kings & Governors, do not anxiously consider, how or what you should speak: for the Holy Spirit will teach you what it behooves you to speak. But the Emperor Julian said: & they deny that they will sacrifice to stone gods. I too have read those follies, nor did that Christ whom you name bring me any benefit. I advise therefore that you too be willing to forsake him, & sacrifice to the immortal Gods: but if not, you will make yourselves worthy of manifold torments, nor will Christ profit you at all. Then the holy Martyrs: Impious & profane Emperor, how are you so senseless, that, daily approaching your Gods, you do not see that they are altogether mute; inasmuch as they are inanimate stones, & dwellings of demons, deceiving human souls.
NOTES BY D. P.
CHAPTER II.
The torments bravely endured, the death constantly undergone, the burial.
[7] And the lawless King Julian, angered with great wrath, says to the holy ones: Most wretched of all men, deemed worthy of kindness by me, do you insult the gods, daring to call them lifeless stones? By their graciousness, now being tortured you shall know their power. And mad with rage, he ordered them, stretched on the ground, to be afflicted with torments by clubs & ox-sinews, & the heralds to cry out & say to them, Do not dishonor the gods. And the holy Martyrs, being afflicted for a long time, cried out with one voice saying, We do not worship lifeless stones, but the truly ever-living God we worship, & him we serve. And the impious King Julian, raging at these things, seeing them persisting in not standing off from the Lord Christ, ordered them to be hung up on the wood, & their sides scraped, & nails to be driven through their ankles. And the holy Martyrs, enduring this bitter torment, cried out with a loud voice saying: Christ Jesus, who ascended upon the wood of your holy & precious cross, that you might save the race of men, do not stand off from us, but show mercy with us, as also with the Saints who were well-pleasing to you, & lighten us from the pains that encompass us; for you know, Lord, that our flesh is lowly in the array of battle, you who alone are unconquered, & our compassionate savior.
[8] And as they were praying these things, an Angel of the Lord standing by lightened the holy ones from their pains; & the King Julian ordered them to be brought down from the wood, & says to them: See how I have compassion on you, because you are young in age, & comely in beauty? Wish therefore to sacrifice to the gracious gods, & to be deemed worthy of the greatest honors, & to dwell together with us. And the holy ones answering say to him, We rather hasten to dwell with the heavenly Master & our Lord Jesus Christ, whose benefits also we see daily coming upon us, that, possessing a sure & firm hope in him, we may find boldness before him, in that day of the dread & terrible examination of the great King.
[9] And the King Julian, wishing by persuasive words to turn them from piety to impiety, says to Sabel & Ismael: What do you too wish? do you wish to deprive yourselves of the gifts of the greatest gods, which they bestow on all who come to them? for I know that this your senseless brother persuades you not to offer sacrifice to them, & to be deemed worthy of the greatest bestowals from us; for I suppose from your appearance that you are sensible. And the holy ones answering as from one mouth said to him: Lawless King, & enemy of God, why do you reason with us, owing rather to make us stand off from our Lord Jesus Christ? go first persuade your gods to tell us, whether they wish to receive a sacrifice from us, & we are ready to offer it to them. And the King Julian, becoming mad, raging in soul, says to them: Most unfortunate of all men, these, living in quiet, practice silence. And the holy Martyrs answering said to him: Being stones, how shall your gods hear, & produce a voice? & especially, living in darkness, how shall they behold the light? for they have eyes & do not see. But our God, who is ever in the heavens, remains unto the ages, who also enlightens every man coming to the knowledge of his truth.
[10] And the lawless Julian, becoming mad at these things, hearing them, ordered lamps of fire to be applied to their sides; & the executioners doing what was commanded them, the Martyrs cried out with one voice & said: Christ Jesus, being the heavenly King, help us, because for your name's sake we endure these things, hanging; & in the multitude of your compassions deem us worthy of your kingdom above. And the King Julian says to them: Do you not even now understand that our gods are angry with you? turn therefore, & sacrifice to them, that you may be deemed worthy of kindness from us. And the holy ones answering say to him: We always see the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, coming upon us, & lightening us from your merciless torments; for nothing of those which you brought has touched us; & we know that the eyes of the lawless cannot behold him, since he is invisible & incomprehensible; but he ever manifests himself to those who call upon him in truth; & for this reason now we are afflicted in this temporal life, that we may be delivered from eternal punishment; & we beseech him not to be numbered together with those who deny his name, which is glorious, & terrible, & holy.
[11] And the tyrant, vanquished by the courage of the holy Martyrs, & unable to turn them to perdition, ordered Sabel & Ismael to be separated; & mad with rage says to the holy martyr Manuel: Thrice-wretched, & unholy, full of evil days, have mercy on yourself, & on those who are with you, & coming forward sacrifice to the gracious gods; but if not, having experienced greater torments, you shall have the end of life. And the holy Martyr answering said to him, Do not suppose, King, that you will make even one of us fall away from the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ; for we especially, bearing the image & type of the consubstantial Trinity, are three, illumined by one faith, having the holy & precious cross going before us unto the end, & the Lord Jesus Christ lightening us from the pains. Seeing therefore that the holy martyr did not obey the things said to him by himself, the lawless Julian, having the devil dwelling within, having kindled his own heart like fire, & reckoning that through their good confession many of the people present would believe in the Lord Christ, ordered three nails to be brought, one to be fixed in him at the crown of the head, & the other two at his shoulders, & reeds to be split, & thrown over his whole body, & the reeds, made sharp, to be fixed through the nails of his hands & feet; & thus he to be bound tight, &, led away together with him, the blessed men Sabel & Ismael also to the Thracian part toward the wall called that of Constantine, in a place called the Precipice, their heads to be cut off with the sword, & immediately brushwood to be thrown on, & their bodies burned. Lest perhaps some of the Christians, finding them, should deem them worthy of burial; for he was hastening to go out into the province of the Bithynians.
[12] And when the holy ones had come to the place, in which they were about to be perfected, & the executioners hastening to do what was commanded them, all the holy ones, turned toward the East, as from one mouth prayed to the Lord saying: Jesus Christ our savior, who by a word established heaven & earth, & deigned to endure death, & to dwell three days in the tomb, & granted life to all, do you receive our souls in peace, & redeem us from the hands of the lawless king Julian, & turn the people standing around to the knowledge of your truth, to know you the only God & Son of God, & Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten of the Father, & turn them away from the error of the idols, so that they not be destroyed together, because great & glorious & terrible is your holy name, & yours is
the kingdom & the glory, together with the Father, & your life-giving & holy Spirit unto the ages. Amen.
And when they had completed their prayer, a voice came from heaven saying to them: My good contenders & prize-winners, depart to the kingdom prepared for you, receive the crowns of your victory; for the hosts of the Angels & Archangels rejoice over you.
[13] And after this prayer had come to pass, one of the executioners stood, & striking, cut off their heads, & in peace they rendered up their spirits. And immediately the earth was split, & received the remains of the holy Martyrs, & guarded them for two days, that they might not be mastered by the fire, after the command of the impious King Julian. And the executioners, seeing the miracle that had happened, becoming trembling, departed from there; & many of the crowd that were present believed in our Lord Jesus Christ. And remaining in that place, where the holy remains were, offering an earnest prayer to the benevolent God, after the two days, taking the holy & precious remains, our Lord Jesus Christ having revealed them, with all honor & hymnody, & with many spices having prepared them for burial, they laid them away there in notable places, sending up glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.
[14] And the holy martyrs of Christ Manuel, Sabel, & Ismael were perfected in the month of June, on the 17th, on the second feria, at the ninth hour. And these things were done under the consulate of Mamertinus & Nevita, with the lawless king Julian reigning, but according to us with our Lord Jesus Christ reigning. And after these things, when Baltanus, the King of the Persians, learned that his servants whom he had, & whom, sending to the lawless King Julian for the bestowal of peace, these blessed & holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel & Ismael, he had handed over to death after punishing them, being grieved about them & becoming exceedingly mad, again stirred up the war; that the saying spoken by the prophet through the Lord might be fulfilled, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord"; therefore, the impious King Julian too, having drawn up his array, went out into the country of the Persians, & having clashed & conquered them by the might of the soldiers who were Christians, returning, the lawless one was slain by a heavenly blow, by the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory & the might unto the ages of ages. Amen.
[7] Then the most impious Julian, kindled with vehement anger, said to the Saints: Most unhappy of mortals, deemed worthy of so great humanity by me, do you blaspheme the Gods, & dare to call them lifeless stones? The Saints are cruelly cudgeled, By their deity propitious to me, sufficiently tortured you shall know their power. And soon with a furious voice he commanded that, laid on the ground, they be beaten with cudgels & ox-hide whips, the lictors crying out & saying, Do not treat the Gods with contumely. But while the holy Martyrs were thus beaten for a long while, as if speaking with one mouth they cried out; We do not sacrifice to lifeless stones: but we adore God, & on the rack they are singed & torn truly living forever, & him we serve. The sacrilegious one, blazing at these things, & seeing them constant to themselves in not denying Christ, ordered the sides of those hung on the wood to be scraped, & their ankles to be pierced with nails: But the Saints, enduring this torment, cried out; Christ Jesus, who ascended upon the wood of your holy & venerable Cross, that you might save the human race; do not depart from us, but deal with us according to your mercy, just as you did with the saints who pleased you; & rescue us from these torments which surround us, for you know, Lord, how weak our flesh is for the fight, you alone unconquered & merciful our savior.
[8] As they were praying these things, an Angel of the Lord was present, & lightened their labor: but they are relieved by an Angel. but the impious Julian ordered them to be taken down from the woods, & said: See how I have compassion on you, because you are youths in age & comely in appearance: wherefore sacrifice to the most clement Gods; & made worthy of the greatest honors, remain with us. But the Saints answering said to him: We are eager to dwell with the supercelestial Lord Jesus Christ, whose beneficence toward us we daily experience; that, holding the trust placed in him firm & unshaken, we may find grace in his sight, on that day of the dread examination.
[9] But the Emperor Julian, wishing by flattering words to lead them away from piety to impiety, said to Sabel & Ismael: But you, The two younger ones are vainly enticed by flatteries, what? do you wish to deprive yourselves of the gifts which the great Gods grant to all who come to them? I see indeed that this your senseless brother does not assent to us, that he should sacrifice to the gods, who would otherwise receive the greatest recompense from us: but I presume better things of you, from your noble appearance. To these they answered, as if from one mouth: Impious Prince & enemy of God, do you presume that we can be led away from our Lord Jesus Christ by talking? go & persuade your gods first to speak to us, & they continue to mock the mute gods whether they wish to receive a sacrifice from us; then indeed we will readily offer it. To which Julian, angry & uncertain of counsel, said: Most unhappy of mortals, they, enjoying repose, keep silence. To whom the holy Martyrs: Indeed, since your gods are stones, how could they either hear, or form a voice? And dwelling in darkness, how would they see the light? for they have eyes & do not see: but our God, who is always in the heavens, remains unto the ages, & enlightens every man coming to the knowledge of his truth.
[10] & therefore they are burned with lamps, At this the impious Julian, stirred with fury, ordered burning lamps to be applied to their sides. When the executioners did this, the Martyrs exclaimed with one voice; Christ Jesus, heavenly King, help us, because for your name's sake we endure, hanging on the wood: & for these things, in the multitude of your mercies deem us worthy of your heavenly kingdom. Julian says to them: But now at least do you understand that our Gods are angry with you: turn therefore & sacrifice to them, that you may be made worthy of our clemency. But they answered: We always see the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who comes to us, & so soothes your monstrous torments for us, but they are healed by Christ, that nothing of what you have inflicted touches us: but we know that the eyes of the impious cannot see him, because he is invisible & incomprehensible to them: but he offers himself to be beheld by those who invoke him in truth: & therefore in this present life we are afflicted, that we may be freed from eternal punishments; & we pray him that he not allow us to be gathered with those denying his name, which is glorious, terrible & holy.
[11] Manuel too is enticed in vain, Thus vanquished by their fortitude, the tyrant, neither able to drag them to perdition, ordered Sabel & Ismael to be led aside: & raving, he spoke to the holy Martyr Manuel in these words: Most unhappy, impious one, full of evil days, have mercy on yourself & on those who are with you; & coming forward sacrifice to the most clement Gods, otherwise, tortured with graver punishments, you shall receive the end of life. To whom the holy Martyr answered saying: Do not presume, Emperor, that you will make even one of us fall away from the hope which we have laid up in our Lord Jesus Christ: because, being three, we bear the image & likeness of the consubstantial Trinity, illumined by one & the same faith; & having before our eyes his holy & venerable cross, & he is pierced with nails & sharp reeds. which will lead us through to the end, & to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, lightening our pains. Seeing therefore that by his words he could persuade nothing to the holy Martyr, the impious Julian, being full of the devil, & his anger boiling like fire (for he feared lest, on account of their illustrious confession, many of the present people be converted to the faith of Christ), ordered three nails to be brought, & one to be fixed in the head of Manuel & two in his shoulders; & reeds to be split, Condemned to capital punishment, & driven through his whole body, & other sharpened ones to be fixed in the nails of his hands & feet, & thus he to be bound; & at the same time the blessed men Sabel & Ismael, led away, to be dragged to the wall toward Thrace which is called that of Constantine, to a place which is called the Precipice; & there to be beheaded, & immediately brushwood to be gathered to burn their bodies, lest perhaps, found by the Christians, they obtain the honor of burial: for he was hastening to depart into the province of the Bithynians.
[12] When therefore the Saints had come to the place, in which they were to be punished; & the lictors hastening to fulfill what they had in their orders; after a prayer made at the place of execution, all, turned toward the East, prayed as if from one mouth to the Lord, in this manner: Jesus Christ, our savior; who by a word established heaven & earth, deigned for us to endure death, & to remain three days in the sepulcher; receive our souls in peace, & free us from the hands of the sacrilegious Emperor Julian: but the surrounding people convert to the recognition of your truth, that they may know you the only God, & son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten of the Father, & turn them away from the error of idols, that you may not destroy them; because great, glorious, terrible is your name, the kingdom & the glory, together with the Father & the holy & life-giving Spirit unto the ages. Amen. Such a prayer being completed, a voice came from heaven saying to them: My noble pugilists & triumphers, come to the kingdom prepared for you, receive the crowns due to your victory: for the armies of the Angels & Archangels await you.
[13] they are struck with the sword: Then one of the lictors arose, & striking with the sword took off the head of all, & so in peace they rendered their spirit. But immediately the earth was split, & received the bodies of the holy Martyrs, & guarded them for two days, that they could not be burned according to the command of the sacrilegious Emperor Julian. And the lictors, seeing this miracle, terrified, departed thence, the bodies, miraculously preserved, are buried by the Christians, & many of the crowd present there believed in our Lord Jesus Christ. And when they had remained in that place for two days, where their sacred Relics were, & made continual prayer to the most clement God; the Lord Jesus Christ himself revealing their bodies, with all honor & psalmody & many aromatics they prepared them, & laid them in decent places, glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ.
[14] in the year 362, the 17th of June. And the holy Martyrs of Christ Manuel, Sabel, & Ismael were consummated in the month of June on the 17th day, on the second feria, at the ninth hour: & all things were done under the Consuls Mamertinus & Nevita, with the sacrilegious Julian ruling, but with us with our Lord Jesus Christ reigning. After these things, when the King of the Persians, Baltanus, understood that the ministers
his own servants, whom he had sent to the impious Julian to confirm the peace, the blessed, I say, & holy Martyrs, Manuel, Sabel, Ismael, had been tortured by him & put to death; grieving over these things, & gravely indignant, again moved war: & so (that what is written through the Prophet might be fulfilled, the Lord saying, Vengeance is mine, & I will repay) Julian too led out an army; & the Persians indeed by the valor of the soldiers, who were all Christians, c he conquered; but when he was returning thence, the impious one, struck by a heavenly blow, was taken from among the living, by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory & the power, unto the ages of ages. Amen.