ON SAINT APHRODISIUS,
MARTYR IN CILICIA
Synopsis of contests, from Galesinius and the Menaea of the Greeks.
Aphrodisius, Martyr in Cilicia (S.)
Companions, Martyrs in Cilicia
G. H.
Philip Ferrari, in the general Catalogue on this XXI June, says, In Cilicia of S. Julian Martyr under the Prefect Marcian. There of S. Aphrodisius Martyr under the Prefect Dionysius. About S. Julian, Sacred cultus. called of Anazarba, we treated on day XVI March. For S. Aphrodisius Ferrari alleges the Menologium of the Greeks and Galesinius, who however names him Amphrodysius. But by a typographical error: for in the Notations he writes Aphrodisius, and adds these: Whose deeds done for the glory of Christ, written in Greek, we render in Latin, in this manner. On the same day of S. Aphrodisius Martyr. He, a Cilician cultivating the Christian religion, is captured, and thence to Dionysius the Prefect averted from the faith led, freely professes Christ to be true God. For which reason burned with red-hot plates, Elogium from Galesinius. afterwards into a pot with melted lead boiling he is cast: then a most foul beast he is exposed to: from which dangers by divine help he was snatched. Therefore with the admirability of the matter perceived, many joined themselves to the faith of Christ: which freely and constantly even with necks given they professed. With which matter noticed, the Prefect with soul poured out to anger, orders the rock to be cut through the middle. With this cut the Martyr at his command was enclosed, by the violence of the satellites for so long was constricted and bound, until he rendered his soul to God. These things Galesinius, rendering in Latin in his freer phrase, what in the cited Menologium, namely of Cardinal Sirleti, is referred to more compendiously; in the printed Menaea however thus in Greek it is read.
[2] Οὗτος ἦν ἐκ τῆς Κυλίκῳν χὼρας, τον Χριστὸν ἄνωθεν σεβόμενος καὶ προσκυνῶν. Συσχεθεὶς δὲ, καὶ Διονυσίῳ τῷ Ἄρχοντι προσαχθεὶς, Another from the Menaea καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν εἶναι ἀληθῆ Θεὸν ὁμολογὴσας, πεπυρωμένοις σιδήροις τὰ νῶτα καταφλέγεταὶ, καὶ ἐις λέβητα μολήβδου πλήρη καχλάζοντα ἐμβάλλεταὶ, καὶ κατὰ κεφαλῆς κρεμᾶταὶ Καὶ παραδόξως ἐκ πάντων ῥυσθεὶς, ἐπιφανεῖσα ἐν τῷ θεὰτρῳ λέαινα, αὐτῷ ἀπολύεταὶ· καὶ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φωνῇ φθεγξαμένῃ, πολλοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων πρὸς τὴν εἰς Χριστον πίστιν ἐπεσπάσατο. Οἱ δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν παῤῥησίᾳ κηρύξαντες, τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀπετμήθησαν. Τοῦτο δὲ ὁ τύραννος θεασάμενος, κελεύει πέτραν μέσον διαιρεθῆναι. καὶ ἁμα τῇ διαιρέσει τὸν Ἅγιον ἀπλωθῆναι, ἄνωθεν δὲ τοῦ τμὴματος ἐπιτεθέντος παρὰ πέντε καὶ πεντήκοστα στρατιωτῶν, ὡς παρευθὺς τὸν Ἅγιον τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφιεναι, καὶ τὸν τοῦ μαρτυρίου στέφανον ἀναδύσεσθαι.
[3] He was from the region of Cilicia, and Christ from his first age he worshipped and adored. Apprehended however and to Dionysius the Prefect led, when he had professed Christ to be true God, Rendered in Latin. his back is soon burned with red-hot plates, and he is sent into a cauldron of melted lead boiling, and is suspended with head inverted: but miraculously is freed from all. A lioness brought into the theatre is forced upon him: which speaking with human voice, drew many of the Pagans to the faith of Christ who all having constantly and openly professed Christ, were mulcted with their heads. Which when the tyrant saw, he ordered the rock to be cut through the middle, and at the same time the Saint to be stretched upon one of the segments, with the other laid above by fifty-five soldiers; and so it happened that he immediately exhaled his spirit, and was crowned with the crown of martyrdom.
D. P.
[4] I know indeed that nothing is impossible to God, and the ass of Balaam spoke with human voice; but when in the Passions of Martyrs, which are neither of first nor second note, These do not seem written from Acts of great faith. (such as are those which from Praesidial Acts the Christians redeemed and which by their very simplicity prove themselves genuine; or those which from recent memory after the persecutions were written by the faithful, gravely and modestly) when, I say, in such first or second note Passions, such miracles are never read; he shall not be accused of slowness in believing, whoever has doubted, whether the Author of that compendium had before his eyes sufficiently certain and ancient Acts, so that faith should necessarily be given to such a miracle.