CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS CODRATUS, ACACIUS, AND STRATONICUS, AT PTOLEMAIS IN PHOENICIA.
IN THE YEAR 273.
CommentaryCodratus, Martyr from among the executioners, at Ptolemais in Palestine (Saint)
Acacius, Martyr from among the executioners, at Ptolemais in Palestine (Saint)
Stratonicus, Martyr from among the executioners, at Ptolemais in Palestine (Saint)
[1] Simeon Metaphrastes, or whoever the author of the Acts of Saints Paul and Juliana may have been, begins them thus: "The Emperor Aurelian published an edict throughout the whole world against the Christians, that all should sacrifice to the idols; and those who refused to do so under the Emperor Aurelian should be most cruelly deprived of life." When he therefore had come to Isauria and had betaken himself to the city of Ptolemais, in order to compel all Christians to sacrifice to the idols, then among the other judges appointed by the Emperor, three lictors or torturers were those indicated above in the title, converted from among the executioners, who, having seen the innocence of the Christians and their constancy in torments, gradually kindled with the love of Christ and cooperating with the grace of God, underwent martyrdom. Their memory is celebrated in the ancient manuscript Menaea, which are preserved at Dijon with Peter Francis Chifflet, a priest of the Society of Jesus; in which at this fourth of March the following is found:
"On the same day, the holy Martyrs Codratus, the Martyrs died: and Acacius, and Stratonicus, who from among the executioners came to believe, are perfected by the sword.
Three poured out the blood of many like water. Their own blood, O Christ, they pour out to you by the sword."
On the same day, the holy Martyrs Codratus, Acacius, and Stratonicus, who from among the executioners embraced the faith, died by the sword. Three used to pour out the blood of many Christians like water, and now they pour out their own blood to you, O Christ, by the sword.
[2] Among the other Martyrs were the aforementioned Paul and Juliana his sister, who together with Saint Stratonicus are inscribed at this day in the manuscript Menologion collected by order of the Emperor Basil the Porphyrogenitus, where these words are found: "The contest of the holy Martyrs Paul, and Juliana his sister, and Stratonicus, In the Acts of Saints Paul and Juliana at Ptolemais." Saints Paul and Juliana are also recorded in the printed Menaea, but again in those and in the Menologion published by Canisius and in other Latin sources together with the Roman Martyrology at the seventeenth of August, at which day -- as their proper birthday -- the Acts published by Lipomanus and Surius survive; from which we excerpt what pertains to Saint Stratonicus, since it is likely that by some similar occasion Saints Codratus and Acacius, who are mentioned in first place, were converted to the Christian faith before him. The following, therefore, is read there.
[3] "But one of the executioners, named Stratonicus, as he stood at the left side of Juliana and was inflicting torments upon her, the said Saint Stratonicus, captivated by her beauty, restrained his hands from her. When the blessed and holy Juliana perceived his feeling and mind, she extended her left foot and, striking him with her heel, said: 'Stratonicus, do what you have been ordered by the tyrant Aurelian, and do not restrain your hands from me, moved by her constancy, sparing me; for I have my King, the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal God and the guardian of my soul, who relieves me from bodily labors, and thus I do not feel these present tortures.' When Stratonicus heard this, he immediately cast away the sword which he held in his hand. And when he had run to the tribunal of Aurelian, he cried out, saying: 'Aurelian, he rebuked Aurelian, tyrant and reckless one, why do you dare to perpetrate these crimes against Christians? What have these people who serve God committed, that you should torture them so cruelly and inhumanly? Is it because they worship Christ, the Lord of all?' When Aurelian heard this, he was so astonished that he remained mute for the space of an hour. At length he replied, saying: 'Have you too, Stratonicus, become a partaker of the foolishness and madness of these people? Has the beauty of Juliana deceived you, and have you been allured by her pleasant words?' When Stratonicus had raised his eyes to heaven and then looked around at Paul and Juliana suspended on the wood, fortified by the sign of the Cross, he saw their appearances to be such as the faces of the Angels of God usually are. He soon ran up and trampled the altar of the gods with his heels, and overturning it, said: he overturned the altar of the gods: 'Behold, I too am a Christian; do whatever you please.' Aurelian, kindled with fury, ordered his head to be cut off. And when the Emperor had pronounced sentence, he came to the place where he was to undergo martyrdom; where, when he had bent his knees, he was beheaded, he prayed thus: 'Lord Jesus Christ, whom Paul and Juliana, confessing you, remain unconquered, saved by your divinity and confounding the tyranny of Aurelian: I beseech you, receive my soul also into your heavenly kingdom -- my soul, I say, who have confessed your name in the briefest space of an hour in the presence of the tyrant Aurelian.' Having said this, he extended his neck and was beheaded by the executioner. The Christians came and collected his relics."
[4] Likely in the year 273. We assign the year of martyrdom as 273, at which time it is established from Vopiscus in his account of his deeds that the Emperor Aurelian was in Syria, and he had renewed the persecution against Christians the preceding year, which is usually numbered the ninth.