Martyrs Philemon

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS PHILEMON, APOLLONIUS, ARIANUS, THEOTYCHUS, AND THREE COMPANIONS, AT ANTINOUS IN EGYPT

IN THE YEAR 287.

Preliminary Commentary.

Philemon, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Apollonius, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Arianus the Governor, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Theotychus the Protector, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Three Companions, Protectors, Martyrs, at Antinous in Egypt

[1] Diocletian, that most savage emperor, about to mark the first years of his reign with the cruelly shed blood of Christians, had found a fitting minister for his execrable cruelty in Arianus; Arianus, a most cruel Governor in the Thebaid, with what severity he strove to carry out the impious edicts anyone can read in the Acts of Saint Paphnutius the Martyr, found in Lipomanus and Surius on April 28; likewise of Saint Asclas, given on January 23, which are again found under the name of Saint Sabinus in the same authors on March 13. To these you may add Timothy and Maura, who, since it is established that they obtained the palm of martyrdom under Arianus, Governor of the Thebaid, Baronius in his Annals without foundation drags back to the first year of Decius, twenty or more years before Diocletian ascended to the summit of the Roman Empire. But the greater the ferocity with which Arianus raged against the Christian people, with four Protectors he is converted, the more glorious it was for Christ to subdue his rebellious spirit and add him to his own side, not without notable grief to Diocletian — especially when from his very retinue four Protectors, led by Theotychus, joined themselves to Christ and to Arianus, whom they had brought as a captive from Egypt. For the Protectors held great favor and dignity with the Emperors, as we explained on February 7, where we recalled the memory of four Martyrs distinguished by the same title, and of more than three thousand champions of Christ from their household.

[2] This noble triumph over tyranny the blood of the holy Martyrs Philemon and Apollonius, shed by Arianus, obtained; after the martyrdom of Saints Philemon and Apollonius, against whom the Governor bore down with the full force of his fury, and, compelled to acknowledge the divine power of Christ by the restoration of his lost eye, he at last yielded to the truth. The place of combat for Philemon and Apollonius was Antinous, a famous city, about which we have spoken at greater length in the preliminary commentary to the Acts of Saints Julian and Basilissa, number 10, on the ninth day of January; near which a little earlier Asclas and Leonides had most bravely completed the course of their confession. The Greek Acts express the date, as we have transcribed from a manuscript Codex of the Most Christian King, with this beginning: "In the third year of the reign of Diocletian, after the rest of Asclas and Leonides, the two who confessed the faith under Arianus, Governor of the Thebaid," of those who suffered at Antinous in the third year of Diocletian "in the third year of the Emperor Diocletian, after Asclas and Leonides had found their rest, both having confessed the faith under Arianus, Governor of the Thebaid." Since the Alexandrian Chronicle states that the years of Diocletian are numbered in the Paschal tables from the second consulship of Diocletian and Aristobulus (although he actually entered upon the Empire on the fifteenth day before the Kalends of October in the year of Christ 284), there is no reason to doubt that the writer of these Acts, following that reckoning, intended to assign the year 287 of the common era to the martyrdom of Philemon and Apollonius: March 16: and if Arianus followed them to his triumph with the Protectors after the space of nearly one year, nothing prevents us from considering the twentieth day of the month Phamenoth (which corresponds to the sixteenth of our March, and is recorded in these Acts near the end) to be the very day of their death, and venerable on that account to the people of Antinous and the other Easterners; although the Greeks honor them with the ecclesiastical Office on the fourteenth of December, which is expressed in the Menaea, together with the Holy Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius, honored by the Greeks on December 14. and Callinicus, whom the Latins honor on January 28, on which day we also treated of them.

[3] Following the rite of the Greeks, Metaphrastes combined the Acts of both groups in an altered style on the day already mentioned, and therefore we shall provide the Latin version of the Acts which we shall now present, from four manuscript Codices, From where were the Acts obtained? namely of the monastery of Rouge-Cloître near Brussels, of Saint Maximin near Trier, of Rouen through the care of Father Frederick Flouet, and of our Utrecht copy — somewhat more condensed in certain passages — having compared it not only with the Greek Acts mentioned above, but also with the Latin version of Metaphrastes, until someone produces the Greek text from the Vatican or Venetian Library. That version is found in Lipomanus and Surius; and therefore we thought it could safely be omitted by us, having obtained the more ancient Acts in both Greek and Latin. As for why we should assign these Saints to March 8, we had no other reason than to conform ourselves to the usage of the Roman Church and the order of the Latin Hagiographers: Among the Latins, March 8, although perhaps an error was made by those who first rendered the Greek Acts into Latin, and said that Arianus suffered with the Protectors on the eighth of March, when they had read that he suffered on the eighth of the month Phamenoth, without observing the beginning of the Egyptian months, their memory in ancient Martyrologies, which precede our months by four or five days. However, we find no mention of Arianus and his companions in the more ancient Martyrologies, except in the Vallicellian of the Fathers of the Oratory, the Vatican of the Church of Saint Peter, and the Parisian of Saint Victor, in these words: "In the city of Antinous, the birthday of Saints Philemon and Apollonius (the Vatican has Polonius) the Deacon, Arianus, Theoticus, and three others: four is incorrectly read in the Parisian." The Barberini manuscript mentions only Saint Philemon; the Cassinese notes "the birthday of the Holy Martyrs Philemon and Apollonius the Deacon and Eusebius," the last of whom is nowhere else known.

[4] But Usuard, and Galesinius and Baronius who followed Usuard, describe their passion more fully, in Usuard etc. and indeed in the first and principal place: "In the city of Antinous, the birthday of Saints Philemon and Apollonius the Deacon, who, having been seized and heard by the judge, when they steadfastly refused to sacrifice to idols, had their heels pierced and were horribly dragged through the city, and at last were cut down by the sword and completed their martyrdom. On the same day, at the aforesaid city, the passion of Saints Adrian, Theoticus, and three others, whom the judge had drowned in the sea and killed; but by the service of a dolphin their bodies were returned to the shore." For Usuard had read the Acts rendered into Latin and, following them, called Apollonius a Deacon — using the name of Deacon more broadly for any minister of the church, since it is established from the Greek that he was only a Lector. likewise in the manuscript Florarium: In the case of Arianus and his companions, however, he confused the place of burial and veneration, which was truly Antinous, with the place of their passion, which we know from the Acts to have been across the sea (namely at Rome or Nicomedia, where Diocletian then resided). The same confusion of places occurs in the author of the manuscript Florarium, along with another more serious error, when he makes the title of Deacon common also to Philemon — who at the very time of his martyrdom not only held no ecclesiastical rank, but was a pagan flute-player. Yet he touched upon Arianus's conversion (whom he calls Arrius) more distinctly: "In the city of Antinous, the birthday of Saints

Philemon and Apollonius, Deacons, of whom Philemon was suspended and shot with arrows, with a longer eulogy. yet in such a way that no arrow was fixed in him; while the Governor was astonished that he still lived, and one of the arrows fell from the air into his own eye and blinded him, the governor Arrius ordered him to be beheaded along with Apollonius, in the year of salvation two hundred and ninety-four (rather, eighty-seven). On the next day also, the Prefect, having made clay from the earth of his burial place, just as Philemon had foretold to him, said: 'In the name of Jesus Christ, for whom these men completed their martyrdom, I anoint my eyes, that I may see and believe that there is no other God besides him'; and having said this, he was given sight and went away joyful, proclaiming that he had been illuminated." Then concerning Arianus, as though he were a different person, he adds the same things as Usuard.

ACTS

From four manuscript Latin codices, collated with the Greek text from the manuscript of the Most Christian King, and with Metaphrastes as found in Lipomanus and Surius.

Philemon, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Apollonius, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Arianus the Governor, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Theotychus the Protector, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Three Companions, Protectors, Martyrs, at Antinous in Egypt. BHL Number: 6803

From manuscripts.

CHAPTER I.

Philemon, having assumed the person of Apollonius along with the faith of Christ, fearlessly confesses the same.

[1] After the admirable Asclas completed his blessed martyrdom at Antinous: Thirty-seven Christians of Antinous are seized. the governor Arianus ordered Christians from the same city to be seized, as many as might be found. And while many fled through various hiding places, the Clergy alone, encouraging one another and the people to die for the faith of the Lord, stood firm in their resolve, and thirty-seven in number were captured by the soldiers and set before the Governor's tribunal. Among these was also a certain man named Apollonius, a Deacon of that city; who, when he saw innumerable kinds of torments brought forward of these, Apollonius, fearing the torments, and prepared for torturing the Christians, was seized with fear. Now there was in the same city a public flute-player named Philemon, popular with the people and acceptable to the judges. Apollonius the Deacon called this man to him and offered him four gold coins, asking that he sacrifice in his place. Philemon said to him: "Give me one of your garments, so that with my face covered I may enter under another's person and sacrifice." And he gave him his cloak. Philemon is bribed to sacrifice in his place: Upon receiving it, Philemon placed before Apollonius's feet the flutes he had been holding, covered himself, and, having changed his attire, entered before the Governor. When the Governor saw him and, not knowing who he was, asked "Who are you?" the staff said: "Perhaps he is a Christian, for his garb shows it." And the Governor said: "If he is a Christian, tell him to sacrifice." Then Philemon, inspired by the grace of God, replied: "I am a Christian; I do not sacrifice." To him Arianus said again through an interpreter: he sincerely declares himself a Christian: "Sacrifice, and escape the torments by which you saw or heard that Asclas and Leonides lost their lives." Philemon replied: "I do not sacrifice; but I am prepared, like those whom you named, to endure torments also for the love of Christ, that I may merit to find rest with them. For who did not marvel at the deed of Asclas, by which he held you in the middle of the river?" Arianus said to him: "Sacrifice, that you may be saved." Philemon replied: "There is no being saved except by dying for the Lord."

[2] Hearing this, Arianus said quietly to his staff: "Call Philemon quickly; perhaps with his most sweet songs he will soothe him, and, diverted by the pleasure of his melodies, he will consent to sacrifice, so that he does not perish miserably." At the judge's command, therefore, Philemon was sought by the staff but could not be found. Then Arianus summoned his brother Theonas and questioned him, saying: "Where is your brother Philemon?" he is recognized for who he is, He replied: "It is he who stands before you." They immediately uncovered his face, and when the judge recognized him, he laughed, thinking that he had assumed the role as a joke, and said to him: "Indeed nothing is to be charged against you, since you were born and raised to tire us with laughter; nevertheless, I would have preferred that you had taken liberties with one of my three daughters rather than dissolve judicial severity before the Christians with a performance. But sacrifice before them, so that it may be believed that you did this according to your custom, as a joke, not in earnest." Philemon replied: "Do what you will; I do not sacrifice, for the grace of Christ has seized me." Arianus said to him: "By the welfare of the Romans I adjure you: tell me whether you declare yourself a Christian with your whole heart, he is bent neither by threats nor by entreaties; or whether you do this in jest." Philemon replied: "Why do you adjure me by the welfare of the Romans, which passes away? For I swear by the state and glory of the Christians that I speak the truth: I am a Christian." Then Arianus, moved by great indignation, asked the people of Antinous standing around what they would decree should be done with him: whether he should be removed by a swift death or tortured with prolonged punishments. And the people cried out, saying: "Do not destroy the delight of our city, for the whole city hangs upon admiration for this man." And the citizens began to weep. Arianus said to Philemon: "You have an iron breast, who are not moved by the love of these people. Sacrifice, I beg you, and restore joy to your fellow citizens in the festival that is near." Philemon answered and said: "This earthly festival which you say is coming is contrary to heavenly joy; therefore I prefer to oppose the earthly celebration, so that in the heavenly abode I may rejoice with my king, Christ."

[3] Then the Governor said to Philemon: "If out of mercy I remove you from life by a swift death, and hearing that he lacks baptism, it will not be reckoned to you as martyrdom, because you have not yet received baptism, by which Christians are initiated; for I have learned that those who are converted from paganism to Christ are consecrated by baptism by the Christian Clergy." Hearing this, Saint Philemon began to be anxious and sorrowful at the Governor's words, and said: "You have kindled a fire in my heart, O Governor; and what shall I do?" And turning to those standing around, he besought them, saying: "I beg you, O Christians, invite one of the Clergy to baptize me, for the words of Governor Arianus afflict me with great grief." And all were afraid even to speak with him, on account of the cruelty which they saw being inflicted upon the holy Martyrs. Arianus, however, seeing that no one had answered the holy Martyr, said to Philemon: "Surely you have seen that no one dared to show himself an adversary to our judgments. Sacrifice at least now." The holy Martyr, therefore, when he saw that all had fallen silent out of fear of the judge, and moreover that the Governor himself taunted him in this, he obtains the same by a miracle: raised his eyes to heaven and, lifting his hands, cried out with a loud voice, saying: "God of Jesus Christ our Lord, do not allow this sadness to remain in my heart; but direct and guide my way, so that going out through the midst of the crowds surrounding me, with no one seeing, I may go to the waters and receive the baptism of the Christians." When he had thus made supplication to the Lord, he went out to the waters with no one seeing, and found there a Cleric, by whom he was baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, and returned to the place of judgment.

[4] and presenting himself again before the Governor, Then Philemon said to the Governor: "You, Arianus, and you, timid crowd: behold, without your assistance my God, who fears no one, has come and caused me to be baptized by his grace. Henceforth, O Governor, know that I lack nothing of the perfection of the Christian religion. Do therefore what you will: for it is you who cause the delay." Arianus replied and said to Philemon: "I am shaken by manifold grief over you: both that you have been seized by madness and have fallen from good, and that the approaching festival of the city, the eager gathering of many cities besides, will hold a sorrowful attendance in the theaters on account of your absence; in which not only will this increase the grief of your children and relatives, that they will not see you dancing as usual at the same festival, but also that they will perhaps see your flutes handled by unskilled hands." Hearing this, the most valiant soldier of Christ, Philemon, wept and prayed to the Lord, saying: he obtains fire from heaven to destroy his flutes. "My God, Christ Jesus, do not permit the thought of unfaithfulness to enter my heart; but as you heard me, granting me through a cloud the baptism I asked for, so deign to hear me, that fire descending from heaven may consume my flutes and remove from the earth the memory of my shame." As he prayed these things, suddenly a whirlwind descended through a fiery cloud and swallowed up the flutes from the hands of Apollonius the Deacon, who had been holding them, entrusted by Philemon. When this event, amid the crowd's clamoring at the miracle, also came to the attention of Theonas, Philemon's brother, he ran to the Governor and informed him that Philemon's conversion was the doing of Apollonius the Deacon, who had dedicated him to the religion of Christ through the habit of his own garment.

p In Greek: "Or shall I be patient with him?" Metaphrastes: "I shall give him time to deliberate."

q The Greek is silent about the weeping.

r Otherwise, and more conformably to what follows, the Greek, and from it Metaphrastes: "A cloud immediately descending from above, when it had enveloped him standing in the midst, baptized him; then indeed the cloud ascended upward."

s The Greek: "and baptized me."

t So the Rouen and Utrecht manuscripts, for which elsewhere reads "conversion," perhaps "way of life," that is, "of my former life"; in Greek, "of unbelief."

CHAPTER II.

The seizure of Apollonius; his and Philemon's martyrdom.

[5] Then Arianus ordered Apollonius to be brought forward and set before the tribunal. Apollonius is seized, When the officials had stationed him before the tribunal according to the command, the Governor questioned him, saying: "Cursed above all men, tell me for what reason you bewitched the bridegroom and ornament of our city, and with a funereal cloak consecrated by incantations seduced him from the divine religion? If, as I hear, trembling with fear of punishments, you were arranging to thrust forward a substitute for the sacrifices, why not another who might remain hidden, and not this man, the manifest joy of the city? Certainly if for the present another could not be found on account of the shortness of time, you could have secretly suggested it to me and I would have released you — provided that you yourself, the inventor of so sacrilegious a crime, to the Governor who urges him to fall away, would not succumb to the punishment of manifold guilt, together with the mourning and grief of the citizens. Nevertheless, since the clemency of the most sacred Emperors provides remedy in the correction of faults, come forward and sacrifice, so that this man, seeing you sacrifice, may henceforth not refuse; and truly I say that you will obtain pardon for your crime just as much as salvation for this man, and having restored the favor owed to the citizens through you, you yourself will also recover their love. But if you think that so salutary a counsel should be spurned, I swear by the Gods that you will both perish wretchedly." Apollonius answered and said to Arianus: "To confess that I sinned in this matter — truly I sinned, because I judged the powers received from God through faith in Christ to be too weak he resists nobly. and insufficient for enduring torments. But I believe and hope that the sin will be compensated — indeed extinguished — by the mercy of my Lord Jesus through the salvation of this man, who by the occasion of my garment has himself also confessed Christ, and has restored me to the testimony from which, having been called by the grace of God, I had withdrawn at the instigation of the devil. Know therefore that neither will I sacrifice, nor will I permit this man henceforth to offer sacrifice to demons."

[6] Then Arianus was exceedingly angry and, summoning three soldiers, ordered them to strike Philemon with blows on the face. They, striving to carry out the orders, gave him blows, Philemon is struck with blows, saying: "Sacrifice." But when the people saw this happening, they began to cry out and say: "Do not strike our beloved one." And Arianus said to Philemon: "Spare yourself, O Philemon, and sacrifice. Consider and see the people, how it grieves them that you are struck in the face; if they should see you subjected to greater torments, they will certainly be all the more saddened, and you will be the cause of everyone's grief. he is urged in vain by flattery and threats. But I also wish to reveal to you what my heart feels about you. Perhaps until now you did not think yourself loved by the people, and therefore you had assumed a contrary guise, by which you might test their affection for you. But behold, with the Gods' favor, you have gathered proof of the love about which you were doubtful. Now therefore satisfy those who love you and sacrifice, so that on this day of great joy which has arrived, you may joyfully summon the people, who now grieve over the blows by which you have been injured; and so at last, rejoicing at your return, we shall go with the whole staff to the bath, and having washed our bodies, we shall ascend to the temple of Serapis and hold a pleasant banquet with leisure." Philemon answered and said: "You people of Antinous, do not be saddened on account of the blows I have received, because neither will you rejoice over me with the joy that you desire. For I have resolved in my heart from this hour not to dine in the temple of Serapis, but to await supper in heaven. I do not doubt that you remember the time when I was a mime, before I passed to the art of flute-playing, how in the theater, to my shame, I would receive blows from my fellow players, and you would laugh while the Angels grieved. It is just, therefore, that now, with the Angels rejoicing over my salvation, your grief should not be greatly regarded."

[7] he is dragged along with Apollonius, Then Arianus, having heard this defense he made for the faith of Christ, ordered the heels of both him and Apollonius the Deacon to be pierced, and cords to be threaded through, and them to be dragged through the city, and after this to be presented before the judge's tribunal. When this had been carried out by the soldiers, they were brought back before the eyes of Arianus according to his command. When they were presented, the judge said: "What is the matter, Philemon? Where is your God? Why did he not rescue you from so grievous a necessity? Why does he not come to the aid of his worshippers at the very beginning of their punishments? Listen and sacrifice, lest you collapse amid harsh torments when there is no one to deliver you from my hands." And Philemon said: "If you want me to hear you, hear me first." When Arianus and the citizens heard this statement, they were very glad and said: "Whatever it is that you hope for, only declare it, and it will not be denied." and by a clear example, And he said: "I wish that you order a bronze vessel to be brought and a small child placed inside and it to be covered." At the judge's command, therefore, the servants brought a bronze cauldron, and having placed a small child inside, they covered the mouth of the cauldron with a lid. Philemon then asked that archers come and shoot arrows at the cauldron until all their arrows were exhausted. The Governor ordered this too to be done; all who could shot arrows until their arrows were spent. Then Philemon directed that the infant be brought out and examined. The infant was brought out and was found unharmed by any injury from the arrows. he demonstrates the strength of a Christian spirit. And he said to the Judge: "Let it suffice for you to have learned from the argument of this vessel the strength of the Christian soul. For just as this bronze vessel has indeed been pierced through by the blows of the arrows, but what it held within itself could not be harmed, with God guarding it — so also the body of a Christian, pricked by the darts of punishments for the faith of the Lord, does not allow the innocence of the soul to be wounded while the Lord protects it. But the Lord Jesus will be for us against your machinations an adamantine wall and an unconquerable tower against the face of the enemy. Therefore I do not sacrifice, nor, softened by the terror of your punishments, do I depart from the faith of my God, Jesus Christ."

[8] Hearing these words, the angry Governor again ordered him to be bound and suspended, and that the arrows with which the cauldron had been shot should be used to shoot Philemon's body from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. "Let us see," he said, exposed to arrows, he stops them in mid-air: "whether Jesus, in whom he believes, can deliver him from my hands." And he was suspended; and when they began to shoot at him, he prayed, saying: "Come, my Lord Jesus, lover of truth, to my aid; for you are the helper of the weak. Come, I beg you, and show the impious Arianus that you yourself protect all who hope in you." And when they hurled their weapons against him with all their strength, no dart could be fixed in him; none fell to the ground; but every one that was shot hung in the air. The soldiers therefore said to the Governor: "The arrows are spent." And he said to them: "Does he still live?" They answered: "He still lives, one of which falls into the Governor's eye, and speaks great things." When the Governor heard that he still lived, he was astonished; and wishing to know for himself, he approached near. And when he raised his eyes upward to look, an arrow fell and blinded his eye; shaken by the sudden pain, he blasphemed the Christians and ordered Philemon to be taken down, and said to him: "Where did you find this magical art, since you have not lived long among the Christians? Nevertheless, because I have lost an eye on your account, restore my health to me by the art you know, and I will release you. For I know that if you wish, who immediately orders both to be beheaded. you can cure me." Then Philemon said to him: "If I were willing to ask my Lord, and he restored your eye, you would say that I obtained your healing by magical incantations. But lest you think that I either return evil for evil, or that my Lord cannot heal: when I am dead, go to the tomb in which my body will lie, and taking a little earth from the mound, pour water on it, and having made clay, anoint your eye with it, and you will be healed and will immediately recover your sight." Having heard this word, Arianus immediately ordered both Saint Philemon and Apollonius the Deacon to be beheaded, and to be buried with the Blessed Martyr Asclas.

CHAPTER III.

The Martyrdom of Saint Arianus and the Four Protectors.

[9] On the next day, after the holy Martyrs had been buried, he arose and went to the place of the tomb, Arianus, having received his eye at the Martyrs' tomb, is converted, and taking a little dust from it, as Blessed Philemon had foretold to him, he anointed his eyes, saying: "In the name of Jesus Christ, for whom these men completed their martyrdom, I anoint my eyes, that I may see and believe that there is no other God besides Jesus." When he had said this with faith, his eye was immediately illuminated and he saw. Having received the health he desired, he arose at that very hour and went about joyful and proclaiming: "I am a Christian; henceforth I shall serve Christ." When he had reached his house, he went in and brought out linen cloths and precious spices, and inviting two Bishops, he ordered the bodies of the Saints to be cared for at his own expense and reburied in the same place where they had been buried before; and he released all the Christians whom he held shut up in prison. The conversion of Arianus did not escape the notice of Diocletian; but as soon as he heard about it, he sent four Protectors to arrest him. When they came to Egypt, they seized him. But he gave them a gratuity of four pounds of gold, asking and saying: "Bear with me until I go to my Brothers and Lords." They accepted the offering and allowed him to go to the place of the tomb of Asclas, Philemon, and Apollonius; and having greeted their bodies, he said: he is summoned to Diocletian by four Protectors: "I bless you, sharers of eternal light: pray for me to the Lord Jesus, that he may strengthen me and himself bring my martyrdom to completion in his name." As he prayed these things, a voice as if issuing from the tomb of Philemon answered him, saying: "Take courage, Arianus, and do not fear; for Jesus, in whom you believe, will himself go before you, to strengthen you and to work his power in the sight of the king through you; and when your martyrdom is completed, he will crown you before his Father. Go therefore with these men who have come to you, and pray for them, that they may become sharers with you in the knowledge of the truth." When the Protectors heard these things from the tomb of the Martyr, they marveled.

[10] Arianus, however, was exulting with joy and, certain in his faith, departed with the Protectors and eight household servants; he gives orders to his servants concerning his burial; to whom, when they had reached Alexandria, he gave instructions, saying: "On the eighth day of the month of March, the Emperor Diocletian will order me to be cast into the sea in a sack full of sand. Be diligent, therefore, that after three days — that is, on the eleventh of the aforesaid month — you go out upon the sea around the sixth hour of the day, and you will find my body in the sack upon the back of a dolphin. Take it with the sack itself and bury it beside the tomb of the Martyr Philemon." When he had explained these things to his servants, he departed with the four Protectors to the Emperor Diocletian. When the Emperor saw him, he immediately addressed him, saying: "Hail, Arianus, brother, in whom I placed my confidence in Egypt." And Arianus said: "Hail, Lord Emperor, who have become for me a guide on the road that leads to life." And the Emperor ordered him to bathe with him; and he commanded the Priests of Apollo to bring forth an altar and place it before the door of the bath, and to set up the very image of Apollo beside the altar, so that when they came out of the bath, Arianus might worship it with the offering of sacrifice. The Priests did as he had commanded; and when the Governor came out of the bath, and they had come to the altar, the Emperor said: "Sacrifice to the great god Apollo before we go in to dinner." The Governor replied: he gives an account of his faith: "I cannot despise the wonders which I saw performed in Egypt through the Martyrs of Christ; therefore I do not sacrifice to this handmade idol, nor do I forsake Jesus my Savior." Then Diocletian ordered his soldiers at that very hour, which was late, to light torches, so that going out of the city they might go to the field and dig a deep pit; which they did until dawn as he had ordered. In the morning the Emperor went out to the field, saw the pit, and ordered Arianus, the Governor of the Thebaid, to be brought forward; and loaded with bronze chains, bound also in iron, and buried in the earth, and with his hands tied and a great stone around his neck, he was lowered into the pit, and all the earth that had been dug out was thrown back upon him, and soldiers were told to play games above him and with blasphemous mouths say: "Let us see if Jesus comes to deliver him."

[11] Having thus accomplished what the Imperial power desired, he mounted his horse and went to his house. And entering his chamber to rest his body after his anger, he sees the shackles and the bonds of the hands hanging above the couch, and Arianus the Governor lying in the bed. Disturbed, the Emperor thought that one of the palace officials was lying in his bed. Arianus said to him: "Do not be troubled, for no one has risen up against you; and from there miraculously brought out, but I am Arianus, whom you buried, weighed down with iron and bronze and overwhelmed with the mass of sand, of whom you said: 'Let us see if Jesus comes to deliver him.' Therefore he has come — Jesus, whom you did not believe could prevail — who delivers all who believe in him; and he brought me out of the pit, freed from the chains in which you had left me buried, and gave me rest from my labors upon your bed." Hearing these things, the Emperor was astonished and, inflamed with greater anger, said: "Never have I seen such magical art," and immediately ordered a sack with sand to be brought and stuffed the holy Martyr into it, together with four Protectors who professed the same faith, to be plunged into the sea. But the four Protectors who had brought him from Egypt rushed forward and said to the Emperor: "What has this man of God done wrong, that you order him to be cast into the sea?" And the Emperor said: "For no other reason than that he is a sorcerer." The Protectors answered: "This man is no sorcerer, but a servant of God; for we have seen, with him acting, that everyone who dies for Christ lives, and a sign of the future resurrection from the dead; and that it is not impossible for the God of the Christians even to keep alive those buried in the earth and to bring them out unharmed into the light. Indeed, there in Egypt we heard a Martyr of Christ long buried, when this man questioned him, give answers and speak sound and salutary words. And this too, which should have drawn you back from impiety, we see with our own eyes together with you: how he himself, bound with iron and bronze more than twenty cubits underground, was buried at your command, and was brought out invisibly from there by the power of Christ in whom he believed, and placed upon your bed. Plainly, he does not believe that these things come from the true God, who, oppressed by deep malice, is unworthy to recognize God himself. Who, then, does not perceive the power of God and the wisdom of God — that he caused a man bound hand and foot with iron to enter the palace unseen among so many palace guards, and to recline upon the royal bed? But we, whose hearts the grace of God has enlightened to understand the wonders which God works through his Martyrs, deliver our bodies to death for the love of him, that we may be raised by him to eternal life."

[12] Then the angry Diocletian said to them: "For a long time you have been held by me in affection — you have proved it by the fact and offering themselves equally to death, that I have never opposed your petitions. And now, although you hate me, I will not oppose your desire. You desire death; receive it, since you desire it." Theotychus, who was the eldest among those four, said to him: "May the Lord restrain the malice in you, Lord Emperor, since you do not refuse to satisfy our will. But I still hope for one favor from you." The Emperor said to him: "What is it? Speak freely and you shall obtain it." He answered: "I wish that you yourself take half of my possessions, and order the other half to be distributed to the poor and orphans." The other Protectors said to Theotychus: he is enclosed in sacks and plunged into the sea: "Father Theotychus, let us be concerned about this death which we desire to obtain for the Lord; moreover, God will take care of the poor, as he himself proves." To the astonished Diocletian, therefore, blessed Arianus the Governor said: "Why do you hold us? Release us, for the waters of the sea await to receive our glorious departure." Yielding to his words, the Emperor ordered four more sacks half-filled with sand to be brought, and he placed the four Protectors in them also, and cast them into the sea. Immediately, by God's will, dolphins appeared ready, received their bodies, and carried them to Alexandria, to the place which holy Arianus had foretold should be watched for by his servants. But those servants, who had been expecting only the body of their lord, when they saw five bodies, were uncertain about them, saying among themselves: "Our lord Arianus said that he alone would be brought to this place in a sack; here we see five sacks. Without doubt it is not he." The bodies are carried back to Egypt by the service of dolphins, While they were thus hesitating, a human voice as if from the mouth of one of the dolphins was heard, saying: "Do not doubt, for this is your lord Arianus. Come and take him up; and these four Protectors, who have been crowned with the same glory of martyrdom as your lord, bury all five beside the tomb of Saint Asclas, where your lord commanded you." Then the servants, reassured, received the bodies with the sacks and placed them in a river boat; during which voyage God showed them a wonderful miracle; for when the sailors had already raised the sail and they had begun to navigate, all who were in the boat fell asleep, and not one of them was at all awakened or held the helm for three days and as many nights. They are received with honor at Antinous. But when on the fourth day the boat had drawn near to the city, a voice came from God, saying: "Rise up, for this is the place of burial of these men." Then all awakened and saw the boat had reached the place where they wished to go; and departing, they announced it to the citizens. They, however, hearing what had happened to the blessed Martyrs, went out with candles and lamps and various kinds of lights; and holding honorable funeral rites with the greatest joy, they buried them beside their colleagues on the fourteenth day of the month of March. The day of their crowning, however, was the eighth of the same month, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs honor and glory. Amen.

wealth," that is, landed estates and other immovable property. Metaphrastes says the permission to visit the Martyrs' tombs was purchased for eight hundred coins.

p In the Greek it reads: "where lie the bodies of Philemon and Apollonius, the great champions of Christ." For these Metaphrastes has Asclas and Leonides. The Greek then adds: "For behold, the place also is sanctified in which their bodies rest; blessed is whoever reads their confession with faith, especially those among sinners, that they may not lose heart, hearing that Philemon, who was first a flute-player and a sinner, was chosen by God on this last day. You too, act and give effort, that you may become faithful and sharers of the Saints." Having said these things, the dolphin departed, leaving the bodies of the Saints on the shore.

q What follows is found in this manner in the Greek: "Theodolion, Theodolion." The helmsman, however, awaking and considering the miracle, glorified God, and having disembarked from the ship with joy, came in haste to Antinous to announce to the citizens what had happened concerning the Saints. They immediately going out of the city, with palms and crowns, received them from the ship, and escorting them, deposited them in the place where the bodies of the holy Martyrs of Christ, Philemon and Apollonius, were; and many wonders are accomplished through them, both in healing the bodies of the sick and in driving out demons, to the glory of God our Savior. The holy Martyrs of Christ, Philemon and Apollonius, and their companions, completed their contest under the reign of Diocletian while Arianus was Governor of the Thebaid. By "companions" understand Asclas and Leonides. Then these words appear to be missing: "Their feast is celebrated on the twentieth day of the month Phamenoth according to the Easterners; but according to the Romans, on the fourteenth day of the month of December, in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor, glory, and power forever and ever. Amen."

COMPENDIUM

From the manuscript Greek Synaxarium of the Claromontanum College of the Society of Jesus at Paris, collated with the printed Greek Menaea.

Philemon, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Apollonius, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Arianus the Governor, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Theotychus the Protector, Martyr, at Antinous in Egypt (Saint)

Three Companions, Protectors, Martyrs, at Antinous in Egypt

a

From manuscripts.

These and their companions were from Egyptian Thebes, under the Emperor Diocletian and Arianus, Governor of the Thebaid, thirty-six in all; who when they were being seized, one of them named Apollonius, a Cleric by rank, gave a coin to Philemon the Citharist who was guarding them, and persuaded him to take his garments and in his place worship and sacrifice to idols. Philemon did as he had agreed; but he who came forward to sacrifice confessed Christ. When the Governor did not recognize him, he said: "Call me the Citharist Philemon, so that by the sweetness of his songs he may induce the Christians to sacrifice." Then indeed, once recognized, he was ordered to be tortured together with the other Christians by the Governor. Apollonius also was seized — he who had been the occasion for Philemon's professing the Christian faith — and when brought before the Governor, he nobly proclaimed the same faith. Afterward the sinews of his feet were cut and he was dragged through the whole city. Philemon, however, was suspended from the branches of a Peach tree and exposed to arrows; but the missiles did not touch him — indeed one of them, carried back to the Governor himself, gouged out his eye; which Saint Philemon restored to him, warning him that after his death he should take dust from his tomb and would receive a healthy eye. Therefore, after the heads of both — I mean Philemon and Apollonius — were cut off, the Governor came on the following day to the place where the Saints were buried; and he was made well, as had been foretold to him. And both he himself and those who were with him, believing in Christ, were baptized. Afterward, summoned to the Emperor Diocletian and bound in iron with a stone tied around his neck, he was buried in a deep chasm of the earth; whence, prodigiously rescued, when the Emperor beheld him placed upon his own bed, he considered him a sorcerer and ordered him to be cast into the sea, together with the Protectors who were likewise converted to Christ. The sacred relics of holy Arianus were collected by his own servants, brought upon the back of a dolphin within a sack, together with the remaining sacks containing the bodies of the Protectors; and by the same servants committed to burial.