ON ST. MENIGNUS THE FULLER, MARTYR AT PARIUM IN THE HELLESPONT.
YEAR 251.
CommentarySt. Menignus the Fuller, Martyr at Parium in the Hellespont.
[1] The Hellespont is taken both for the narrow strait between Sestus, a city of Thrace in Europe, and Abydos, a city of Mysia Minor in Asia, and for the part of Mysia exposed to the aforesaid sea. In this region, the ancient city of Parium lies between Cyzicus the metropolis and Lampsacus, adjacent to the Propontis. In this city St. Menignus the Fuller lived and underwent martyrdom, whose memory is inscribed on these Ides of March in the Roman Martyrology in these words: Sacred veneration "On the same day, of St. Menignus the Fuller, who suffered under Decius." The Greek Menologion is cited in the Notes, where his Acts are related in summary, in this phrasing: "On the same day, of St. Menignus the Fuller. He, under the Emperor Decius, when a great persecution was stirred up against the Christians, consecrated himself to martyrdom by surrendering his life for the confession of the Christian faith."
[2] But the Greeks in their great Menaea and in Maximus, Bishop of Cythera, in his Lives of the Saints, introduce the veneration of St. Menignus twice, epitome related on November 22 namely on March 15 and November 22. At this latter date, they indicate the arena of his martyrdom in these words: "On the same day, the memory of St. Menignus the Fuller. He was originally from the colony of Parium in the Hellespont. When he heard certain soldiers crying out in the marketplace, 'Jesus of Nazareth came by night and took away our prisoners from us,' he was inflamed in spirit and devoted all his effort to obtaining martyrdom himself. For in that same city, many Martyrs having been shut up in prison by their guards and the doors closed and sealed, the Saints were loosed from their chains by a divine Angel. Whence, when they were not found in their cells, their persecutors were greatly disturbed. After St. Menignus heard the heavenly voice by which he was incited to undertake the contest of martyrdom, without delay he returned to his masters the garments entrusted to him (for he was a fuller by trade), and tearing up the edicts of the tyrants which they had posted, he was cruelly beaten by the executioners, thrown to the ground, stretched by the feet, hoisted onto a post, and lacerated: his toes were cut off, and he was brought before the tyrant. By him, because he flatly refused to sacrifice to the idols, he was condemned to death and, struck down by the executioner, he surrendered his spirit to the Lord." The same things are read in the ancient Synaxarion of the College of Clermont of the Society of Jesus at Paris. Acts of his martyrdom The distich which was prefixed in the Menaea is likewise found in the MS. Menaea of Dijon belonging to our colleague Chifflet, at the date of March 15, and is as follows:
Κάραν κναφεῦ μένιγνε Τμηθεὶς ἐκ ξίφους Κνάφεις σεαυτὸν κἂν ῥύπους εἶχες πλύνων.
"By sword, Menignus fuller, offering your head, You full yourself, washing away what stains you had."
[3] On this same day, March 15, we have his more extended encomium, which we present from the reprinted Sacred Garden of Matthias Rader, in these words: "On the same day, the memory of St. Menignus the Fuller and Martyr. Under the reign of Decius there raged a fierce storm against the Christians. He who governed the province of Asia was deadly and of the most ferocious character. Captives are freed from prison by the appearance of Christ When therefore he was touring the maritime coast, all those whom he found there of Christ's discipline he had beaten with rods and shut up in a sturdy prison in a dark dungeon. As night drew on, all of them in chains together broke forth in these words: 'Lord, heavenly King, who once through an Angel freed Peter, the Prince of your Apostles, from chains and custody, quietly and without tumult, grant us also Your aid, and deliver us from these shackles and this dark dungeon: that those who despise Your name may understand that You alone are God and the everlasting Emperor.' While they prayed thus, the Lord, the Judge of judgments, stood before them, and banishing the darkness, illuminated the entire prison with splendor, and addressed them: 'Have faith, and do not be afraid: for I am with you.' And suddenly the chains, like wax, fell away, and the prison opened of its own accord. And the Lord added: 'Depart from here, and preach everywhere My power.' And so He returned to heaven. They went out of the prison. In the morning the guards all entered the prison, and finding the seals of the gate unbroken but seeing no one inside, they went out and exclaimed: 'O what power! Christ the Nazarene entered by night and led out all the prisoners from us in secret.' And there were some who stood amazed in wonder, while others mocked the guards.
[4] St. Menignus is converted When blessed Menignus heard these things, seized with wonder, he himself also began to believe and to be inflamed with love of Christ: for he practiced the trade of a fuller, and while he was once washing the stains of garments at the river, he heard a voice addressing him: 'Menignus, come; I will bless you with great grace.' Terrified and confused by the voice, he shortly afterward continued his work; and the voice again resounded in his ears: 'Menignus, come, that you may see the treasure stored up for those who love My name.' Here Menignus added no further word, but immediately departed and returned his garments to his master, and prepared himself for the arrival of the Governor. When the latter came after a few days to that place and sat on the tribunal, and lent his ears to those who brought complaints, he also reviewed the Emperor's edict against the Christian religion. Then this truly divine Menignus, most courageously springing into the midst, snatched the decree from the hands of the magistrate and tore it into a thousand pieces he tears up the decree against the Christians and trampled it underfoot. When the most despicable satellites of the most despicable magistrate saw this, they flung him to the ground and trampled and cruelly cut him to pieces. Then the Governor, rising from his tribunal, said: 'O wicked head, with what boldness did you do this?' And the Saint replied: 'In my Christ.' he is grievously tortured And the Governor: 'Seize this stupid, contumacious, and refractory man, and having hung him on the rack, tear him apart and stab him repeatedly, that we may see whether Christ will come to deliver him.' And the impious ones so hideously lacerated him with hooks that all his entrails were visible through his sides. Meanwhile the Governor, like one who wars against God, kept hurling curses at the suffering Martyr and at God. But the Saint endured all things prayerfully, and even taunted the tyrant.
[5] Then the Governor, driven to fury, said: 'Come, I command that the fingers which dared to tear up the Emperor's decree be severed and minutely hacked off.' his fingers chopped off bit by bit Immediately therefore they cut off the joints all the way to the metacarpion, which poured forth a milky liquid instead of blood. Then, thrust back into prison, on the following day he was brought to judgment. But the holy Martyr, having publicly professed Christ and denounced the Emperor, also mocked the Governor and brought all to amazement. Finally sentence of death was passed, that he should be punished by the sword. As he was making his way to the place of execution, his wife followed and accompanied him with tears, and a great multitude of people. At the place of execution, the Saint, standing on high, exhorted the people to faith, commended his wife to guardians, he is beheaded and offered his most holy head to be struck. There a great miracle was seen by the onlookers: for they saw a white dove fly from the mouth of the holy Martyr into heaven. a dove flying from his mouth Struck by this spectacle, all cried out: 'Truly great is the God of Menignus!' At this cry of the people, the whole city trembled, so that even the Proconsul was alarmed. But when he learned the cause of what had happened, he ordered the body to be left unburied, saying: 'We shall see whether his God will deem him worthy of burial.' the body by night And they set sentinels to guard the sacred remains of his body. But at the dead of night, while all the guards were buried in sleep, his brethren transferred the trunk of his body to the place desired by the holy Martyr, and the brothers themselves, overcome by sleep there, fell asleep. One of them saw the Martyr in a vision, who said: 'In your haste you have forgotten about my head, with which I confessed Christ.' He, awakening, told the others what their brother had said, is carried to burial and retracing his steps through the thick night, was uncertain what to do. But when he arrived at the place where the Saint had been beheaded, a brilliant star appeared over the Martyr's head. Therefore, taking the head, he returned rejoicing to his brothers, whom the Martyr forbade to proceed further, ordering the noble relics to be laid there: which is to the praise of our God, to whom be glory for all eternity. Amen.
[6] In the Menologion written by command of the Emperor Basil Porphyrogenitus, the martyrdom of St. Menignus the Fuller is related on the following day, March 16, with this encomium: "St. Menignus lived in the reign of Decius, originally from the city of Parium, a fuller by trade, and earning his livelihood by the labor of his hands; he ministered to the Christians then imprisoned on account of the persecution. He is famous for miracles He himself also desired to undergo martyrdom for Christ, and earnestly sought it in his prayers. A voice therefore came, addressing him: 'Menignus, come to me, and you will find grace in my sight.' He therefore came before the Judge and confessed himself to be a Christian. After beatings, therefore, and the cutting off of his fingers of hands and feet by the sword, he was beheaded. His body, buried in the city, affords healing to all the faithful to the present day." On the same day St. Menignus is joined to St. Romanus, Deacon of the Church of Caesarea in Palestine, in the aforesaid Synaxarion and other MS. Menaea, to be presented there.