ON THE MARTYRS OF ALEXANDRIA IN THE TEMPLE OF SERAPIS.
YEAR 390.
CommentaryThe Alexandrian Martyrs (SS.)
The reign of the Emperor Theodosius was distinguished by many other things, and especially by the remarkable advances of the Christian religion, with the superstition of profane idols being completely overthrown and eradicated throughout the entire Empire: Under Theodosius idolatry is eradicated: the followers of which in Egypt, devoted to madness by the abominable rites of their ancestral gods, undertook the most desperate measures in a deranged fury on account of Theophilus: who in the ninth year of Theodosius, the year 387 of the Christian Era, had been appointed as successor to Timothy of Alexandria, and, driven by zeal for religion, had dragged the profane mysteries of paganism into public view to be ridiculed, in the third year after his consecration. For they finally broke out into open sedition, seizing arms and perpetrating great slaughter: then, withdrawing into the temple of Serapis, But at Alexandria not without the blood of Christians: from among the Christians they had taken captive and could not drag into communion with their impious rites, they sent many, crowned with glorious martyrdom, to heaven. God, the faithful rewarder of the brave, has in the book of life the number and names of their combats inscribed: but so that at least their confused memory might be annually recalled, the Roman Church brought this about when she gave them this place in the Roman Martyrology revised by Baronius. Sozomen, a writer close to those times, set forth the matter as it occurred in the following manner, in his Ecclesiastical History, book 7, chapter 15.
The mob, first incited to sedition, killed them: During this time the Bishop of Alexandria transformed the temple of Bacchus which was among them into a church: for he had received it as a gift, having requested it from the Emperor. While the images were being cleaned out, while the inner chambers were being opened, as he eagerly sought to ridicule the mysteries of the Pagans, he was exposing these very things: and Priapi, and whatever else was ridiculous or seemed so in the secret sanctuaries, he brought publicly into view. Then the Pagans, dismayed both by the truth and by the novelty of what had been done, could not endure to remain quiet, but forming a conspiracy among themselves, they attacked the Christians, and killing some and wounding others, they occupied the temple of Serapis. This temple was most illustrious both in beauty and in size, situated on a small hill. From there, therefore, as from a kind of citadel, making sudden raids, they seized many of the Christians, and having applied torments, compelled them to sacrifice: Then they variously killed captives in the temple of Serapis: those who refused to do this, some they crucified, others they dispatched by breaking their legs, and others by other methods. When this sedition had lasted a long time, the authorities came to them, reminded them of the laws, and ordered them to cease from war and to leave the temple of Serapis. At that time Romanus was in command of the military cohorts in Egypt, while Evagrius was Prefect of Alexandria: who indeed, when they accomplished nothing, reported what had happened to the Emperor... The Emperor, They are to be numbered among the martyrs: when these things that had been done were announced to him, declared those Christians who had been killed to be Blessed, as having attained the reward of martyrdom, having risked their lives for their faith: but he ordered that pardon be granted to the killers, so that out of gratitude for the benefit received they might more readily be converted to Christ: and the temples that were in Alexandria, since they were kindling for seditions among the people, he wished to be destroyed. Socrates relates nearly the same things in book 5, chapter 16, and from both of them Nicephorus Callistus in book 12, chapter 25, in whose accounts the title of Martyrdom for those who were killed before the occupation of the temple of Serapis is more doubtful: In comparison with those who were killed first: because these were not voluntary victims for Christ, but were killed while repelling force with force. For when the Gentiles began to rage with indiscriminate slaughter without warning, the Christians also girded themselves for defense: and the fight grew to such an extent that the tumult subsided only when they had had their fill of killing. And in that battle, few of the Gentiles perished, very many of the Christians, and from both sides the wounded were almost innumerable. Repelling force with force: There is no doubt, however, that among those many, the greater part was of unarmed people whom sudden violence overwhelmed; many also, divinely strengthened and illuminated, laid down their lives even joyfully and willingly, and glory in heaven with the true titles of Martyrs. These therefore, joined to those whom not the impulse of boiling wrath removed from their midst, but the deliberate fury of impiety, not yet sated with so much blood, extinguished, the Church commemorates on this day.
About the mysteries of Serapis and the temple that rivaled the Roman Capitol, and its overthrow, whoever wishes to see more things collected from various sources may consult the Annals of Caesar Baronius at the year 389, number 84 and following. We have assigned these events to the following year, Acts more briefly from Theophanes: following the more accurate chronography of Theophanes, who narrated the same events more briefly in these words under the twelfth year of Theodosius: Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria, having obtained permission from the Emperor Theodosius, exposed to public ridicule the phallic images of the gentile shrine, and whatever was more profane and obscene; whence the populace of the Gentiles, covered with shame, perpetrated very many murders. When Theodosius heard of these things and was informed of such great slaughters, he decreed that the Christians who had been put to death should be reckoned among the number of the Blessed Martyrs: to the Gentiles, however, if they would transfer themselves to the Christian religion, he offered pardon: and he commanded that the temples be destroyed and the idols melted down and the proceeds distributed to the needs of the poor.