Lolion

ON SAINT LOLION, MARTYR, AMONG THE GREEKS.

Lolion, Martyr, among the Greeks (Saint)

The Greeks in the printed Menaia and the manuscript Menaia of Chifflet and others, and in Cytheraeus, indicate the name of this Martyr and the manner of his martyrdom in these words: "On the same day, Saint Lolion, overwhelmed with blows and trampled, ended his life." The Menaia add this couplet:

"Lolion stood bearing the blows of fists, Uttering neither a groan from his mouth nor a blow from his hand."

Another Martyr also named Lolion, but called "the youth" in comparison to this one, who expired after being dragged along the ground, is venerated in the same Menaia on April 27, as will be told in its proper time.

ON SAINTS GRATUS THE DEACON AND MARCELLUS THE SUBDEACON, AT FORLI IN ITALY.

AROUND THE YEAR 400.

Gratus, Deacon, at Forli in Italy (Saint)

Marcellus, Subdeacon, at Forli in Italy (Saint)

[1] Forum Livii, an episcopal city of Gallia Togata, distinguished by nature, situation, and the abundance of all things, lies on the Aemilian Way midway between the cities of Faenza and Cesena in Romagna. Among its Bishops, Saint Mercurialis flourished in the fourth century, The various Acts of Saint Mercurialis the Bishop whose feast the Church of Forli celebrates on the last day before the Calends of May; on which day we shall present his Acts, of which we have obtained three versions. Paul Bonolus had other Acts from which he cites various things in the second book of his History of Forli, which he sent to us as a gift and gave us the larger part, when we were at Forli in the year 1660. Bonolus judges that those Acts of Saint Mercurialis were composed by Blessed Peter Damian, and are preserved in the Abbey of Saint Mercurialis of the Vallombrosan monks, from which Abbey we copied other Acts of the same at Rome among the Fathers of the Congregation of the Oratory from a transcript of Anthony Gallonius. Of this holy Bishop Mercurialis, Saint Gratus was the Deacon and Saint Marcellus the Subdeacon, as the Church of Forli calls and celebrates them. Concerning these, from the aforesaid Acts attributed to Saint Peter Damian, the following is read in Bonolus, page 27:

[2] "Mercurialis was the best Pastor of his sheep, a defender of the Christian faith, of religion and of the dignity of Christ: In these Saints Gratus and Marcellus are praised for throughout the whole time of his life he lived sparingly and modestly, with fastings, chastity, and almsgiving, holding and raising up his people with good teachings and holy works. He kept with him among others Gratus and Marcellus, Priests adorned with virtues, goodness, and holiness, devoted and attached to the good spirit, to the offices of religion and the faith of Christ, always with fastings and obedience to their Prelate, neither transgressing nor degenerating from him: distinguished by virtues and miracles who, continuing daily with greater fervor, performed very many miracles." Among these miracles, only those are narrated which are recorded in the same Acts as having been performed on the occasion of the slaying of a dragon.

[3] "When among other things a huge dragon had appeared on the Flaminian road near the Bridge, they extinguished a dragon by prayers where now stands Villa Ronci in the district of Forli, two miles distant from the city, and many who approached it quickly perished from its venomous breath, and when all the bystanders trembled in terror, it was finally decreed by the providence of the most Reverend Bishops of Forli and Forlimpopoli, namely Mercurialis and Rofillus, with their Priests and all the People and Clergy of their cities in pontifical array, to go forth to slay the dragon. When the appointed orders had been set by the said Bishops regarding the day, place, and hour of this approach, the Bishop of Forli, having come to the place with his Clergy and people and having waited a long time for the arrival of Blessed Rofillus, and doubting very much about his coming, at length Saint Mercurialis, having gone ahead with Marcellus and Gratus his companions, the Clergy and all the people, knelt devoutly and besought Almighty God and the power of our Redeemer Jesus Christ to grant his servants grace over the destruction of the maleficent dragon. When the prayers were made and the supplications heard, the dragon itself miraculously expired in the sight of all. Saint Gratus casts it into a well When Gratus approached the dead dragon and bound it with his stole and cast it thence into a certain well nearby on the road, he immediately lost the sight of his eyes from the deed. he becomes blind For the restoration of his sight, Marcellus, trusting greatly in the Divine power, boldly went to Gratus himself, and having made a prayer and anointed him with spittle applied by his fingers, with the touching of his very eyes, he wonderfully restored him to his former sight. he is illuminated by Saint Marcellus When after these events Saint Rofillus came with his Clergy and followers to the appointed place and saw the dead dragon, he grieved very much over Saint Mercurialis, taking offense at such an affront; and then they returned to their places." These things are also reported in other Acts of Saint Mercurialis and Saint Rofillus, who is venerated on July 18, but with some differences, as will be more fully explained when we treat of them.

[4] Another miracle is narrated thus in some Acts of Saint Mercurialis: "There was a certain Marcellus who was blind, another blind man and also ignorant of the Christian faith, who, waiting by the road while Blessed Mercurialis was passing by, as soon as he learned from others that the most holy man was present, said: sent by Saint Mercurialis to Saint Gratus 'O man of God, pray for me that I may see.' He was hurrying, burning with charity for the whole people, to the appointed contest; wherefore, lest by stopping he should cause delay to so great an undertaking, he is said to have replied only this to Marcellus: 'Presently Gratus, my brother in Christ, will be here; he will pray for you, and through him you will receive your sight'; for he knew how great things the Lord works through his servants. Gratus was joined in such familiar intimacy with the blessed Mercurialis that they lived together in the Lord and ate the same spiritual food. He arrived, as the other had predicted, not long after; and having heard from Marcellus the commands of Blessed Mercurialis, Gratus said to Marcellus: 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, who died to redeem us from sins?' 'I believe,' replied Marcellus. he is given sight 'Then open your eyes, Marcellus,' said Gratus, 'in the name of Jesus Christ'; and immediately he saw who had not beheld the light for many years ... In the disciple of Mercurialis the virtue of the master shone forth, so that he could truly claim with Christ that saying applied to his own disciples: 'The works that I do, you also shall do' John 14:12. Not content with those gifts which Marcellus had obtained through him from his Master, Gratus also imparted something greater, namely the salvation of the soul, when at the request of Marcellus he himself immediately washed him with the waters of holy baptism." and is baptized So much for that passage, after which the approach to the dragon is narrated. Ferrarius in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy says that a blind man was encountered on the road by Blessed Marcellus, who directed him for enlightenment to Blessed Gratus, from whom he received his sight.

[5] Death That Saints Gratus and Marcellus died before Saint Mercurialis is indicated by an ancient inscription which is read in the church of Saint Stephen, now of Saint Mercurialis, in these words: "Here rest the bodies of Saints Gratus and Marcellus, burial buried by Saint Martial, Bishop of Forli, with relics of the Holy Innocents, and with the jawbone of Blessed James the brother of the Lord, son of Alphaeus, Bishop of Jerusalem, together with a certain part of the head of the Prophet Jeremiah, which he brought with him from the regions of the East." Saint Mercurialis is said to have died in the year 404; therefore before that time Saints Gratus and Marcellus died, whose feast is celebrated by the people of Forli on March 20 under the rite of a double Office, veneration as Ferrarius observes in the General Catalogue.