CONCERNING THE HOLY THIRTY-FIVE MARTYRS AT CAESAREA IN PALESTINE.
YEAR 363.
CommentaryThirty-five Martyrs, at Caesarea in Palestine (SS.)
[1] Caesarea, the metropolis of Palestine, is celebrated both for various events and for very many Martyrs and other Saints: of whom we commemorate various ones in the month of March, and have already reported on this day SS. Timolaus, Dionysius, Pausis, Romulus, Alexander, another Alexander, Agapius, and another Dionysius, crowned with the palm of martyrdom under Diocletian. Besides these, thirty-six others who suffered under Julian the Apostate are reported in the manuscript Greek Menologion, which was published by order of the Emperor Basilius the Younger in the tenth century of Christ: in which this eulogy concerning them has been composed.
[2] And these holy thirty-five Martyrs of Christ lived at Caesarea in Palestine: who, after the decree by which all were commanded to deny Christ and worship the gods of the Gentiles was promulgated by the impious and wicked Julian, not only could not be induced to do so; but also, assuming a noble liberty, going about through the whole city, they said in a loud voice: Let Christ, as the true and certain God, alone be honored and worshipped: but let the gods of the Gentiles, who did not create heaven and earth, perish with all who worship them. They were therefore seized by the worshippers of idols and shut in prison, and brought before the wicked apostate Julian, who had deserted the faith and Christ. Then by his command they received the sentence of death with eager magnanimity, and with their heads cut off they flew to Christ, whom they had desired from infancy and never denied: and thus they obtained the reward of immortality.