ON ST. SERGIUS THE CONFESSOR
DRIVEN INTO EXILE AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
UNDER THE ICONOMACHS.
CommentarySergius the Confessor at Constantinople, driven into exile (St.)
G. H.
Famous is the memory of St. Sergius the Confessor
among the Greeks: and first in the Menology of Basil
Porphyrogenitus the Emperor this his eulogy
exists: Sergius the Confessor of Christ,
born at Constantinople, Eulogy from the Menology of Emperor Basil. son of noble and
rich parents. But when the most sacred
and venerable images he attended with worship, by
the iconoclasts he was seized, and to the impious Emperor
Leo led, with the name of Leo. now with flatteries, now
with threats was ordered from the cult of the holy images to depart.
But when he did not assent, but rather the tyrant
as an abominable thing detested, and his
speeches and threats as trifles despised, and
with highest confidence of mind pronounced; that the holy images
are to be cherished, and by all the faithful of Christ rightly
honored, just as if that honor to the Prototype,
of which is the image, were exhibited; with a rope tied to his neck,
as a wicked and malefactor, through the forums dragged
he was: then into prison thrust and publicly
guilty was denounced, and of his riches deprived, together
with his wife Irene and children was relegated: where when
very many evils and grave enmities he had sustained, by Baronius surnamed Isaurian: he migrated
to Christ. Thus there. But who this Leo Emperor
was, is not indicated. Baronius interpreting Leo the Isaurian,
reports in the Annals the martyrdom of St. Sergius
at year DCCXXXV.
[2] On the contrary in the MS. Synaxarium of the Constantinople Church,
preserved in the Clermont College of the Society of Jesus
at Paris, another from the MS. Synaxarium this persecution is attributed to Theophilus the Emperor,
who reigned from year DCCCXXIX until year DCCCXLII,
about whose cruelty we have treated on the Life of St. Theodora
his wife XI February. In the said Synaxarium these things
are read: On the same day, XIII May, the memory of our holy
Father Sergius the Confessor. He was born
at Constantinople, of an illustrious and great Family,
a worshipper of the holy and venerable images: for which
cause he was ordered to appear before the persecutor and impious
Emperor Theophilus, and with ropes around the neck bound, with the name of Theophilus:
through the forum like a malefactor was led around;
then of riches, which he had very many, despoiled,
together with his wife Irene and children into exile he is sent away,
where many tribulations and various temptations
having endured, he migrated to Christ. Thus in the said Constantinople
Synaxarium.
[3] Another finally encomium of the same holy man we have in
the great printed Greek Menaea, a third from the Greek Menaea without the name of the Emperor. but with the Emperor's name omitted,
which is of this kind. On the same day of S. P. N. Sergius
the Confessor. Sergius and by birth illustrious and great, and
with renowned mind was celebrated. He was therefore brought before
the impious and persecuting Emperor on account of the cult of holy
and sacred images, and with a rope to
his neck tied, through the populous forum led and
led around, with mockeries and insults affected and laden
he was: afterwards stripped of all his goods, into prison
was thrust: and at last with wife, children and
whole family was cast into exile: and so even from foreign
evils and afflictions he triumphs, with various calamities
afflicted. Whence by God he was called to
heaven, worthy from the agonothete Christ rewards to receive.
A similar eulogy formed in his Menology Sirletus;
with the Emperor's name also omitted. The memory however of this
St. Sergius is celebrated in the Gallican Martyrology, printed at Liège
in year MDCXXIV, and in Ferrarius in his Notes on this
day of the general Catalogue.