ON SS. PETER, ANDREW, PAUL, AND DIONYSIA THE VIRGIN,
MARTYRS AT LAMPSACUS ON THE HELLESPONT.
UNDER DECIUS.
PrefacePeter, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
Andrew, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
Paul, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
Dionysia, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
G. H.
Laurentius Surius had the illustrious Acts of these holy Martyrs, as he asserts, from ancient MS. codices, and changed the style, some things even being rendered paraphrastically. The Acts are given from 5 MSS. We give the same in the original style from five very ancient MS. codices, namely the Treves codex of the monastery of S. Maximinus, the Bödeken codex of the monastery of the Order of the Regulars of S. Augustine in the Westphalian diocese of Paderborn, the Utrecht codex of the Church of S. Salvator, another of our distinguished codices, and finally at Paris we received it from an ancient and trustworthy MS. of James Sirmond, as it was inscribed in his hand. Memory in ancient Martyrologies; The ancient Martyrologies add credit to these Acts; and especially the very ancient copies of S. Jerome's report the passion of SS. Peter, Andrew, Paul and Dionysia at Lampsacus, so that it is also written Lamosacus, and for Dionysia in some copy Dionysius is wrongly written. Hence we gather that those Acts then became known in the Latin Church: from which in the time of Charlemagne, Florus, Subdeacon of the Church of Lyon, formed this eulogy: At Lampsacus the passion of SS. Peter, Paul, Andrew and Dionysia the Virgin: of whom Peter after various torments was struck with the sword; Andrew and Paul overwhelmed with stones, Dionysia cut off with the sword. There followed Usuard, Ado, Notker, and others everywhere of the more recent, with the present Roman Martyrology: but of the Acts themselves an excellent compendium was published by Peter de Natalibus in book 5, chapter 4. Lampsacus was once an Episcopal city in lesser Mysia on the Hellespont; in which tract there was also Troas, a city likewise Episcopal, both under the Metropolis Cyzicus. To the Proconsul about to leave Troas were offered SS. Andrew and Paul, but they were detained at Lampsacus and there with others crowned with martyrdom. The Relics of a certain Andrew the Martyr are at Bologna in the church of S. Mary the Egyptian, which is "alle Scuole," as Masini indicates on this day: but who would prudently say they are of him who made his Martyrdom at Lampsacus?
[2] The Greeks too treat of these Saints on the XV, XVI, and XVIII of May: and in the Greek calendars, but less correctly. but they do not seem to have had sufficiently sincere Acts: and especially in place of Dionysia the Virgin they substitute Dionysius and Christina, perhaps because Dionysia was held very Christian, and the Christian Virgin was called: and so what Dionysia performed, is attributed to Christina. But because Dionysia was delivered to shameless panders, these the Greeks make Andrew and Paul, as if then by Christina, as they call Dionysia, they had been converted. But those before, on account of the faith of Christ, had been apprehended and shut in prison. Then in place of Opitimus or Optimus the Proconsul, Abidas the President is obtruded, by others Dacnus, and he is said not about to leave for Troas, but having entered Athens. Which things please less, and may be read among the Greeks. In the MS. Menaea preserved at Dijon with Chifletius in the College of the Society of Jesus there is no mention of Christina, and only Dionysius not Dionysia is read. In the printed Menaea they are commemorated on the XVIII day of May, together with SS. Heraclius, Paulinus, and Benedimus who suffered at Athens, as will soon appear from their eulogy. And from such Acts the occasion seems to have been seized of saying that SS. Andrew and Paul were led away to Athens; which is sufficiently refuted from the more sincere history of these Martyrs. In the Chifletian Synaxary it is read thus: S. Peter of Lampsacus, cast into pulleys, is consummated. In Greek ἐν τροχαντῆρσι βληθεὶς. What τροχαντὴρ may have been in old Greece I do not wish here to dispute: for it seems evident that here is signified a kind of torment, which was done by pulleys applied through the legs and arms, either for the stretching of the body, or rather for the breaking of the very bones of the body so stretched: which the Acts soon to be given express not aptly enough thus, he ordered the youth to be stretched on wheels, and the body wholly to be broken with iron bonds, the woods being placed round about. There is added then in the Chifletian this distich.
Βηλθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος ἐν τροχαντήρων μέσον, Ξωῆς παρῆκε τοῦς τροχοὺς τῆς ἀστὰτου.
Peter lying in the midst of whirled pulleys, Passed never through the wheels of a quiet life.
Of Paul, moreover, and Andrew and Dionysius (although Dionysia is to be understood, and she was consummated by the sword), as stoned, this is recited:
Τρεῖς συντρίβουσι πίστεως στέῤῥους λίθους Παῦλον, Διονύσιον. Ἀνδρέαν λίθοις.
Stones with stones grind three firm in faith, Dionysius with Peter and Andrew together.
ACTS OF THE MARTYRDOM
From five very ancient MSS.
Peter, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
Andrew, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
Paul, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
Dionysia, Martyr at Lampsacus on the Hellespont (S.)
BHL Number: 6716
FROM THE MSS.
[1] At a Lampsacus in a b wicked time (when the soldiers of the Christian Religion were striving for the faith of Christ, S. Peter apprehended at Lampsacus, and all the earth flourished with the most blessed blood of the Martyrs) in the places of Lampsacus a certain one was apprehended, Peter by name, very strong indeed in faith, fair in mind, and comely in body, and he was offered to the Proconsul. The Proconsul said to him, What art thou called? He answered: Peter. To whom the Proconsul said: Art thou a Christian? Peter answered: Yes, I am a Christian. The Proconsul said: Thou hast before thine eyes the decrees of the most invincible Princes. Sacrifice therefore to the great goddess Venus. Peter answered: I wonder, if thou persuadest me, most excellent Proconsul, to sacrifice to a shameless and filthy woman, he detests the worship of Venus, who did such works that it is confusion to relate them. For ye too punish the base things which she did in the shameless. And if ye name her impious and a public harlot; how do ye compel me to adore and sacrifice to so filthy a harlot? It behooves me therefore rather to offer to the living and true God, Christ the King of all ages, the sacrifice of prayer, supplication, compunction and praise. Hearing these things the Proconsul ordered him, still in age a youth, to be stretched on wheels, and the woods being placed round about, he is cruelly tortured, he caused his whole body to be bound with iron bonds; that, twisted and broken piecemeal, his bones might be crushed. But the more the servant of God was tortured, so much the stronger he appeared. Constant therefore exceedingly and deriding the folly of the Proconsul, with eyes stretched to heaven he said: I give Thee thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, he is beheaded. who hast deigned to give me this endurance: give therefore fortitude, that I may be able to vanquish the most wicked enemy. Then the Proconsul, seeing his great perseverance, c that not even in this punishment could he be overcome, ordered him to be struck with the sword.
[2] At the same time d, the Proconsul going to the city of Troas with much pomp, there were offered to him three others: Andrew, Paul, and Nichomachus, e impatiently, with noise and outcry. Of these three others Nicomachus the apostate from the faith miserably perishes. The Proconsul said to Nicomachus: What religion dost thou worship? He answered: I am a Christian. The Proconsul said to Andrew and Paul: What do ye say? They answered him: We are Christians. The Proconsul said to Nicomachus: Sacrifice to the gods according to what is commanded. Nicomachus answered: As thou knowest, a Christian ought not to sacrifice to demons. So the Proconsul ordered him to be hung up and tortured. And when he was exceedingly vexed, and was now nearly about to render his spirit, he cried out: Never, said he, was I a Christian, and I am ready to sacrifice. Immediately the Proconsul caused him to be taken down. When therefore he had sacrificed, immediately seized by a demon, and dashed to the ground, and eating his own tongue with his teeth, he gave up the spirit.
[3] S. Dionysia constant in the faith, But while the crowds were waiting, a certain maiden and virgin, Dionysia by name, having sixteen years, cried out, saying: Wretched and most unhappy man, why for the space of one hour hast thou acquired perpetual and unutterable punishment? And when the Proconsul had heard these things, he ordered her to be dragged into the midst, and asked her whether she were a Christian. But she answered: Yes, I am a Christian. Wherefore I bewail this unhappy one, because he did not endure a momentary punishment, that he might find perpetual rest. The Proconsul said: This one has now found rest, since he has sacrificed to the gods, and acquiescing in the commands of the Princes has sacrificed. But on account of your vain religion, lest he should bear reproaches, great Diana and Venus deigned to snatch him away. Thou therefore, I will, that thou sacrifice, lest, having shamefully mocked thee, I burn thee alive. Dionysia answered: My God is greater than thou, and therefore I fear not thy threats, who will also give me endurance of all that thou shalt inflict. Then the Proconsul delivered her to two young men to be corrupted: delivered to panders, but Andrew and Paul he ordered to be shut up in custody. The young men therefore, having received the most chaste maiden of God, led her to their lodging: and when until midnight they pressed on, to bring upon her the violence of foulness, the lust of their desire withered. But about midnight a certain splendid young man appeared to them, she is preserved by an Angel: illuminating the whole house. But they, struck with great fear, fell at the feet of the most blessed maiden. But she lifted them up, saying: Fear not, for this is my protector and guardian, for that I have been delivered to you by a most wicked Judge. But they begged that she would intervene for them, lest anything ill should befall them.
[4] In the morning therefore being come, the whole crowd came crying out to the Proconsul, SS. Andrew and Paul demanded by the people, asking that Andrew and Paul be delivered to them. Among whom Onesicrates and Macedo, Priests of Diana, were stirring up the people to sedition. And when the Proconsul had ordered them to be brought, he said to them: Andrew and Paul, ye ought to sacrifice to sacred Diana. Andrew and Paul answered: We have known neither Diana, nor the other demons which ye worship as gods, f nor at any time have we worshipped any but the only God. When the crowd had heard these things, they begged the Proconsul to deliver them to them to be destroyed. But the Proconsul, seeing that he could not overcome the perseverance of the Saints, delivered them, scourged, to the people to be stoned. they are stoned: They therefore, having received them, dragged them outside the city with bound feet, that they might be stoned. And when they were being stoned, the virgin of God Dionysia heard this.
[5] S. Dionysia is beheaded. Crying out and weeping, and breaking forth from custody,
she ran to the place, and cast herself upon them, saying: That I may be able to live with you in heaven, I choose to die here with you on earth. It is therefore announced to the Proconsul that Dionysia, who had been delivered to the young men to be mocked, had been preserved by a certain most splendid young man; and that, fleeing from custody, she had cast herself upon the bodies of Andrew and Paul, to be slain with those same stones. The Proconsul therefore ordered that she be separated, and led off to be beheaded: which also was done. In such manner therefore these venerable Martyrs, contending in one combat with the world and the devil and the Proconsul Opitimus, deserved to be made victors, Christ being favorable. Peter therefore was martyred by various punishments, Andrew and Paul by stones, and Dionysia by the sword. Done at Lampsacus on the day of the Ides of May, the Emperor being Decius, g Opitimus being Proconsul, our Lord Jesus Christ supplying it, to whom is glory, honor, and power.