Crescens

ON SS. CRESCENS, PAULUS AND DIOSCORIDES,

ROMAN MARTYRS.

From the Greek Manuscript Synaxaries.

St. Crescens, Martyr at Rome.

St. Paulus, Martyr at Rome.

St. Dioscorides, Martyr at Rome.

BY G. H.

[1] An illustrious encomium of these Martyrs the ancient Greek Menology of the Emperor Basil Porphyrogenitus furnishes, on this XXVIII of May to this tenor: Οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μάρτυρες Κρίσκης, Παῦλος, καὶ Διοσκορίδης ἐν Ρὥμῃ τῇ πόλει διατρίβοντες, καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ αὐτῶν πολλοὺς τῶν ἀπίστων τῷ Χριστῷ προσαγαγόντες καὶ φωτίζοντες καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, διεγνώσθησαν τῷ τῆς Ῥώμης Ἐπάρχῳ· καὶ κρατηθέντες, ἀπεκλείσθησαν εἰς φυλακὴν, παραγγελίαν λαβόντες μηδένα διδάσκειν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ὡς δὲ οὐδὲ ἐν τῆ φυλακῇ ἐπαύσαντο τοῦ διδάσκειν τοὺς συνδεσμίους, ἐξ ὧν πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν, ἐκβληθέντες τῆς φυλακῆς, ἐτύφθησαν σφοδρῶς, καταναγκαζόμενοι ἀρνήσασθαι μὲν ἐπὶ πάντων τὸν Χριστὸν, ἀπελθεῖν δὲ εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Διὸς, καὶ θῦσαι τοῖς ἐν αὐτῷ εἰδώλοις. Καὶ μὴ πεισθέντες, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ τὸν Χριστὸν τοῖς πᾶσι κηρύττοντες, εἰς κάμινον μεγάλην πυρὸς ἐμβληθέντες, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καθάπερ οἱ ἅγιοι τρεῖς παῖδες δοξολογοῦντες, ἐτελειώθησαν.

Now receive the Latin interpretation.

[2] The holy Martyrs of Christ Crescens, Paulus, and Dioscorides, Encomium from the Menology of the Emperor Basil, dwelling in the city of Rome, and by their doctrine leading many of the infidels to Christ, and enlightening them every day, became known to the Prefect of the City; and being seized by him were thrust into prison, and received a command to instruct no one more in the name of Christ. But, not even in prison, did they cease to teach those who were bound together with them: of whom in consequence many embraced the faith of Christ. Afterwards these three, led out of prison, were cruelly beaten; and ordered first of all to deny Christ, then to enter the temple of Jupiter, and to sacrifice to the idols which were therein. But when they refused assent, nay rather with a great voice preached Christ to all; cast into a great furnace of burning fire, and in it like the holy three Children glorifying God, they consummated their martyrdom. These things in the said most ancient Menology of the Emperor Basil.

[3] But lest anyone should wish to interpret it of New Rome or Constantinople, because they were unknown as such to the Romans; it helps to add another testimony from the most ancient Manuscript Synaxary of the Church of Constantinople, another from the Manuscript Synaxary. which often

we have said pertains to the Parisian College of the Society of Jesus, in which on this XXVIII of May too these things are read: Οὗτοι ἐν τῆ πρεσβυτέρᾳ ῥώμῃ διατρίβοντες, πολλοὺς τῷ Χριστῷ προσαγόντες καὶ βαπτίζοντες τῇ ἑαυτῇ διδασκαλίᾳ διεγνώσθησαν τῶ τῆς Ρὥμης Ἐπάρχῳ· καὶ συλληφθέντες κατεῖχε τούτους τὸ δεσμοτήριον. Πολλοῖς δὲ τῶν δεσμοτῶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ, τῇ πρὸς Χριστὸν πίστει προσαγάγοντες, ἐξαχθέντες ἐτύφθησαν σφοδρῶς. Ἔπειτα εἰς κάμινον πυρὸς ἐμβληθέντες, ἐτελειώθησαν.

These dwelling in old Rome, converted many to Christ, and baptized them. Wherefore on account of this their doctrine they became known to the Prefect of the City: by whom they were apprehended, and cast into prison, in which they led many, bound in the same custody, to the faith of Christ. But being led out, they were most cruelly beaten, and then cast into a furnace kindled with fire: they consummated their martyrdom. These things there. But because the aforesaid Saints are there said to have enlightened and baptized others, they seem to have been Presbyters. Some Encomium of the same Martyrs, but more contracted, is had in the Synaxary of Dijon, together with a prefatory Distich, by which they are thus compared to the three Children in Babylonia, of whom the collector of the Basilian Synaxary made mention above:

Ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ Μιζὰκ Διοσκορίδης, Σιδρὰκ δὲ Παῦλος, Ἀβδεναγὼ δὲ Κρίσκης.

In the furnace itself Dioscorides was Misac, And Paul Sidrac, Crescens was Abdenago.

[4] In the Menology of Sirletus, too negligently, as we have said, collected, only these are read: On the same day the combat of the holy Martyrs Crescens, Dioscorides, Mention in the Menology of Sirletus. Paul and Helladius. But Baronius from the said Menology, which he alleges in the Notes, transferred the same in the same words to the Roman Martyrology. But St. Helladius, Bishop and Martyr, is celebrated the day before in the Greek Menaea, and concerning him a whole Office is recited, and the very encomium of his martyrdom thence transferred is had in the new Anthology, by the authority of Clement VIII published by Antonius Arcudius at the Vatican press; but separately on this day he is referred in the already cited Menology of the Emperor Basil, and the Typicum of St. Sabas, as will be said below at the Life of St. Nicetas Bishop of Chalcedon.