Macar, Epimachus, and Alexander, After Many Torments, Burned Alive, at Alexandria, About the Year 253.
There was yet another pious Christian, called Macar, or Macarius, a native of Lybia, whom the Judge advised with many words, to forsake Christ; but he continued only the more steadfastly to confess his faith. Finally the Judge commanded that he should be burned alive; which was done.
Epimachus and Alexander did not remain prisoners very long after Macar’s death; but, after suffering much pain, having been cut and slashed with razors, lacerated with scourges, and wounded on the most sensitive parts of their bodies, they were finally burned alive with flaming fire. See the authors cited above.
FOUR GOD-FEARING WOMEN, NAMELY, TWO CALLED AMMONARIA, AND MERCURIA AND DIONYSIA, BEHEADED AT ALEXANDRIA FOR THE CONFESSION OF JESUS CHRIST, ABOUT THE YEAR 253.
At this time, God also wonderfully manifested his power in certain women, among whom four are mentioned by name, two called Ammonaria, and Mercuria and Dionysia. The last named two were aged women, one of them being the mother of many children, all of whom she nevertheless had forsaken, for Christ’s sake. The other two, as it appears, were unmarried persons or young maidens, who loved their heavenly bridegroom, Jesus Christ, too much, to look for an earthly one. Of all these it is stated that they remained so steadfast in the confession of Jesus Christ, that the Judge felt ashamed on this account, and, in order to put an end to the matter, had them beheaded. See the authors and books cited above. Also, A. Mell., fol. 68, col. 1.
HERON, ATER, AND ISIDORE, BURNED FOR THE FAITH; AND DIOSCORUS, A YOUTH OF FIFTEEN YEARS SET FREE AFTER HAVING BEEN GREATLY TORMENTED; AT ALEXANDRIA, ABOUT THE YEAR 253.
Heron, Ater, and Isidore, Egyptians by birth, and a youth of fifteen years, called Dioscorus, were committed to the Judge of Alexandria, at the same time. The Judge examined the youth first, supposing it a very easy matter to persuade him, or deceive him by fair words, or, if not on this wise, to move him by torments (of which, as Eusebius says, many were inflicted upon him), to deny the Christian faith. But this excellent youth, Dioscorus, could be induced neither by fair words nor by the force of torments, to obey the Judge.
The three men, namely Heron, Ater, and Isidore, the Judge had most cruelly scourged, and examined with all manner of stripes, intending to draw them away from the faith; but when he saw that because of their faith in Jesus Christ they valiantly endured all the torments, he delivered them to the executioners to be burned alive; except the youth Dioscorus, whom he released, on account of his courage as well as the astonishingly discreet answers which he gave to every one of his questions; saying that in consideration of his youth he would wink at his perverseness for the present, so that, in the meantime he might reflect upon the matter, and repent. But the ancient writers state, that, coming to the church of Jesus Christ, God ordained him to be a bulwark and consolation of his people; awaiting a longer and severer conflict, and a greater and fuller reward; on account of which, as well as because of his previous sufferings, he was reckoned among the pious martyrs. See the abovementioned authors and books.
NEMESIUS, A PIOUS CHRISTIAN, BURNED FOR HIS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL MALEFACTORS, AT ALEXANDRIA, ABOUT THE YEAR 253.
The malignity of the tyrants had now become so great that they called the defenseless lambs of Christ murderers, and sought to put them to death under this name. Among those thus accused was a pious follower of Christ, called Nemesius, or, also, Nemesis, who, being accused of the same crime, first of all candidly and clearly vindicated himself from it. Thereupon his accuser charged him with being a Christian, and, therefore, nevertheless guilty of death. Eusebius writes, that in this point the Judge observed no moderation, but caused him first to be tortured with twofold torments, and then commanded that he should be burned with the murderers, unconscious of the fact that through his cruelty he made this holy martyr resemble our Savior, who, for the salvation of mankind, was crucified between murderers. In regard to this, A. Mellinus says: “The Judge made this martyr like unto his Lord Christ, and, according to his example, had him placed between highwaymen, and then burned alive.” A. Mell., 1st book, fol. 68, col. 2, from Euseb., lib. 6, cap. 41. Also, P. J. Twisck, 3d book, for the year 252, page 70, col. 1, on the name Nemesion.
BABYLAS, BISHOP OF THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH, AND THREE YOUTHS, URBAN, PHILIDIAN, AND EPOLONIUS, BEHEADED AT ANTIOCH, FOR THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, ABOUT THE YEAR 254.
Babylas, bishop of the church of Antioch, the capital of Syria, situated on the river Orontes, was a very godly and faithful shepherd of the flock of Christ. Knowing beforehand that this severe persecution was threatening the church of Christ, he very diligently instructed not only men and women, but also children in the principles of the Christian faith, and constantly admonished them in his preaching, not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for his name. Touching the cause of his imprisonment, the ancients have briefly described it thus: namely, that the Emperor Decius came to one of the congregations of the Christians, and requested to be admitted; but that the shepherd of that congregation or church, namely Babylas, in order to spare the congregations, opposed him boldly, saying, that it was not lawful for him thus audaciously to enter the house of the living God, and to view the mysteries of the Lord with his polluted eyes, or to touch them with his murderous hands still covered with blood. The Emperor, unable to bear this, had Babylas, together with several others, seized, bound with chains, and placed in severe confinement.
Those who were apprehended with him, and were finally put to death, were, as appears from the records, three young men, brothers, and were called, Urban, Philidian, and Epolonius; who, as some suppose, were his bodily, but according to others, his spiritual children, because he had won them for Christ through the doctrine of the truth.
When the hour of his departure began to draw near, that he was to be offered, and his disciples or other good friends came to visit him in prison, he earnestly asked, as a last request of them, to bury him with his fetters, chains, and bonds.
Concerning his death, Eusebius Pamphilius writes: “Bishop Babylas fell asleep in the Lord, in prison, at Antioch, after having made his confession, in all things like Alexander.” Hist. Eccl. Edit. A. D. 1588, lib. 6, cap. 39, fol. 121, letters F, G.
But as all the other fathers who have written of Babylas speak of him as a martyr, they also state that he was executed with the sword. The records of his death, faithfully collected by Suidas and others from the most ancient writers, read thus: “When Babylas was sentenced by the Emperor Decius to be beheaded, together with the aforementioned three young men, he sang the comforting words of the 116th psalm, on his way to the place of execution: ‘Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. He hath delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.’ ”
When Babylas and the three young men had arrived at the place where they were to be beheaded, Babylas begged, that they would first put to death before his eyes, the three youths (whether they were his bodily or his spiritual children) so that they might not be deterred or discouraged by his death from dying for the name of Christ.
While the executioners were busy executing the children, he prayed to the Lord, saying: “Here am I, Lord, and the children whom thou hast given me.” And thus he encouraged the children, steadfastly to suffer for the Lord.
After this, Babylas also fell asleep very peacefully in the Lord, having commended his soul into the hands of the Lord, to bring it to the eternal rest of which he had spoken immediately before his death.
The mother of these children, and the brethren of the church of Antioch buried the dead bodies of these martyrs in a decent manner, together with the chains and fetters with which Babylas had been bound during his life.
Thus, this good father and his dear children took an honorable departure from this world together on the same day, and are awaiting now the blessed hope and the revelation of the great God, and their Savior, Jesus Christ, for whose honor and glory they suffered these things. Abr. Mell., 1st book, fol. 68, col. 4, and fol. 69, col. 1, 2, from Euseb., lib. 6, cap. 29. Epiphan. lib. de Mens. and Pond. Hieron. Catal. in Origene. Chrysost. Eunt. Gent. and Homil. 9 ad Ephes. Suidas in Babyla. acta ex Patribus Collecta. Suid. in Hist. sub. nom. Babylæ.
NOTE.—P. J. Twisck, who begins this persecution by Decius, with the year 251, fixes the death of this man, Babylas, in the second year of his reign, namely, A. D. 252. Chron. 3d book, p. 70, col. 1, from Hist. Andr., fol. 21. But Abr. Mellinus, who begins the persecution with the year 253, fixes his death in A. D. 254 (although the printer has erroneously made it A. D. 264; for Decius reigned only two years), and this is consequently the second year of Decius. We have followed the latter author.
PIONIUS, BISHOP OF THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA, NAILED TO A PIECE OF WOOD AND BURNED ALIVE, IN THE CITY OF SMYRNA, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, A. D. 254.
Mention is made in this time of a certain pious Christian, called Pionius, a man greatly noted on account of his remarkable virtue, who always stood fearlessly before the Judges, and, as Eusebius declares, steadfastly replied to all their questions, yea, taught and disputed in the court, so that those who wavered on account of the persecution, were thereby strengthened and encouraged. While in prison, he strengthened the brethren, and encouraged them, to fight steadfastly even unto the end, in the faith, for the Lord, in which he preceded them as a good leader. For, according to the testimony of Eusebius, he was finally nailed on a piece of wood, and cast into a flaming fire, and thus died a blessed death. Euseb., lib. 4, cap. 15, taken from the letter of those of Smyrna, concerning the death of Polycarp and some of the martyrs who followed him.