What Is More Glorious?

Quid enim gloriosius, quidve felicius ulli hominum poterit ex divina dignatione contingere, quam inter ipsos carnifices in ipso interitu confiteri Dominum Deum, quam inter saevienta saecularis potestatis varia et exquisita tormenta, etiam extorto et excruciato et excarnificato corpore, Christum Dei Filium, etsi recedente sed tamen libero spiritu, confiteri, quam relicto mundo coelum petisse, quam desertis hominibus inter Angelos stare, quam impedimentis omnibus saecularibus ruptis in conspectu Dei iam se liberum sistere, quam collegam passionis cum Christo in Christi nomine factum fuisse, quam judicis sui divina dignatione judicem factum fuisse, quam immaculatam conscientiam de confessione nominis reportasse, quam humanis et sacrilegis legibus contra fidem non obedisse, quam veritam voce publica contestatum fuisse, quam ipsam quae ab omnibus metuatur moriendo mortem subegisse, quam per ipsam mortem immortalitatem consecutum fuisse, quam omnibus saevitiae instrumentis excarnificatum et extortum ipsis tormentis tormenta superasse, quam omnibus dilanitis corporis doloribus robore animi reluctautu fuisse, quam sanguinem suum prefluentem non horruisse, quam supplicia sua post fidem amare coepisse, quam detrimentum vitae suae putare non exisse? Sanctus Cyprianus, Epistola XVI, Moyses et Maximus presbyteri et Nicostratus et Rufinus diaconi et caeteri confessores, ad Cyprian Migne PL 4.291-292

What is more glorious, or what is more felicitous, that can happen to any man from the Divine largess than to confess the Lord God in death itself, before his very executioners; than among the various savageries of the secular power and the carefully chosen tortures, even when the body is racked and torn and stripped of flesh, to confess Christ the Son of God with a departing but free spirit; than to have abandoned the world to seek heaven; than, to have forsaken men to stand among angels; than, all worldly obstacles destroyed, to stand free in the presence of God; than to have been made an associate of Christ's passion in Christ's name; than by Divine judgement to have been made judge; than to have brought out an immaculate conscience from the confession of His name; than to have not obeyed human and sacrilegious laws against the faith; than to have given public voice to the truth; than by dying to have subdued death which is dreaded by all; than by death itself to have achieved immortality; than by all the cruel instruments of the torturer to have overcome torture by the tortures themselves, than by strength of mind to have fought against all the agonies of a broken body; than not to have shuddered at the flow of one's own blood; than on account of faith to have begun to love one's punishments; than to think it an injury to one's life not to have left it? Saint Cyprian, from Letter 26, The Presbyters Moyses and Maximus, The Deacons Nicostratus and Rufinus, and other Confessors, to Cyprian

Mother and Son

Per universas Africae terra provincias, uno tempore, tortores crudelissimas destinare, et nulla remansisset domus et locus ubi fuisset ejulatus et luctus, ut nulli aetati, nulli parceretur sexui, nisi illis qui eorum succumberent voluntati. Hos fustibus, illos suspendio, alios ignibus concremabant. Mulieres veri et praecipue nobiles, contra iura naturae, nudas omnino in facie publica cruciabant. Ex quibus unam nostram Dionysia cursim ac breviter nominabo. Cum viderent eam non solum audacem esse, sed etiam matronis caeteris pulchiorem, ipssam primo nisi sunt fustibus exspoliatem appetere. Quae cum pateretur, diceretque de Domino suo secura: Qualiter libet cruciare, verecunda tamen membra nolite nudare; amplius illi magis furentes, celsiori loco vestimentis exutam constituunt, spectaculum eam omnibus facientes. Quae inter ictus virgarum, dum rivuli sanguinis toto iam corpore fluitarent, libera voce dicebat: Ministri diaboli, quod ad opprobrium meum facere computatis, ipsa laus mea est; et quia erat Scripturarum divinarum scientia plena, aptatis arctata poenis, et ipsa iam martyr, alios ad martyrium confortabat. Quae suo sancto exemplo pene universam suam patriam liberavit. Quae cum suum unicum filium, admodum adhuc tenerae aetatis et delicatum, timore poenarum formidolosum conspiceret, verberans eum nutibus oculorum, et increpans auctoritate materna, ita confortavit, ut matre multo fortior redderetur. Cui inter crudelia verbera constituto ita dicebat: Memento, fili mi, quia in nomine Trinitatis in matre Ecclesia catholica baptizati sumus. Non perdamus indumentum nostrae salutis, ne veniens invitator vestem non inveniat nuptialem, et dicat ministris: Mittite in tenebras exteriores, ubi erit fletus oculorum, et stridor dentium. Illa, fili, poena timenda est quae nunquam finitur; illa desideranda vita quae semper habetur. Talibus itaque filium solidans verbis, velociter martyrem fecit. Venerabilis vero adolescens, Majoricus nomine, in certamine confessionis spiritum reddens, cursum palmiferum consummavit; amplexansque illa hostiam suam, quantis potuit vocibus Domino gratias agens, ad gaudium spei futurae, in sua domo maluit sepelire; ut quotiens super sepulcrum eius Trinitati preces effundit, alienam se a filio numquam esse confidat. Victor Vitensis, Historia Persecutionis Africae Provinciae, Liber V Source: Migne PL 58.241a-242b

At the same time through the whole province of Africa cruel tortures were commanded and no house nor open space was without cries and tears, for neither age nor sex was spared unless they succumbed of their own will to become Arian. Some were beaten with clubs, some hung, others were burnt with fire. Noble women, against the law of nature, were stripped naked and crucified in public. Of these I will quickly describe Dionysia. When they saw her not only to be bold be also as most beautiful among the other women, they struck her first with the clubs. When she had suffered and then spoke of her trust in the Lord, that she was ready to be crucified but that she was unwilling to expose her body, so she enraged them all the more and they stripped her of her garments forthwith to make her a spectacle to everyone. She, between the renewed blows of the sticks, with streams of blood flowing over her body, said with a clear voice, 'Servants of the devil, though you reckon to disgrace me, this is my glory.' Because she was full of the knowledge of the Divine Scriptures, suffering in her body, already a martyr, she fortified others for martyrdom. She liberated her whole fatherland with her holy example. Her only son, who was still at a tender and delicate and who looked on the formidable punishments with fear, the beatings paining his eyes, she addressed with the authority of a mother, that he should be brave and that he would prove much stronger than his mother. When he had been given over to the beatings, she said, 'Remember, my son, that we were baptized in the name of the Trinity into the mother Catholic Church. Let us not lose the garment of our salvation, lest when he who invites comes he does not find the garment and he says to his servants, 'Send this one out into the darkness, where there is the weeping of eyes and the grinding of teeth.' 1 That fearful punishment never ends, so desire to have eternal life.' With such words she encouraged her son and he swiftly came to martyrdom. He was a noble young man, by the name of Majoricus, who in the struggle of persecution gave up this soul and swiftly seized on the palm of victory. Embracing his sacrifice the mother gave many thanks to God, and for the joy of future hope she chose to bury him in her own house, so that often upon this tomb she could pray to the Trinity, confidant that she would never be apart from her child. Victor Vitensis, History of the Persecution of the African Province, Book 5 1 Mt 22.10-13

Count Sebastian

Referam autem factum quod ipso gestum est tempore. Fuit comes quidam Sebastianus, famosi illius gener comitis Bonifacii, acer consilio, et strennus in bello; cuius Geisericus, sicut consilia necessaria habebat, ita et praesentiam formidabat, cupiens autem illum exstinguere, occasionem mortis de religione quaesivit. Cogitavit rex ut praesentibus episcopis atque domesticis suis, Sebastianum taliter conveniret. Sebastiane, inquit, scio quia fideliter nobis adhaerere iurasti, cuius veritatem sacramenti labores tui vigilantiaque demonstrant. Sed ut nobis connex semper iugisque maneat amicitia tua, hoc placuit praesentibus sacerdotibus nostris, ut euius efficiaris cultor religionis quam et nos et noster populus veneramur. Cui Sebastianus, rem inveniens miram multisque necessariam pro tempore acute, respondit: Quaseo, domine rex, ut nunc unus panis mundissimus ac similagineus afferatur. Qui cum ignorasset Geisericus Sebastiani victoriam, illico iussit afferri, Apprehendens itaque Sebastianus mundissimum panem, ita effatus est: Hic panis ut ad tantum decorem splendoris veniret, quo mensae regiae necessarius haberetur, discussa spuria furfuris, ex massa similaginis conspersus, per aquam transivit et ignem: idcirco et aspectu clarus, et esu sauvis habetur. Ita et ego mola catholicae matris commolitus, et cribro examinationis ut simila munda purgatus, rigatus sum aqua baptismtis, et igne sancti Spiritus coctus, Et ut hic panis de furno, ita et ego per officia sacramentorum divinorum, artifice Deo, de fonte mundus ascendi. Sed fiat, si velis, quod ipse, propono. Iste panis confrigatur in frustra, madidetur aqua, et iterum conspergatur, mittaturque in furnum, si melior exierit, faciam quod hortaris. Quam propositionem Geisericus cum omnibus qui aderant cum audisset, ita ligatus est, ut se solvere omnino non posset; quem alio generis argumento postea virum occidit. Victor Vitensis, Historia Persecutionis Africae Provinciae, Liber I Source: Migne PL 58.188b-189b

I shall tell here of a deed that occurred at the same time. There was a certain Count Sebastian, son in law of the famous Count Bonifacius, 1 acute in counsel and mighty in war, whose advice King Geiseric had need of, and yet his presence troubled him, and he came to desire to destroy him, and he sought an excuse for his death in religion. The King amid his Arian clergy and domestics contrived to have Sebastian come into his presence. He said to him, 'Sebastian, I know that you have sworn to adhere faithfully to us and your labours and vigilance demonstrate the truth of your oath, but that your friendship may endure firmly forever, it pleases our clergy gathered here that you adopt the religion which we and our people practice.' To this Sebastian, devising something wonderful and quite necessary to many in difficult times, shrewdly replied, 'Lord King, I would have bread most pure and made of the finest flour brought here.' Geiseric, ignorant of Sebastian's coming victory, ordered it brought. Sebastian took the bread and said, 'This bread, to come to such splendor that it would be fit for the royal table, had worthless bran shaken from the mass of flour and passed through water and fire, thus it became fair to see and sweet to taste. Likewise I in the mill of the Catholic Mother was ground and by the sieve of examination I was similarly cleansed to purity, moistened by the water of baptism and baked by the fire of the Holy Spirit. And just as this bread came from the oven, I, through the office of the Divine Sacraments, which have God as author, rose pure from the font. Let it be, if you wish, as I propose: let this bread be broken apart, softened with water, again moistened, and put in an oven; if it comes out better I shall do as you suggest.' Hearing this, Geiseric and those with him were like those fettered, utterly unable to free themselves. But later on, on some other grounds, he had the man killed. Victor Vitensis, History of the Persecution of the African Province, Book 1 1 Roman general and governor of the diocese of Africa

Some African Confessors

Confessorum autem ingens et plurima multitudo, ex quibus multitudo, ex quibus aliquos narrare tentabo. Erant tunc servi cuiusdam Vandali: fuit autem hic Vandalus de illis, quos Millenarios vocant, Martinianus, Saturianus, et eorum duo germanii; erat et quaedam conserva eorum egregia Christi ancilla nomine Maxima, corpore simul et corde decora. Et quia Martinianus armifactor erat, et domino suo satis videbatur acceptus, et Maxima universae domui dominabatur, creditit Vandalus, ut fideles sibi magis memoratus faceret famulos, Martinianum Maximamque coniugali consortio sociare. Martinianus adolescentulorum saecularium more coniugium affectabat; Maximaque, iam Deo sacrata, humanas nuptials refutabat. At ubi ventum est ut cubiculi adirentur secreta silentia, et Martinianus nesciens fiducia quasi cum coniuge cuperet cubitare, viva voce ei memorata famula Christi respondit: Christo ego, o Martiniane frater, membra mei corporis dedicavi, nec possum humanum sortiri coniugium, habens iam coelestem et verum sponsum. Sed dabo consilium. Si velis, poteris et ipse tibi praestare, dum licet, ut cui ego concupivi nubere, delecteris et ipse servire. Ita factum est, Domino procurante, ut obediens Virgini etiam adolescens suam animam lucraretur. Nesciente igitur Vandalo spiritalis secreti commercium, compunctus atque mutatus Martinianus, etiam suis fratibus persuasit ut thesaurum quem invenerant haberent, ut pote germani, communem. Conversus itaque cum tribus fratribus suis, Dei quoque puella comitante, nocte clam egredientes, Tabraceno monasterio, cui praeerat tunc nobilis pastor Andreas, sociantur. Illa vero haud procul monasterium incoluit puellarum. Sciscitante igitur barbaro inquisitionibus et muneribus crebris, quod gestum erat celari non potuit. Inveniens itaque iam non sua, sed Christi mancipia, coniicit in vinculis, et variis tormentis Dei famulos insectatur; agens cum eis non tantum ut pariter miscerentur, sed, quod gravius est, per rebaptizationis coenum, fidei suae ornamenta turparent. Pervenit hoc ipsum usque ad notitiam Geserici regis, qui praecepit ut tandiu implacabilis herus servos affligeret, quanddiu illius succumberent voluntati. Iubet in modum ferarum fustes robustos veluit palmatos cum stirpibus fieri, qui quatientibus tergis non solum ossa confringerent, sed etiam tenebrantes aculei intrinsecus remanerent. Qui dum sanguis efflueret, et dissipatis carnibus viscera nudarentur, sequenti die, Christo medente, semper incolumes reddebantur. Hoc saepius ac multo factum est tempore et nulla plagarum vestigia videbantur, sancto Spiritu subinde curante. Post hoc arctantur maxime dura custodia, compedeque crudeli extenduntur, quibus eum Dei servorum visitantium non deesset frequentia videntibus cunctis ingentium lignorum putrescens soluta est fortitudo. Miraculum hoc et voce omnium celebratur, et nobis ille ad quem custodia pertinebat, cum sacramento testatus est ita fuisse. At ubi Vandalus virtutem neglexit cogoscere divinam, coepit in domo eius vindicatrix ira grassari. Moritur ipse simul et filii; familiae atque animalium, quaecunque optima erant, pariter intereunt. Remanens itaque domina vidua, marito, filiis, et substantia destituta, servos Christi cognato regis Srsaoni gratia muneris offert, Qui cum eos, utpote oblatus, cum gratulatione minia suscepisset, filios et domesticos eius sanctorum merito male coepit daemon variis motibus agitare. Ex ordine ille cognatus, ut gestum erat, suggerit regi. Dercenit statim rex cuidam gentili regi Maurorum cui nomen inerat Capsur, religandos debere transmitti. Maximam vero Christi famulam confusus et victus propriae voluntati dimisit; quae nunc superest virgo, mater multarum virginum Dei, nobis etiam nequaquam ignota. Victor Vitensis, Historia Persecutionis Africae Provinciae, Liber I Source: Migne PL 58.193b-195b

From the great multitude of the confessors, from such a multitude, I shall try to tell of a few. There were some slaves of a certain Vandal, one of those Vandals called the 'Millenari', named Martinianus, Saturianus, and their two brothers, and also a fellow female slave, a most excellent handmaid of Christ named Maxima, fair in both body and heart. And because Martinianus was a weapon maker and was well liked by his master and Maxima held office over the whole house, the Vandal believed that by marrying Martinianus and Maxima he would make them more faithful servants. Martinianus was a young man of worldly ways and wanted to marry, but Maxima, already consecrated to God, had spurned human nuptials. When it came about that they approached the private silence of the bedroom and Martinianus, not knowing, desired to lie with her as a husband, the aforementioned handmaid of Christ, with lively voice responded, 'To Christ, brother Martinianus, I have dedicated the members of my body and I cannot partake of human marriage, for I have a heavenly and true spouse. But I will give you some advice: if you wish, He can also stand over you, while it is allowed, so that He who I have desired to marry you might also delight to serve.' So it was that by the Lord's care the young man's soul was enriched by obedience to a maiden. With the Vandal being ignorant of the commerce of their spiritual secret, Martinianus, now changed and compunctious, persuaded his brothers that as they were brothers they should have in common the treasure he had discovered. Then the converted man, with his three brothers and with the young lady of God accompanying them, stole away by night, and they entered the monastery of Tabraca, which was then presided over by the noble shepherd Andreas, and the young lady entered a convent of maidens nearby. The barbarian began to investigate the matter and handed over many gifts, and so what had occurred could not be hidden.  Discovering that they were not his but belonged to Christ, he had them thrown into chains and inflicted various torments on them, acting so not so that they would be bound together, but, far worse, that through the filth of rebaptism they might sully the ornaments of their faith. The matter came to the notice of King Geiseric and he ordered that the implacable master should continue to afflict the slaves for as long as it took them to surrender to his will. He commanded that strong clubs shaped like palm fronds should be made, which when used in beating the back would not only break bones but the jagged edges would remain within. So blood flowed and torn flesh revealed the viscera, and yet on the following day, by the medicine of Christ, they were discovered healthy. This happened very often over a long time and no vestiges of wounds were to be seen, for the Holy Spirit instantly cured them. After this a harsh imprisonment was imposed and they were cruelly stretched out in shackles, and frequently visited by the servants of God all of them saw the heavy wood of the racks rotting away. This miracle was celebrated by every voice, and he who was responsible for their custody testified that it was so under oath. The Vandal refused to recognise the Divine power and vengeance began to prowl about his house. He and his children died at the same time, and also the finest among his servants and animals perished. The wife now widowed, destitute of husband and children and property, offered the servants of Christ to a relation of the king named Sersa. He happily took them, but then, by the merit of the saints, his sons and servants began to be troubled by the various acts of a demon. In his turn a relative of his reported the matter to the King and instantly he decided that they should be sent away into exile to Caspur the king of the Moors. Apart that is from Maxima, the handmaid of Christ, she who had confounded and conquered. He dismissed her to do as she wished, and even now the maiden lives, a mother to many maidens, and she is not unknown to us. Victor Vitensis, History of the Persecution of the African Province, Book 1

Problematic Appointments

Leo urbis Romae episcopus per Caesariensem Mauritaniam constitutis in Domino salutem.  Cum de ordinationibus sacredotum quaedam apud vos illicite usurpata crebrior ad nos commeantium sermo perferrei, ratio pietatis exegit ut pro sollicitudine quam universae Ecclessia ex divina institutione dependimus, rerum fidem studeremus agnoscere: vicem curae nostrae proficiscenti a nobis fratri et consacerdoti nostro Potentio delegantes, qui secundum scripta quae per ipsum ad vos direximus, de episcopis quorum culpabilis ferebatur electio quid veritas haberet inquireret, nobisque omnia fideliter indicaret. Unde quia idem plenissime notitiae nostrae cuncta reseravit et sub quibus qualibusque rectoribus quaedam Christi plebes in partibus provinciae Caesariensis habeantur, sincera nobis relatione patefecit, necessarium fuit ut dolorem cordis nostri, quo pro Dominicorum gregum periculis aestuamus, datis nunc quoque ad dilectionem vestram litteris promeremus, mirantes tantum apud vos per occasionem temporis impacati aut ambientium praesumptionem, aut tumultum valuisse popolarem, ut indignis quibusque et longe extra sacerdotale meritum constitutis pastorale fastigium et gubernatio Ecclesiae dederetur. Non est hoc consulere populis sed nocere, nec praestare regimen, sed augere discrimen. Integritas enim praesidentium salus est subditorum, et ubi est incolumitas obedientiae, ibi sana est forma doctrinae. Principatus autem quem aut seditio contulit, aut ambitus occupavit, etiamsi moribus atque actibus non offendit, ipsius tamen initii sui est perniciosus exemplo, et difficile est ut bono peragantur exitu, quae malo sunt inchoata principio.   Leo I, Epistula XII

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to the ordained of Mauritania Cæsariensis, greetings in the Lord. With regard to the ordination of priests among you, the frequent accounts of those who visited us reported certain illicit practices among you, and thus for reasons of piety we were obliged to strive to arrive at the exact state of the case in accordance with that solicitude which by the Divine command we bestow on the universal Church; and we delegated care of this to our brother and fellow priest, Potentius, who was setting out from us, and who, according to what we wrote and addressed to you by him, was to make inquiry into the truth about the flawed elections of bishops, and to report everything faithfully to us. Thus because he has has most fully brought us to awareness by sincere account of under whom certain people of Christ in parts of the province of Caesarensis are and of their quality, it was necessary that the grief of our heart, stirred up for the Lord's flocks imperiled, be revealed by sending this letter to you, beloved. We are astonished that on account of the troubles of the time that either the over-bearing conduct of the self seeking or the tumults of the people would have so much influence upon you, and that to the unworthiest and those far removed from meriting the priesthood the chief pastorate and governance of the Church has been given. This is not to consult but harm the peoples' interests, not to establish order but to increase divisions. The integrity of those who preside is the safeguard of those governed, and where there is assured obedience, there the form of doctrine is sound. An appointment which is made by sedition or brought about by plotting, even if it does not offend in morals nor in practice, is nevertheless wicked from the mere example of its origin, and it is difficult for things to be brought to a good end which have started from a bad beginning. Leo I, Letter 12