The PriestMartyr Marcellus, Pope of Rome, and the Holy Martyrs Cisenius and Cyricus – Deacons, Smaragdus, Largias, Apronian, Satyrninus, Papias and Maurus – Soldiers, Criscentian and the Holy WomenMartyrs Priscilla, Lucy and Artemia the Emperor's Daughter
Commemorated on June 7
The PriestMartyr
Marcellus, Pope of Rome, and the Holy Martyrs Cisenius and Cyricus – Deacons,
Smaragdus, Largias, Apronian, Satyrninus, Papias and Maurus – Soldiers,
Criscentian and the Holy WomenMartyrs Priscilla, Lucy and Artemia the Emperor's
Daughter suffered in Rome during the time of the persecution of Diocletian
and Maximian (284-305) and their successors – Galerius (305-311) and Maxentius
(305-312). The emperor Maximian, ruling the western half of the Roman empire,
deprived all Christians of military rank and sent them into penal forced
labour. A certain rich Christian, Thrason, began to send food and clothing to
the prisoners by way of the Christians Cisenius, Cyriacus, Smaragdus and
Largias. Holy Pope Marcellus thanked Thrason for his generosity, and Cisenius
and Cyriacus he ordained as deacons. Soon while rendering aid to the captives
Cisenius and Cyriacus also were arrested and sent off to harsh labour. They
fulfilled not only their own norm, but worked also for the dying captive
Satyrninus, for which Maximian gave Cisenius over for torture to the governor
of the district, Laodicius. They locked up the saint in prison. The head of the
prison, Apronian, summoned Saint Cisentius for interrogation but, seeing that
his face shone with an Heavenly light, he believed in Christ and was baptised.
And then later going together with Cisenius, he went to holy Pope Marcellus and
received Chrismation. Having made liturgy, Saint Marcellus communed the Holy
Mysteries. On this day, 7 June, Saints Cisenius and Satyrninus in the company
of Apronian were brought before Laodicius. Saint Apronian confessed that he was
a Christian, and was beheaded, and Saints Cisenius and Satyrninus were thrown
into prison. Then Laodicius gave orders to bring them to a pagan temple to
offer sacrifice. Saint Satyrninus said: "Would that the Lord turn the
pagan idols into dust!" At that very moment the tripods, on which incense
burned in front of the idols, melted. In sight of this miracle the soldiers
Papias and Maurus confessed Christ. After prolonged tortures Cisenius and
Satyrninus were beheaded, and Papias and Maurus were locked up in prison, where
they prayed concerning their illumination by holy Baptism. The Lord granted
them to realise their desire. Leaving unnoticed from the prison, they received
Baptism from Saint Marcellus and returned to the prison.
At the trial they
again confessed themselves Christians and died under terrible tortures. Their
venerable bodies were buried by the Presbyter John and Thrason.
Saints Cyriacus,
Smaragdus, Largias and other Christian prisoners continued to waste away at
hard labour.
The emperor's
daughter Artemia, the young daughter of Diocletian, suffered from demonic
oppression. Having learned that the prisoner Saint Cyriacus could cure
infirmity and cast out devils, the emperor summoned him to the sick girl. In
gratitude for the healing of his daughter, the emperor set free Cyriacus,
Smaragdus and Largias. Soon the emperor dispatched Saint Cyriacus to Persia, so
that he would heal the daughter of the Persian emperor. Upon his return to
Rome, Saint Cyriacus was arrested on orders of the emperor Galerius, the
son-in-law of Diocletian, who had abdicated and retired as ruler. Galerius was
very annoyed at his predecessor for the converting to Christianity of the
emperor's daughter Artemia. He gave orders to lead behind his chariot Saint
Cyriacus – stripped and bloody in chains, to the shame and ridicule of the crowds.
Pope Marcellus
denounced the emperor openly before everyone for his cruelty towards innocent
Christians. The emperor gave orders to beat the holy pope with canes and to
deal brutally with the saint of Christ. Saints Cyricus, Smaragdus, Largias, and
still another prisoner, Criscentian, died under torture. And at this time also
executed were the emperor's daughter Artemia and yet another 21 prisoners in
prison with Saint Cyriacus.
Holy Pope Marcellus
was secretly freed by Roman clergy. Having dug up the bodies of the holy
Martyrs Cyriacus, Smaragdus and Largias, they re-buried them on the estates of
two Christians Priscilla and Lucy on the outskirts of Rome, having transformed
the house of Lucy into a church.
Ascending the throne,
Maxentius gave orders to destroy the church and transform it into a
cattle-yard, and he sentenced the holy pope for life to herd the cattle.
Exhausted by hunger and cold, and wearied by the stench, holy Pope Marcellus
fell sick and died in the year 310.
The holy women Pricilla
and Lucy were in disgrace banished from Rome, and their estates confiscated and
plundered.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.