Chrysanthus and Daria were husband and wife, noble by birth, and still more by their faith which Daria had received together with baptism through her husband’s persuasion. At Rome they converted an immense multitude to Christ, Daria instructing the women and Chrysanthus the men. On this account the prefect Celerinus arrested them and handed them over to the tribune Claudius who ordered his soldiers to bind Chrysanthus and put him to the torture. But all his bonds were loosed, and the fetters which were put on him were broken. They then wrapped him in the skin of an ox and exposed to a burning sun, then cast him, chained hand and foot, into a very dark dungeon. But his chains were broken, and the prison filled with a brilliant light. Daria was dragged to a place of infamy, but at her prayer God defended her from insult by sending a lion to protect her. Finally they were both led to the sand-pits on the Via Salaria where they were thrown into a pit and covered with a heap of stones, and thus they together won the crown of martyrdom.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
Chrystanthus was united, in his confession of our Lord, with her whom he had won to Christianity and to the love of the angelic virtue. Our forefathers had a great veneration for these two martyrs who, having lived together in holy virginity, were together buried alive in a sand-pit at Rome for refusing to honour the false gods. Dying like the seed in the earth, they yielded the fruit of martyrdom. On the anniversary day of their triumph numbers of the faithful had gathered in the catacomb on the Via Salaria for the liturgical Synaxis, when the pagans surprised them and walled up the entrance of the vault. Many years passed away. When the hour of victory had sounded for the Church, and the Christians discovered again the way to the sacred crypt, a wonderful spectacle was presented to their gaze: before the tomb where reposed Chrysanthus and Daria was grouped the family they had begotten to martyrdom. Each person was still in the attitude in which he had been overtaken by death. Beside the ministers of the Altar, which was surrounded by men, women and children, assistants at that most solemn of Masses, were to be seen the silver vessels of the Sacrifice: that Sacrifice in which the conquering Lamb had so closely united to himself to many noble victims. Pope Damasus adorned the venerable spot with monumental inscriptions. But no one dared to touch the holy bodies, or to alter any arrangement in that incomparable scene. The crypt was walled up again, but a narrow opening was left so that the pilgrim could look into the august sanctuary and animate his courage for the struggles of life by the contemplation of what had been required of his ancestors in the faith during the ages of martyrdom.
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I will give to my Saints a place of honour in the kingdom of my Father, says the Lord. Thus sings the Church in your praise, O martyrs. And herself following up that word of her divine Spouse, she made the Lateran Basilica your earthly home, and assigned for your resting-place the most hallowed spot, the very Confession on which rests the high Altar of that first of all churches. It was a fitting recompense for your labours and sufferings in that city of Rome where you had shared in the preaching of the Apostles, and like them had sealed the word with your blood. Cease not to justify the confidence of the Eternal City. Render her faith, which is ever pure, more and more fruitful. But your holy relics have also, through Rome’s generosity, carried your protection abroad. Deign to second by your intercession the prayer we borrow from your devout clients of Munstereifel: “O God, who in your Saints Chrysanthus and Daria enhanced the honour of virginity by the consecration of martyrdom, grant that, assisted by their intercession, we may extinguish in ourselves the flame of vice and may merit to become your temple in the company of the pure in heart.”Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Rome, the birthday of forty-six holy soldiers, who were baptised together by Pope Denis, and soon after beheaded by order of the emperor Claudius. They were buried on the Via Salaria, with one hundred and twenty-one other martyrs. Among them are named four soldiers of Christ Theodosius, Lucius, Mark and Peter.
At Soissons in France, in the persecution of Diocletian, the holy martyrs Crispin and Crispinian, noble Romans. Under the governor Rictiovarus, after horrible torments, they were put to the sword, and thus obtained the crown of martyrdom. Their bodies were afterwards conveyed to Rome and entombed with due honours in the church of San Lorenzo in Panisperna.
At Florence, St. Minias, a soldier, who fought valorously for the faith of Christ and was gloriously crowned with martyrdom during the reign of Decius.
At Torres in Sardinia, the holy martyrs Protus, priest, and Januarius, deacon, who, being sent to that island by Pope St. Caius, were put to death under the governor Barbarus in the reign of Diocletian.
At Constantinople, the martyrdom of the Saints Martyrius, sub-deacon, and Marcian, chanter, who were murdered by the heretics under the emperor Constantius.
At Rome, St. Boniface, pope and confessor.
At Perigueux in France, St. Fronto, who, being made bishop by the blessed Apostle St. Peter, converted to Christ, with a priest named George, a large number of the people of that place, and, renowned for miracles, rested in peace.
At Brescia, the birthday of St. Gaudentius, bishop, distinguished by his learning and holiness.
At Javols, St. Hilary, bishop.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
