During the reign of the Emperor Licinius, and under the presidency of Agricolaus, the city of Sebaste in Armenia was honoured by being made the scene of the martyrdom of forty soldiers whose faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and patience in bearing tortures were so glorious. After having been frequently confined in a horrid dungeon, shackled with chains, and having had their faces beaten with stones, they were condemned to pass a bitter winter night in the open air, and on a frozen pool, that they might be frozen to death. When there, they united in this prayer: “Forty have we entered on the battle. Let us, O Lord, receive Forty Crowns, and suffer not our number to be broken. The number is an honoured one, for you fasted for forty days, and the divine law was given to the world after the same number of days was observed. Elias, too, sought God by a forty days fast, and was permitted to see Him.” All the guards except one were asleep. He overheard their prayer and saw them encircled with light, and Angels coming down from Heaven like messengers sent by a king, who distributed crowns to thirty-nine of the soldiers. Whereupon, he thus said to himself: “There are forty men. Where is the fortieth crown?” While so pondering, one of the number lost his courage. He could bear the cold no longer and threw himself into a warm bath which had been put near at hand. His saintly companions were exceedingly grieved at this.
But God would not suffer their prayer to be void. The sentinel, astonished at what he had witnessed, went immediately and awoke the guards. Then, taking off his garments, he cried out, with a loud voice that he was a Christian, and associated himself with the Martyrs. No sooner did the governor’s guards perceive that the sentinel had also declared himself to be a Christian, than they approached the Martyrs and, with clubs, broke their legs. All died under this torture except Melitho, who was the youngest of the forty. His mother, who was present, seeing that he was still living after his legs were broken, thus encouraged him: “My son, be patient yet awhile. Lo! Christ is at the door, helping you.” But as soon as she saw the other bodies being placed on carts that they might be thrown on the pile, and her son left behind (for the impious men hoped that if the boy survived, he might be induced to worship the idols) she lifted him up into her arms and, summing up all her strength, ran after the wagons on which the Martyrs’ bodies were being carried. Melithon died in his mother’s arms and the holy woman threw his body on the pile where the other martyrs were, that as he had been so united with them in faith and courage, he might be one with them in burial and go to Heaven in their company. As soon as the bodies were burnt, the pagans threw what remained into a river. The relics miraculously flowed to one and the same place, just as they were when they were taken from the pile. The Christians took them and respectfully buried them.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
At Apamea in Phrygia, during the persecution of Marcus Antoninus and Lucius Verus, the birthday of the holy martyrs Caius and Alexander who were crowned with a glorious martyrdom as is related by Apollinaris, bishop of Hierapolis, in his book against the Cataphrygian heretics.
In Persia, the passion of forty-two holy martyrs.
At Corinth, the holy martyrs Codratus, Denis, Cyprian, Anecetus, Paul and Crescens, who were slain with the sword in the persecution of Decius and Valerian under the Governor Jason.
In Africa, the martyr St. Victor, on whose festival St. Augustine delivered a discourse to his people.
At Jerusalem, St. Macarius, bishop and confessor, at whose request the holy places were purified by Constantine and Helena, and beautified with sacred edifices.
At Paris, the decease of the abbot St. Droctoveus, who was a disciple of the blessed bishop Germanus.
In the monastery of Bobio, the abbot St. Attalus, renowned for miracles.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
But God would not suffer their prayer to be void. The sentinel, astonished at what he had witnessed, went immediately and awoke the guards. Then, taking off his garments, he cried out, with a loud voice that he was a Christian, and associated himself with the Martyrs. No sooner did the governor’s guards perceive that the sentinel had also declared himself to be a Christian, than they approached the Martyrs and, with clubs, broke their legs. All died under this torture except Melitho, who was the youngest of the forty. His mother, who was present, seeing that he was still living after his legs were broken, thus encouraged him: “My son, be patient yet awhile. Lo! Christ is at the door, helping you.” But as soon as she saw the other bodies being placed on carts that they might be thrown on the pile, and her son left behind (for the impious men hoped that if the boy survived, he might be induced to worship the idols) she lifted him up into her arms and, summing up all her strength, ran after the wagons on which the Martyrs’ bodies were being carried. Melithon died in his mother’s arms and the holy woman threw his body on the pile where the other martyrs were, that as he had been so united with them in faith and courage, he might be one with them in burial and go to Heaven in their company. As soon as the bodies were burnt, the pagans threw what remained into a river. The relics miraculously flowed to one and the same place, just as they were when they were taken from the pile. The Christians took them and respectfully buried them.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
We know the mystery of the number Forty. This tenth of March brings it before us. Forty new advocates! Forty encouraging us to enter bravely on our career of Penance! On the frozen pool which was their field of battle these Martyrs reminded one another that Jesus had fasted for Forty Days, and that they themselves were Forty in number! Let us, in our turn, compare their sufferings with the Lenten exercises which the Church imposes upon us and humble ourselves in seeing our cowardice. Or, if we begin with fervour, let us remember that the grand thing is to be faithful to the end, and bring to the Easter Solemnity the crown of our perseverance. Our Forty Martyrs patiently endured the cruellest tortures. The fear of God, and their deep-rooted conviction that He had an infinite claim to their fidelity, gave them the victory. How many times we have sinned and had not such severe temptations as theirs to palliate our fall? How can we sufficiently bless that Divine Mercy which spared us instead of abandoning us as he did that poor apostate who turned coward and was lost! But on what condition did God spare us? That we should not spare ourselves but do penance. He put into our hands the rights of His own justice. Justice, then, must be satisfied, and we must exercise it against ourselves. The Lives of the Saints will be of great help to us in this, for they will teach us how we are to look upon sin, how to avoid it and how strictly we are bound to do penance for it after having committed it.
*****
Valiant Soldiers of Christ who meet us, with your mysterious number, at this commencement of our Forty Days’ Fast, receive the homage of our devotion. Your memory is venerated throughout the whole Church, and your glory is great in Heaven. Though engaged in the service of an earthly prince, you were the Soldiers of the Eternal King: to Him were you faithful, and from Him did you receive your crown of eternal glory. We, also, are His soldiers. We are fighting for the kingdom of Heaven. Our enemies are many and powerful but, like you, we can conquer them if, like you, we use the arms which God has put in our hands. Faith in God’s word, hope in His assistance, and humility and prudence —with these we are sure of victory. Pray for us, Holy Martyrs, that we may keep from all compromise with our enemies, for our defeat is certain if we try to serve two masters. During these Forty Days we must put our arms in order, repair our lost strength and renew our engagements. Come to our assistance and get us a share in your brave spirit. A crown is also prepared for us: it is to be won on easier terms than yours, and yet we will lose it unless we keep up within us an esteem for our vocation. How many times, in our past lives, have we not forfeited that glorious crown? But God in His mercy has offered it to us again, and we are resolved on winning it. Oh for the glory of our common Lord and Master, make intercession for us.Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Apamea in Phrygia, during the persecution of Marcus Antoninus and Lucius Verus, the birthday of the holy martyrs Caius and Alexander who were crowned with a glorious martyrdom as is related by Apollinaris, bishop of Hierapolis, in his book against the Cataphrygian heretics.
In Persia, the passion of forty-two holy martyrs.
At Corinth, the holy martyrs Codratus, Denis, Cyprian, Anecetus, Paul and Crescens, who were slain with the sword in the persecution of Decius and Valerian under the Governor Jason.
In Africa, the martyr St. Victor, on whose festival St. Augustine delivered a discourse to his people.
At Jerusalem, St. Macarius, bishop and confessor, at whose request the holy places were purified by Constantine and Helena, and beautified with sacred edifices.
At Paris, the decease of the abbot St. Droctoveus, who was a disciple of the blessed bishop Germanus.
In the monastery of Bobio, the abbot St. Attalus, renowned for miracles.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
