Dorotheus and Gorgonius, two freedmen were executed at Nicomedia on this day. The greatest honours had been conferred on them by the emperor Diocletian, but as they detested the cruelty which he exercised against the Christians, they were by his order suspended in his presence, and lacerated with whips. Then, their skin being torn from their bodies, and vinegar with salt poured over them, they were burned on a gridiron and finally strangled. After some time, the body of blessed Gorgonius was brought to Rome and deposited on the Via Latina. Then it was transferred to the Basilica of St. Peter.
Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Cartagena in South America, St. Peter Claver, confessor of the Society of Jesus, who laboured with wonderful self-abnegation and great charity among the negro slaves for more than forty years and baptised personally almost thirty thousand of them. He was canonised by order of Pope Leo XIII.
Among the Sabines, thirty miles from Rome, the holy martyrs Hyacinthus, Alexander and Tiburtius.
At Sebaste, St. Severian, a soldier of the emperor Licinius. For frequently visiting the Forty Martyrs while they were in prison, he was suspended in the air with a stone tied to his feet by order of the governor Lysias, and being scourged and torn with whips, yielded up his soul in the midst of torments.
The same day, St. Straton, who ended his martyrdom for Christ by being tied to two trees and torn to pieces.
Also the holy martyrs Rufinus and Rufinian, brothers.
At Rome, St. Sergius, pope and confessor.
In the territory of Tréouanne, St. Omer, bishop.
In Ireland, St. Kieran, abbot.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
