Foxe, John. The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Gainesville, FL: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 2001.
The very fallible effort at counting continues as we read. # = martyr number. We have martyrs #1520 to #1555. Please be advised that we have a profound snark-contempt alert, at the bottom, a you-tube salute to Mr. Osteen. But, now for Foxe's list.
#1520. 23 February 303. In Nicomedia, the eastern capital of Diocletian’s (eastern) Roman Empire, he issued the Empire-wide edict to “eliminate Christianity from the Empire,” including the “burning of books” and the leveling of “Christian buildings.” All Christians were to “be arrested as traitors to the empire.”
Every Christian was arrested and imprisoned in Nicomedia. Mr. Foxe claims that 1000s were martyrs, but offers no sources (31). We’re up to #1520 in our very fallible effort at counting. We'll add #1, but the numbers are probably higher.
These things are difficult to envision for insular and self-absorbed Westerners, but think of rabid Islamo-fascists. Or, Boko Haram in Nigeria. Or, Stalinist purges. Or, Hitler's genocide. Or, the Kmer Rouge in 1975. Or, our manifold wickednesses with the abortion holocaust.
Of note, he tells us that several provincial governors wrote Diocletian: “…such conduct on the part of Romans was improper.”
Many had their ears cut off, noses slit, or had one/two eyes put out.
#1521. Sebastian. He was an officer in the Emperor’s guard at Rome. He refused to recant. He was shot with arrows. He was buried in the Roman catacombs.
#1522. Vitus. He was taught and nurtured in the Christian faith by his nurse. His father was incensed and attempted to get his son to recant. As a propitiation, he offered his son as a sacrifice on June 14, 303.
#1523-1526. Victor in Rome. Bound, dragged through the streets, stoned, and imprisoned. His witness led to his 3 jailers being converted. All four were beheaded.
#1527-#1529. Maximus, the provincial governor of Cilicia, visited Tarsus. He repeatedly examined Tarchus, Probus, and Andronicus. They would not recant. His put them in the amphitheater. The attack animals would not attack. He pulled them out and slew them by sword.
#1530. Romanus was a deacon in Caesarea, the Roman capital of Palestine. He was taken to Antioch. Scourged, racked, torn with hooks, and strangled.
#1532. Susanna, a niece to Caius, an bishop in Rome, refused to marry a pagan noble as ordered by Diocletian. Beheaded.
#1533. Peter, a servant of Diocletian. He ridiculed the pagan gods. By order of Diocletian, he was “tortured with the greatest severity” (33). He died in prison of wounds.
#1534. Eulalia. She ridiculed the pagan gods. Mode of death not identified by Mr. Foxe.
#1535. Presbyter Valerius and his Deacon Vincent were chained and imprisoned by the Roman governor of Tarragona, Spain. For an unknown reason, he let Valerius go, but racked the Deacon. Vincent had joint-dislocation and died in prison of his injuries on January 22, 304. St. Vincent is remember in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, listed for January 22.
#1536-#1538. Three sisters murdered in Thessalonica on March 25, 304: Agape, Chionia, and Irene burned to death.
#1539-#1543. In North Africa, Saturninus and 4 children jailed and starved to death.
#1544-#1547. Four Churchmen died in Rome at the whipping post for speaking against idol worship. They were employees of the city of Rome: Victorius, Carpophorus, Severus, Severianus.
#1548-#1549. Deacon Timothy and his wife, Maura, newlyweds, were crucified in the Roman province of Mauritania. Deacon Timothy was responsible for Holy Scriptures in the church.
The governor ordered up the Scriptures. Timothy replied: “If I had children, I would sooner turn them over to you to be sacrificed than I would the Word of God.”
The enraged governor ordered his eyes be burned out with a red hot iron, saying, “The books will at least be useless to you, for you will have no eyes with which to read later.”
He remained constant in the faith. The governor crucified the Deacon and his wife.
#1550-#1554. Diocletian orders the Roman governor of Tuscany, his family and Sabinus scourged to death. Sabinus was the bishop of Assisium in Tuscany. He refused to sacrifice to Jupiter, the supreme deity in the pan-pluralist-you-name-it-you-
#1555. In Caesaria, Pamphilus, was arrested, tortured, and put to death. He was reputed to be a 2nd Origen. He translated Origen’s works and an Old Testament manuscript. The infamous Eusebius, author of the Ecclesiastical History and The Life of Constantine and an attendee at Nicaea, was his assistant. Pamphilus established a public library in Caesarea and was known for charitable works.
A profound snark alert at:
Satire-snark-utter-contempt alert. Christian Martyrs Tweet Joel Osteen. http://www.youtube.com/
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