E00096: Τhe Greek Martyrdom of *Pionios (presbyter and martyr of Smyrna, S00031), of the 3rd c., recounts how Pionios and his companions were arrested on the feast day of *Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004) and tried in Smyrna (western Asia Minor) in 250. Pionios was burned alive, and after martyrdom, his body looked like that of an athlete, while his face shone with supernatural grace. Written presumably in Smyrna.

Martyrdom of Pionios (BHG 1546)

During the persecution of Decius, Pionios is arrested together with his companions Sabina, Asklepiades, Makedonia and Limnos, on the feast day of Polycarp. One day earlier, Pionios has a vision revealing that they will be arrested (§§ 1-2).

1. (2.) Πιονίου δὲ τοῦ μάρτυρος καὶ μᾶλλον μεμνῆσθαι προσήκει διότι καὶ ὅτε ἐπεδήμει τῷ κόσμῳ πολλοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης ἐπέστρεψεν ἀποστολικὸς ἀνὴρ τῶν καθ’ ἡμᾶς γενόμενος καὶ τέλος ὅτε ἐκλήθη πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἐμαρτύρησε, τὸ σύγγραμμα τοῦτο κατέλιπεν εἰς νουθεσίαν ἡμετέραν ἐπὶ τὸ καὶ νῦν ἔχειν ἡμᾶς μνημόσυνα τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ.

2. (1.) Μηνὸς ἕκτου δευτέρᾳ ἐνισταμένου σαββάτου μεγάλου, ἐν τῇ γενεθλίῳ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ μακαρίου μάρτυρος Πολυκάρπου, ὄντος τοῦ διωγμοῦ τοῦ κατὰ Δέκιον, συνελήφθησαν Πιόνιος πρεσβύτερος καὶ Σαβῖνα ὁμολογήτρια καὶ Ἀσκληπιάδης καὶ Μακεδόνια καὶ Λίμνος πρεσβύτερος τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας. (2.) ὁ οὖν Πιόνιος πρὸ μιᾶς ἡμέρας τῶν Πολυκάρπου γενεθλίων εἶδεν ὅτι δεῖ ταύτῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοὺς συλληφθῆναι.

1. (2.) But it is even more fitting to remember Pionios the martyr, because, when he was present in the world, he brought many back from error, since he was one of the apostolic people of our time; but also in the end, when he was called up to the Lord and was martyred, he left this writing for our own edification and in order that we may even now have remembrances of his teaching.

2. (1.) On the second day of the second half of the sixth month, a great Sabbath, on the Birthday of the blessed martyr Polycarp, during the persecution of Decius, Pionios the presbyter and Sabina the confessor and Asklepiades and Makedonia and Limnos the presbyter of the catholic church were arrested. (2.) One day before the Birthday of Polycarp, Pionios saw that they were to be arrested on this day.

They are arrested by the temple verger Polemon who takes them to the agora which was full of pagans and Jews (§ 3). Pionios gives a lengthy speech, castigating both the Greeks (pagans) and the Jews for their treatment of the Christians, and warning them of the reality of eternal punishment (§ 4). Polemon and his companions unsuccessfully try to persuade Pionios to sacrifice, and threaten to send Sabina to a brothel (§§ 5-9). Pionios and his companions are taken to prison, where they are visited by Christians wishing to talk and pray with them (§§ 10-11), by pagans wishing to persuade them, and by repentant Christian renegades wishing to find consolation. Pionios gives a long speech, expressing sympathy for the renegades and exhorting them to repent (§§ 12-14). Polemon and his guards summon the prisoners and ask them to sacrifice at the temple of Nemesis, which they refuse to do (§ 15). They are forcibly taken to the temple, where Euktemon, an important Christian, has just sacrificed. Pionios rejects the exhortations of a certain Lepidos (Lepidus), a rhetor Rouphinos (Rufinus) and others. All efforts to persuade them to sacrifice fail, and they are taken back to gaol. One of the guards beats Pionios on the head, but it is the guard’s arms and sides which swell up (§§ 16-18). The proconsul Quintillianus arrives in Smyrna and interrogates Pionios who, although tortured, refuses to sacrifice and is condemned to be burnt alive (§§ 19-20). He goes willingly to the stadium where he is tied to a stake together with Metrodoros, a Marcionite priest, and burned (§ 21). When removed from the stake, the burned body of Pionios looks like an athlete, while his face shines with supernatural grace (§ 22). The martyrdom takes place on 12 March, during the reign of Decius (§ 23).

22. (2.) ἐσημάνθη δὲ αὐτοῦ ὁ στέφανος καὶ διὰ τοῦ σώματος. μετὰ γὰρ τὸ κατασβεσθῆναι τὸ πῦρ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν εἴδομεν οἱ παραγενόμενοι ὁποῖόν τε τὸ σῶμα ἀκμάζοντος ἀθλητοῦ κεκοσμημένου. (3.) καὶ γὰρ τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ μυλλὰ ἐγένοντο καὶ αἱ τρίχες ἐν χρῷ τῆς κεφαλῆς προσεκάθηντο, τὸ δὲ γένειον αὐτοῦ ὡς ἰούλοις ἐπανθοῦσιν ἐκεκόσμητο. (4.) ἐπέλαμπε δὲ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ πάλιν χάρις θαυμαστή, ὥστε τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς στηριχθῆναι μᾶλλον τῇ πίστει, τοὺς δὲ ἀπίστους πτοηθέντας καὶ τὸ συνειδὸς ἔχοντας πεφοβημένον κατελθεῖν.

23. (1.) Ταῦτα ἐπράχθη ἐπὶ ἀνθυπάτου τῆς Ἀσίας Ἰουλίου Πρόκλου Κυντιλλιανοῦ, ὑπατευόντων αὐτοκράτορος Γ. Μεσίου Κύντου Τραιανοῦ Δεκίου Σεβαστοῦ τὸ δεύτερον καὶ Οὐεττίου Γρατοῦ, πρὸ τεσσάρων εἰδῶν Μαρτίων κατὰ Ῥωμαίους, κατὰ δὲ Ἀσιανοὺς μηνὸς ἕκτου ἐννεακαιδεκάτῃ, ἡμέρᾳ σαββάτῳ, ὥρᾳ δεκάτῃ, κατὰ δὲ ἡμᾶς βασιλεύοντος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν.

22. (2.) His victory was made manifest even through his body. For, after the fire was extinguished, those of us who were present saw him in such a shape as would have been the body of a dignified athlete in his prime. (3.) His ears were distorted, and his hair rested on the skin of his head, while his beard was handsome like the first blossom of hair. (4.) And again, a wondrous grace was shining on his face, so that the Christians were even more confirmed in the faith, while the infidels left dismayed, and with their conscience full of fear.

23. (1.) These took place under the proconsul of Asia Iulius Proclus Quintillianus, during the consulships of the emperor G. Messius Quintus Traianus Decius Augustus, in his second consulship, and Vettius Gratus [AD 250], four days before the Ides of March according to the Roman calendar [=12 March], or on the nineteenth of the sixth month according to the Asian calendar, on the day of Sabbath, at the tenth hour; now, according to us, it was while our Lord Jesus Christ was reigning, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Text: Musurillo 1972. Translation and summary: E. Rizos.