E02514: The Martyrdom of *Stephanus (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00205) and his Companions is written in Latin, presumably in Rome, during Late Antiquity. It narrates Stephanus' administration of the Roman Church under the emperors Valerian and Gallienus, the numerous conversions and baptisms that he triggered and performed, the martyrdom and burial of the most prominent converts, and finally the martyrdom and burial of Stephanus in the cemetery of Callixtus.

Martyrdom of Stephanus (BHL 7845)

Summary:

§§ 1-2: In the time of Valerian and Gallienus when Christians are being persecuted, the bishop (episcopus) of Rome Stephanus speaks to his assembled clergy (clerus) about the need to consider the heavenly kingdom rather than possessions of the earthly world. 108 pagans are baptised and receive the Eucharist in the crypta Nepotiana, and Stephanus ordains three priests, seven deacons, and sixteen clerics (clerici). Many pagans come to hear Stephanus’ preaching and to be baptised.

§§ 3-4: The tribune (tribunus militum) Nemesius asks Stephanus to baptise him and his only daughter, and thus restore the daughter’s sight. Stephanus asks Nemesius to believe first, and he agrees. Stephanus initiates them in the titulus pastoris, ordering them to fast until the evening. Then he baptises them, and the daughter, Lucilla’s, sight, is restored. Many come to be baptised by Stephanus, in total 62 individuals. Stephanus starts celebrating liturgy (missae) and gatherings (concilia) in the crypts of the martyrs (cryptae martyrum). Nemesius is made a deacon.

§§ 5-6: Valerian learns that Nemesius and his household have been converted to Christianity and that Nemesius’ daughter has been healed. He informs the consuls (consules) Gallienus and Maximus. It is decided that wherever Nemesius is found he should be punished without trial (sine audientia). In the meantime Nemesius employs his wealth to help the needy Christians, going around the crypts and gatherings of the martyrs (cryptae et concilia martyrum). One day, Nemesius, seeing Valerian and Maximus celebrating pagan rites at night in the temple of Mars on the via Appia, prays to the Lord against the idols. Maximus is immediately seized by a demon and shouts that Nemesius is responsible. Nemesius is arrested and the consul Maximus dies. Nemesius is interrogated by Valerian in the palace of Claudius (palatium Claudii) and tells him about his conversion. Valerian accuses Nemesius of killing Maximus with magic and sends him to prison.

§§ 7-8: Valerian summons Nemesius’ creditarius, Symphronius, in order to investigate Nemesius’ wealth. Lucilla is put under the custody of a certain impious woman named Maxima. The tribune (tribunus) Olympius questions Symphronius, requiring him to sacrifice and give away Nemesius’ wealth. Symphronius explains that it has already been given to Christ and refuses to sacrifice. Olympius orders Symphronius to be tortured and a golden statue of Mars to be brought, in order to compel him to sacrifice. Symphronius prays to God and the statue immediately dissolves. Olympius is amazed and later convinced by his wife Exuperia (to whom he told everything) to abandon the gods. He asks Tertullinus, vicedominus, to secretly hide Symphronius in his house.

§§ 9-10: Olympius, with his wife, Exuperia and their only son Theodolus (or Theodorus), visit Symphronius and ask to be baptised. Symphronius asks them to repent and believe, Olympius agrees, handing over his golden, silver and stone idols to Symphronius. Symphronius asks Olympius to destroy the idols, melt them and give them away to the poor as proof of his conversion. As the idols are burnt, a voice is heard saying ‘my spirit rests in you Symphronius’. Olympius and his wife are scared and eager to be baptised. The bishop Stephanus is sent for. He thanks God for their conversion, initiates them, baptises them and gives them the Eucharist.

§§ 11-12: After three days, Valerian and Gallienus hear of these events. They arrest Nemesius and his daughter. Lucilla is executed in front of her father, Nemesius, on the via Appia in front of the temple of Mars. Nemesius is beheaded between the via Appia and via Latina on the 8th day of the Kalends of August [= 25 July]. The bishop Stephanus collects his body and buries him near the place where he was killed, on the via Latina, not far from the city. The next day, Symphronius, Olympius, Exuperia and Theodolus are brought before Valerian. They are questioned by Valerian and Gallienus at the locum Telluris (temple of Tellus?), and refuse to adore pagan gods.

§§ 13-14: On the advice of Gallienus, who fears that the whole city of Rome will convert to Christianity, Valerian orders that they should be burnt. They are brought in front of the statue of the Sun near the amphitheatre, bound to posts and burnt. As they die, they all glorify the Lord Jesus Christ for being worthy of martyrdom. After the soldiers have left, at night, the holy bishop Stephanus, and other clerics and religious people (religiosi), sing hymns, collect the bodies and bury them next to the via Latina at the first milestone, on the 7th day of the Calends of August [= 26 July], Valerian being consul for the third time and Gallienus for the second. Many days later, Valerian and Gallienus place an edict in well known places in the city seeking to capture and kill Stephanus or his clergy. As a result twelve clerics named Bonus, Faustus, Maurus, Primitivus, Calumniosus, Iohannes, Exuperantius, Cyrillus, and Honoratus, are beheaded on the via Latina near the aqueduct (formam aquaeductus). Tertullinus collects the bodies and places them next to the holy bodies of Iovinus and Basilieus (or Basilicus) on the via Latina on the same day of the Calends of August [a variant reading noted in the Acta Sanctorum, Aug. I, 145: 'on the 6th day of the Calends of August' = 27 July; same date mentioned in BHL 7846].

§§ 15-16: The bishop Stephanus instructs Tertullinus, baptises him and ordains him a priest. He entrusts him with the task of finding the bodies of martyrs. Tertullinus is arrested two days later by the prefect Marcus and brought to Valerian to be interrogated about the possessions of his master Olympius. However, he only speaks of the eternal life earned by Olympius and is then beaten and his sides burnt for refusing to co-operate. Tertullinus is then sent to be questioned by the prefect Sapritius about Olympius’ possessions and summoned to sacrifice to avoid death. Sapritius questions Tertullinus in the place called privata Mamurtini. As he refuses to co-operate and speaks against the idols, Tertullinus’ mouth is crushed. However he speaks, thanking God and again refusing to sacrifice.

§§ 17-19: Sapritius orders Tertullinus to be tortured on a rack. Tertullinus prays to God asking for help. Sapritius orders him to be burnt, but Tertullinus keeps invoking Jesus Christ. Sapritius tells Valerian about Tertullinus' perseverance, and he orders Tertullinus to be beheaded. Tertullinus is executed on the via Latina at the second milestone. The holy Stephanus and clerics (clerici), sing hymns, collect Tertullinus’ body and bury it in the same place, in the crypta arenaria the day before the Kalends of August [= 31 July]. The next day, Stephanus, together with many clerics, priests and deacons, is seized by a great number of soldiers. Valerian interrogates Stephanus alone to verify his identity. He is then taken by soldiers to the temple of Mars to be executed. Stephanus prays and the temple collapses. The soldiers, full of fear, let Stephanus and the other Christians go.

§§ 20-21: Stephanus gathers with all the Christians in the cemetery of Lucina. He comforts the audience with a speech, and celebrates the Eucharist. Valerian hears of this and sends soldiers to seize Stephanus. He is beheaded on the 4th day of the Nones of August [= 2 August] before the altar as he is celebrating liturgy. Christians weep and bury him in what is called today the cemetery of Callixtus.

§ 22: The next day, soldiers arrest an acolyte named Tharsicius (or Tarsitus) who is carrying the body of Christ [i.e. the Eucharist]. As he refuses to give it away, he is beaten to death with sticks and stones. After his death, they find nothing in his hands and flee full of fear. The soldiers come to the porta Appia and see a great crowd of Christians; then they tell everything to Valerian. Christians collect Tharsicius’ body the same day and bury him in the cemetery of Callixtus on the via Appia. The church assembles there and Sixtus is ordained as bishop on the 9th day of the Kalends of September [= 24 August], Valerian being consul for the third time and Gallienus for the second.

Text: Acta Sanctorum, Aug. I, 139-143. Summary: M. Pignot.