E04567: The Martyrdom of *Gordianus (martyr of Rome under Julian the Apostate, S00579) is written in Latin, presumably in Rome, by the 9th c. at the latest. It narrates the conversion of Gordianus, an official in charge of the trial of a priest named Ianuarius; the trial, tortures endured and beheading of Gordianus; his burial in a crypt on the via Latina, where Epimachus (martyr of Rome, S00295) had been previously buried and where miracles happen.

Martyrdom of Gordianus (BHL 3612)

Summary:

§ 1: Julian persecutes Christians, holding them in custody. Among them is an aged priest named Ianuarius, from Antioch. He is interrogated by the vicarius Gordianus, who fails to convince him to sacrifice to the gods.

§ 2: Ianuarius is detained at Gordianus’ house. During the night he is instructed on Christianity by Ianuarius and persuaded to convert, together with his wife Marina. After stating their belief and destroying a bronze idol of Jupiter that they kept in their house, they are initiated and baptised together with their household, in total 53 persons.

§ 3: After 14 days, Julian sends the tribune Clementianus to Gordianus to see if Ianuarius has offered sacrifice, with the instruction to beat him in the forum of Trajan if he has not. However, Gordianus tells Clementianus that he has converted and refuses to harm Ianuarius. Clementianus tells Julian that Ianuarius has converted Gordianus and his household thanks to magic. Julian orders Ianuarius and Gordianus to be condemned and appoints Clementianus in Gordianus’ place as a vicarius. Gordianus is held in public custody while his wife is sent to work as a servant on an estate (villa) called ad Aquas Salvias.

§ 4: As ordered by Julian, Clementianus sets up a tribunal in the temple of Tellus (templum in tellude) and interrogates Gordianus, requiring him to offer sacrifice. However Gordianus rejects the worship of idols and proclaims that he worships Christ, the Son of God. Clementianus orders him to be beaten with lead-weighted lashes (plumbatae). Gordianus thanks God.

§ 5: Clementianus orders Gordianus to be beheaded in front of the temple of Tellus and his body to be thrown in front of the temple of Pallas (templum Palladis) and left unburied to dogs for five days. However dogs do not touch the body but rather protect it. Someone from Gordianus’ household comes with other Christians at night; they steal the body and place it in a crypt on the via Latina around a mile away from Rome, on the 6th day before the Ides of May [= 10 May], where they had previously buried Epimachus. There miracles abound up to this day.

Text: Acta Sanctorum, Mai. II, 552-553. Summary: M. Pignot.