Amphian
Life and witness
At Caesarea in Palestine, the birthday of St. Amphian, martyr, who in the persecution of Galerius Maximian, reproving the president Urban for sacrificing unto idols, was barbarously slashed with knives, and most cruelly tormented by having his feet wrapped in flax, dipped in oil, set on fire, and was at last drowned in the sea, and so through fire and water passed to an everlasting repose.
The lives of the Fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints · 2 · Called by the Greeks and Latins Aphian, and sometimes Amphian.
Called by the Greeks and Latins Aphian, and sometimes Amphian. He was born of rich and illustrious parents, in Lycia. and by them sent in his youth to study eloquence, philosophy, and the Roman laws, in the famous schools of Berytus, in Phoenicia. He made a most rapid progress in learn- ing : but it was his greatest happiness that, having embraced the Christian faith, he, by the means of prayer and retirement, preserved his innocence and virtue untainted in the midst of vice and lewdness. Returning: home after his studies, he found his parents yet idolaters ; and therefore withdrew .o Csesarea in Palestine, being at that time eighteen years of age. St. Pam- philius there expounded the holy scriptures with great piety and learning, and Apian became one of his auditors. Such was his conduct in that school of martyrs, as prepared him to take the lead among them, and set the rest an example. Dioclesian having abdicated the empire at Nicomedia, on the 1st of May, in 305, Galerius Maximianus, the chief promoter of his bloody persecution, was declared emperor of the East, which Maximinus Daia gov- erned under him, as Caesar. There came letters to Caesarea from the last- mentioned, containing orders to the governor to compel all persons whatever to attend the public solemn sacrifices. Then Apian, without having commu- nicated his design to any person. " Not even to us," says the historian Eu- sebius, with whom he dwelt, went to find out the governor Urbanus, as he was sacrificing, and came near to him without being perceived by the guards .hat surrounded him; and taking hold of his right hand, with which he was performing the ceremony, stopped him, saying : it was an impious thing to neglect the worship of the true God, and to sacrifice to idols and demons God inspired this generous youth, not yet twenty years of age, by this da
» Colos. iii. 8
the city of Toon. The church and convent are also stripped by several accidents of a great part of ll rich ornaments and plate. Very near, the favorite palace of Lous XI. is still standing, though in a eaying condition.