Eusignius
Martyrological notice
At Antioch, of St. Eusignius, a soldier, who, being an hundred and ten years of age, for objecting to Julian the apostate the faith of Constantine the Great, whom he had served in the wars, and reprehending him as a forsaker of his ancestor's piety, was by his com- Vindelicorum. maad bebeaded.
The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 03, March · up in the cool summer dining hall," says Eusignius, bitterly.
with blood dribbling lrom his wounded feet, “whilst Magistrianus and his folk were feasting in Troj ana's house, on all kinds of delicacies, meats, and costly wines, served up in the cool summer dining hall," says Eusignius, bitterly.
But God did not forget the poor martyr under the blazing mid-day sun, for the plane tree put forth leaves, and overshadowed him, and a fountain bubbled at his feet, and cooled and laved his festering wounds.
On the party reaching Comana, Magistrianus led Basi- liscus direct to the temple of Apollo, where was the governor at the moment
The governor at once ordered him to be brought in. Basiliscus smilingly entered. “ Why wilt thou not sacrifice, fellow?” asked the governor. “Who told thee that I will not sacrifice ?” answered Basiliscus. “ Ah ! the gods be praised ! thou wilt sacrifice then.”
“ I will offer to God the sacrifice of praise.” “ Offer to whom you please,” said the governor, sharply, “only sacrifice and have done with this folly.”
“Who is that ?” asked Basiliscus, pointing to the image of Apollo. “ That is the god Apollo,” answered Agrippa. “The name is appropriate enough,” said Basiliscus, “for he brings to destruction all who trust in him.”1 Then he cried aloud to all in the temple, “ Hearken, all men, to my prayer, to the Lord of Heaven and earth.” And he prayed, “God, who art alone and true, with thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit ; who art invisible, incomprehen- sible, whom none can describe and include, who art good and merciful, and acceptest not the person of man, who createst the things that are out of that which is not, and enlightenest us who sat in darkness, and gavest us the bright knowledge of Thy deity : Thou art the helper of all them that trust in Thee. God, who art alone holy, and
1 A pun in the Greek, impossible to translate.
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dweUest in Thy saints, in me, thy humble servant, exhibit Thy mercy, and confirm my prayer, for I pray to Thee of Thy great goodness, Thou who spreadest out the heavens as a curtain, and by Thy command makest them fast, and adomest them with the bright shining stars, and with the glory of the sun, and the moon walking in brightness, and givest us the hours of day ; Thou didst make Thy sun a chamber, and gavest him everlasting limits, and didst set the moon to rule the course of time, and didst divide the hours and days and months; Thou didst found the earth by Thy command, that it should be an habitation for man, and didst give to it an everlasting bound, and didst clothe it with trees and flowers ; Thou didst lay the sea and bound it by Thy precept, and madest a way over it ; and didst fashion man with Thine own holy hands after Thine image, and didst give him wisdom and reason, and didst breathe into his face the breath of life. Lord, who didst create the whole world, who from Adam till this present, and hereafter till endless ages, keepest those that love Thee, and glori- fiest those that fear Thee 1 Lord Jesus Christ! hear the prayer of Thy servant, and be present with me at this hour, and destroy this deaf, and dumb, and blind, and senseless idol ; break and dissolve this god made with hands, and shew to these heathen the madness of their worship, and Whom we worship and adore as God. Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing against Thy saints ? Look, O Lord, and keep not still silence, for thus behoves all honour and glory and magnificence to Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, through ages of ages. Amen.”
And when he had said Amen, there was an earthquake, and a thunder underground, and the temple shook to its foundations, and the image of Apollo fell and was broken. Then all who were in the temple fled, leaving Basiliscus
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Martyrologium Romanum · Latin witness
Antiochiae sancti Eusignii militis, qui annum agens centesimum decimum, cum Constantini Magni fidem, sub quo militaverat, Juliano Apostatae exprobraret, eumque ut patriae pietatis desertorem redargueret, ab eodem jussus est capite caedi.