Sozon

The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 10, September · S. SOZON, M.

S. SOZON, M.

(about a.d. 304.)

[The Greek Menaea and Menologies. Inserted by Baronins in the Roman Martyrology. Authorities : — The Greek Acts, later, but containing, appa- rently in them the genuine notarial Acts.]

When Maximian was governor of Cilicia there was a shepherd boy, named originally Tarasius, who took in bap- tism the name of Sozon. This boy loved God with all his heart, and sought to advance His kingdom and glory by every means that lay in his feeble power.

Now one day, when his heart was full of what he heard, how that Christian men and women were being haled before judgment seats, and delivered over to be tormented, and how they warred a good warfare, and finished their course, and bound about their brows the wreaths of unfading flowers, he lay down under a great oak beside a murmuring spring that bubbled out of a rock, and fell asleep. Then he dreamt that the Lord Jesus stood before him, and said,

“ Sozon, lay aside thy bow and the three arrows that are in thy quiver, and come and follow me to death.” Then the lad jumped up and hid his weapons under the rock, and with only his shepherd’s crook in his hand he went straight into the city of Pompeiopolis, and entering a temple, he struck a golden idol there with his crook and broke off the right hand. Then he further broke the hand, and divided the bits among the poor. Now when the sacrilege was dis- covered there was great commotion, and many innocent persons were arrested on suspicion. When Sozon saw this he went boldly into the court, and without a pallor on his fresh cheek, or his limbs trembling, he stood forward before the governor, Maximian, and said, “ Let these go free, I knocked the hand off the image ; and I have given the gold fingers of that infamous idol to the poor.”

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Sept. 7.] S. So 2071, QQ

Then Maximian said, “ What is thy name ?”

Sozon. “ If thou desirest my name by which I am most commonly known, I am called Tarasius, as named by my parents ; but I was called Sozon when made a Chris- tian.”

Maximian . “ Whence come you ?”

Sozon. “ From the village of Midarze.”

Maximian. “ What brought you hither ?”

Martyrologium Romanum · Latin witness

Pompejopoli, in Cilicia, sancti Sozontis Martyris, qui sub Maximiano Imperatore, in ignem injectus, reddidit spiritum.

The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 10, September · S. SOZON, M.

(about a.d. 304.)

[The Greek Menaea and Menologies. Inserted by Baronins in the Roman Martyrology. Authorities : — The Greek Acts, later, but containing, appa- rently in them the genuine notarial Acts.]

When Maximian was governor of Cilicia there was a shepherd boy, named originally Tarasius, who took in bap- tism the name of Sozon. This boy loved God with all his heart, and sought to advance His kingdom and glory by every means that lay in his feeble power.

Now one day, when his heart was full of what he heard, how that Christian men and women were being haled before judgment seats, and delivered over to be tormented, and how they warred a good warfare, and finished their course, and bound about their brows the wreaths of unfading flowers, he lay down under a great oak beside a murmuring spring that bubbled out of a rock, and fell asleep. Then he dreamt that the Lord Jesus stood before him, and said,

“ Sozon, lay aside thy bow and the three arrows that are in thy quiver, and come and follow me to death.” Then the lad jumped up and hid his weapons under the rock, and with only his shepherd’s crook in his hand he went straight into the city of Pompeiopolis, and entering a temple, he struck a golden idol there with his crook and broke off the right hand. Then he further broke the hand, and divided the bits among the poor. Now when the sacrilege was dis- covered there was great commotion, and many innocent persons were arrested on suspicion. When Sozon saw this he went boldly into the court, and without a pallor on his fresh cheek, or his limbs trembling, he stood forward before the governor, Maximian, and said, “ Let these go free, I knocked the hand off the image ; and I have given the gold fingers of that infamous idol to the poor.”

* — —

* *

Sept. 7.] S. So 2071, QQ

Then Maximian said, “ What is thy name ?”

Sozon. “ If thou desirest my name by which I am most commonly known, I am called Tarasius, as named by my parents ; but I was called Sozon when made a Chris- tian.”

Maximian . “ Whence come you ?”

Sozon. “ From the village of Midarze.”

Maximian. “ What brought you hither ?”