WEBVTT 00:00.730 --> 00:05.710 The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 3, from Eusebius' Church History. 00:21.150 --> 00:26.530 CHURCH HISTORY by Eusebius of Caesarea, translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. 00:26.910 --> 00:31.550 The Martyrs of Palestine, Part 3, Chapters 11-13. 00:34.130 --> 00:34.910 CHAPTER XI. 00:36.210 --> 00:40.550 It is time to describe the great and celebrated spectacle of Pamphilus, 00:40.870 --> 00:45.230 a man thrice dear to me, and of those who finished their course with him. 00:45.790 --> 00:50.410 They were twelve in all, being counted worthy of apostolic grace and number. 00:51.750 --> 00:56.370 Of these, the leader and the only one honored with the position of a presbyter 00:56.370 --> 01:01.990 at Caesarea was Pamphilus, a man who through his entire life was celebrated for 01:01.990 --> 01:06.990 every virtue, for renouncing and despising the world, for sharing his possessions 01:06.990 --> 01:12.390 with the needy, for contempt of earthly hopes, and for philosophic deportment and 01:12.390 --> 01:12.970 exercise. 01:13.530 --> 01:18.290 He especially excelled all in our time in most sincere devotion to the divine 01:18.290 --> 01:23.370 scriptures and indefatigable industry in whatever he undertook, and in his 01:23.370 --> 01:25.630 helpfulness to his relatives and associates. 01:27.190 --> 01:31.870 In a separate treatise on his life, consisting of three books, we have already 01:31.870 --> 01:34.110 described the excellence of his virtue. 01:34.690 --> 01:39.050 Referring to this work those who delight in such things and desire to know them, 01:39.490 --> 01:41.870 let us now consider the martyrs in order. 01:43.510 --> 01:48.150 Second after Pamphilus, Valis, who was honored for his venerable gray 01:48.150 --> 01:50.050 hair, entered the contest. 01:50.690 --> 01:55.990 He was a deacon from Elea, an old man of gravest appearance, and versed in the 01:55.990 --> 01:58.510 divine scriptures if anyone ever was. 01:59.230 --> 02:03.770 He had so laid up the memory of them in his heart that he did not need to look at 02:03.770 --> 02:06.990 the books if he undertook to repeat any passage of scripture. 02:08.610 --> 02:14.430 The third was Paul from the city of Jamna, who was known among them as most zealous 02:14.430 --> 02:15.750 and fervent in spirit. 02:16.450 --> 02:20.610 Previous to his martyrdom, he had endured the conflict of confession by 02:20.610 --> 02:21.470 cauterization. 02:23.230 --> 02:28.390 After these persons had continued in prison for two entire years, the occasion 02:28.390 --> 02:33.090 of their martyrdom was a second arrival of Egyptian brethren who suffered with them. 02:34.870 --> 02:39.170 They had accompanied the confessors in Cilicia to the mines there and were 02:39.170 --> 02:40.410 returning to their homes. 02:40.970 --> 02:45.070 At the entrance of the gates of Caesarea, the guards, who were men of barbarous 02:45.070 --> 02:49.090 character, questioned them as to who they were and whence they came. 02:49.410 --> 02:54.010 They kept back nothing of the truth and were seized as malefactors taken in the 02:54.010 --> 02:54.650 very act. 02:55.070 --> 02:56.390 They were five in number. 02:57.710 --> 03:01.570 When brought before the tyrant, being very bold in his presence, 03:01.950 --> 03:03.970 they were immediately thrown into prison. 03:04.530 --> 03:09.070 On the next day, which was the nineteenth of the month peritius, according to the 03:09.070 --> 03:13.610 Roman reckoning of the fourteenth before the calends of March, they were brought, 03:13.850 --> 03:18.770 according to command, before the judge, with Pamphilus and his associates whom we 03:18.770 --> 03:19.310 have mentioned. 03:19.790 --> 03:24.030 First, by all kinds of torture, through the invention of strange and 03:24.030 --> 03:28.570 various machines, he tested the invincible constancy of the Egyptians. 03:30.010 --> 03:34.890 Having practiced these cruelties upon the leader of all, he asked him first who he 03:34.890 --> 03:35.350 was. 03:35.770 --> 03:40.730 He heard in reply the name of some prophet instead of his proper name, for it was 03:40.730 --> 03:44.750 their custom, in place of the names of idols given them by their fathers, 03:45.110 --> 03:49.170 if they had such, to take other names, so that you would hear them calling 03:49.170 --> 03:55.130 themselves Elijah or Jeremiah or Isaiah or Samuel or Daniel, thus showing themselves 03:55.130 --> 04:00.790 inwardly true Jews and the genuine Israel of God, not only in deeds, but in the 04:00.790 --> 04:01.950 names which they bore. 04:02.350 --> 04:06.950 When Familianus had heard some such name from the martyr, and did not understand 04:06.950 --> 04:10.550 the force of the word, he asked next the name of his country. 04:11.610 --> 04:16.810 But he gave a second answer similar to the former, saying that Jerusalem was his 04:16.810 --> 04:21.790 country, meaning that of which Paul says, Jerusalem which is above is free, 04:21.990 --> 04:27.210 which is our mother, and ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the 04:27.210 --> 04:29.110 living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. 04:30.670 --> 04:34.950 This was what he meant, but the judge, thinking only of the earth, sought 04:34.950 --> 04:39.510 diligently to discover what that city was, and in what part of the world it was 04:39.510 --> 04:39.990 situated. 04:40.490 --> 04:44.030 And therefore he applied tortures that the truth might be acknowledged. 04:44.570 --> 04:49.330 But the man, with his hands twisted behind his back, and his feet crushed by strange 04:49.330 --> 04:52.870 machines, asserted firmly that he had spoken the truth. 04:54.050 --> 04:58.910 And being questioned again repeatedly what and where the city was of which he spoke, 04:59.330 --> 05:03.990 he said that it was the country of the pious alone, for no others should have a 05:03.990 --> 05:08.110 place in it, and that it lay toward the far east and the rising sun. 05:09.410 --> 05:13.310 He philosophized about these things according to his own understanding, 05:13.750 --> 05:18.350 and was in no wise turned from them by the tortures with which he was afflicted on 05:18.350 --> 05:23.670 every side, and as if he were without flesh or body, he seemed insensible of his 05:23.670 --> 05:24.330 sufferings. 05:25.070 --> 05:29.210 But the judge, being perplexed, was impatient, thinking that the 05:29.210 --> 05:34.030 Christians were about to establish a city somewhere, inimical and hostile to the 05:34.030 --> 05:39.070 Romans, and he inquired much about this, and investigated where that country toward 05:39.070 --> 05:40.250 the east was located. 05:41.430 --> 05:46.070 But when he had for a long time lacerated the young man with scourgings, 05:46.370 --> 05:50.150 and punished him with all sorts of torments, he perceived that his 05:50.150 --> 05:54.530 persistence in what he had said could not be changed, and passed against him 05:54.530 --> 05:55.650 sentence of death. 05:56.250 --> 06:01.050 Such a scene was exhibited by what was done to this man, and having inflicted 06:01.050 --> 06:04.990 similar tortures on the others, he sent them away in the same manner. 06:06.510 --> 06:11.130 Then, being wearied and perceiving that he punished the men in vain, having satiated 06:11.130 --> 06:14.850 his desire, he proceeded against Pamphilus and his companions. 06:15.610 --> 06:19.570 And having learned that already under former tortures they had manifested an 06:19.570 --> 06:23.550 unchangeable zeal for the faith, he asked them if they would now obey, 06:24.110 --> 06:28.810 and receiving from every one of them only this one answer, as their last word of 06:28.810 --> 06:33.470 confession in martyrdom, he inflicted on them punishment similar to the others. 06:34.990 --> 06:39.390 When this had been done, a young man, one of the household servants of 06:39.390 --> 06:44.110 Pamphilus, who had been educated in the noble life and instruction of such a man, 06:44.610 --> 06:49.010 learning the sentence passed upon his master, cried out from the midst of the 06:49.010 --> 06:51.470 crowd asking that their bodies might be buried. 06:52.830 --> 06:58.370 Thereupon the judge, not a man but a wild beast, or if anything more savage than a 06:58.370 --> 07:03.650 wild beast, giving no consideration to the young man's age, asked him only the same 07:03.650 --> 07:04.230 question. 07:04.830 --> 07:09.310 When he learned that he confessed himself a Christian, as if he had been wounded by 07:09.310 --> 07:14.330 a dart, swelling with rage, he ordered the tormentors to use their utmost power 07:14.330 --> 07:15.110 against him. 07:16.330 --> 07:21.070 And when he saw that he refused to sacrifice as commanded, he ordered them to 07:21.070 --> 07:25.810 scrape him continually, to his very bones and to the inmost recesses of his bowels, 07:26.170 --> 07:31.070 not as if he were human flesh but as if he were stones or wood or any lifeless thing. 07:31.990 --> 07:36.350 But after long persistence he saw that this was in vain, as the man was 07:36.350 --> 07:41.430 speechless and insensible and almost lifeless, his body being worn out by the 07:41.430 --> 07:42.010 tortures. 07:44.090 --> 07:48.450 But being inflexibly merciless and inhuman, he ordered him to be committed 07:48.450 --> 07:53.690 straightway, as he was, to a slow fire, and before the death of his earthly 07:53.690 --> 07:58.650 master, though he had entered later on the conflict, he received release from the 07:58.650 --> 08:02.750 body, while those who had been zealous about the others were yet delaying. 08:03.610 --> 08:08.890 One could then see Porphyry, like one who had come off victorious in every conflict, 08:09.250 --> 08:13.350 his body covered with dust, but his countenance cheerful after such 08:13.350 --> 08:17.690 sufferings, with courageous and exulting mind, advancing to death. 08:17.970 --> 08:23.230 And as if truly filled with the Divine Spirit, covered only with his philosophic 08:23.230 --> 08:27.870 robe thrown about him as a cloak, soberly and intelligently he directed his 08:27.870 --> 08:32.450 friends as to what he wished, and beckoned to them, preserving still a cheerful 08:32.450 --> 08:34.190 countenance even at the stake. 08:34.790 --> 08:38.510 But when the fire was kindled at some distance around him in a circle, 08:38.950 --> 08:43.850 having inhaled the flame into his mouth, he continued most nobly in silence from 08:43.850 --> 08:48.670 that time till his death, after the single word which he uttered when the flame first 08:48.670 --> 08:52.630 touched him, and he cried out for the help of Jesus the Son of God. 08:53.250 --> 08:55.390 Such was the contest of Porphyry. 08:56.670 --> 09:00.710 His death was reported to Pamphilus by a messenger, Seleucus. 09:01.270 --> 09:03.630 He was one of the first confessors from the army. 09:04.130 --> 09:08.170 As the bearer of such a message, he was forthwith deemed worthy of a 09:08.170 --> 09:13.510 similar lot, for as soon as he related the death of Porphyry, and had saluted one of 09:13.510 --> 09:17.730 the martyrs with a kiss, some of the soldiers seized him and led him to the 09:17.730 --> 09:22.810 governor, and he, as if he would hasten him on to be a companion of the former on 09:22.810 --> 09:26.330 the way to heaven, commanded that he be put to death immediately. 09:28.050 --> 09:33.170 This man was from Cappadocia, and belonged to the select band of soldiers, 09:33.570 --> 09:37.530 and had obtained no small honor in those things which are esteemed among the 09:37.530 --> 09:43.690 Romans, for in stature and bodily strength and size and vigor he far excelled his 09:43.690 --> 09:48.650 fellow soldiers, so that his appearance was matter of common talk, and his whole 09:48.650 --> 09:52.510 form was admired on account of its size and symmetrical proportions. 09:54.470 --> 09:58.750 At the beginning of the persecution he was prominent in the conflicts of confession, 09:59.230 --> 10:01.070 through his patience under scourging. 10:01.990 --> 10:06.610 After he left the army he set himself to imitate zealously the religious ascetics, 10:06.890 --> 10:10.850 and as if he were their father and guardian he showed himself a bishop and 10:10.850 --> 10:15.150 patron of destitute orphans and defenseless widows, and of those who were 10:15.150 --> 10:17.030 distressed with penury or sickness. 10:17.770 --> 10:22.710 It is likely that on this account he was deemed worthy of an extraordinary call to 10:22.710 --> 10:27.730 martyrdom by God, who rejoices in such things more than in the smoke and blood of 10:27.730 --> 10:28.430 sacrifices. 10:29.570 --> 10:34.510 He was the tenth athlete among those whom we have mentioned as meeting their end on 10:34.510 --> 10:35.750 one and the same day. 10:36.430 --> 10:41.250 On this day, as was fitting, the chief gate was opened, and a ready way of 10:41.250 --> 10:45.770 entrance into the kingdom of heaven was given to the martyr Pamphilus and to the 10:45.770 --> 10:46.630 others with him. 10:47.670 --> 10:53.050 In the footsteps of Seleucus came Theodulus, a grave and pious old man, 10:53.430 --> 10:57.550 who belonged to the governor's household, and had been honored by Formilianus 10:57.550 --> 11:02.090 himself more than all the others in his house on account of his age, and because 11:02.090 --> 11:06.750 he was a father of the third generation, and also on account of the kindness and 11:06.750 --> 11:10.550 most faithful conscientiousness which he had manifested toward him. 11:11.010 --> 11:15.770 As he pursued the course of Seleucus when brought before his master, the latter was 11:15.770 --> 11:20.430 more angry at him than at those who had preceded him, and condemned him to endure 11:20.430 --> 11:22.750 the martyrdom of the Saviour on the cross. 11:24.170 --> 11:28.510 As there lacked yet one to fill up the number of the twelve martyrs of whom we 11:28.510 --> 11:31.390 have spoken, Julian came to complete it. 11:31.810 --> 11:36.010 He had just arrived from abroad, and had not yet entered the gate of the 11:36.010 --> 11:39.470 city, when having learned about the martyrs while still on the way, 11:39.870 --> 11:43.010 he rushed at once, just as he was, to see them. 11:43.590 --> 11:48.070 When he beheld the tabernacles of the saints prone on the ground, being filled 11:48.070 --> 11:50.750 with joy, he embraced and kissed them all. 11:51.510 --> 11:55.550 The ministers of slaughter straightway seized him as he was doing this, 11:55.670 --> 11:57.250 and led him to Formilianus. 11:57.790 --> 12:01.550 Acting as was his custom, he condemned him to a slow fire. 12:02.290 --> 12:07.350 Thereupon Julian, leaping and exulting, in a loud voice gave thanks to the Lord 12:07.350 --> 12:11.370 who had judged him worthy of such things, and was honoured with the crown of 12:11.370 --> 12:11.890 martyrdom. 12:13.030 --> 12:17.330 He was a Cappadocian by birth, and in his manner of life he was most 12:17.330 --> 12:21.650 circumspect, faithful and sincere, zealous in all other respects, 12:22.010 --> 12:24.210 and animated by the Holy Spirit himself. 12:24.990 --> 12:28.770 Such was the company which was thought worthy to enter into martyrdom with 12:28.770 --> 12:29.470 Pamphilus. 12:30.630 --> 12:35.350 By the command of the impious Governor their sacred and truly holy bodies were 12:35.350 --> 12:39.250 kept as food for the wild beasts for four days and as many nights. 12:39.890 --> 12:44.090 But since, strange to say, through the providential care of God, nothing 12:44.090 --> 12:49.310 approached them, neither beast of prey, nor bird, nor dog, they were taken up 12:49.310 --> 12:53.950 uninjured, and after suitable preparation were buried in the customary manner. 12:55.250 --> 12:59.710 When the report of what had been done to these men was spread in all directions, 13:00.250 --> 13:05.530 Adrianus and Eubulus, having come from the so-called country of Mangania to Caesarea, 13:06.030 --> 13:10.390 to see the remaining confessors, were also asked at the gate the reason for 13:10.390 --> 13:14.370 their coming, and having acknowledged the truth, were brought to Formilianus. 13:14.810 --> 13:20.250 But he, as was his custom, without delay inflicted many tortures in their sides, 13:20.550 --> 13:23.550 and condemned them to be devoured by wild beasts. 13:25.410 --> 13:30.410 After two days, on the fifth of the month Distrus, the third before the Nones of 13:30.410 --> 13:35.010 March, which was regarded as the birthday of the tutelary divinity of Caesarea, 13:35.710 --> 13:40.050 Adrianus was thrown to a lion, and afterward slain with the sword. 13:40.490 --> 13:45.910 But Eubulus, two days later, on the Nones of March, that is, on the seventh of the 13:45.910 --> 13:50.130 month Distrus, when the judge had earnestly entreated him to enjoy by 13:50.130 --> 13:55.350 sacrificing that which was considered freedom among them, preferring a glorious 13:55.350 --> 14:00.190 deathful religion to transitory life, was made like the other an offering to 14:00.190 --> 14:05.290 wild beasts, and as the last of the martyrs in Caesarea, sealed the list of 14:05.290 --> 14:05.790 athletes. 14:07.140 --> 14:12.650 It is proper also to relate here how in a short time the heavenly providence came 14:12.650 --> 14:16.310 upon the impious rulers, together with the tyrants themselves. 14:16.990 --> 14:21.710 For that very Formilianus, who had thus abused the martyrs of Christ, after 14:21.710 --> 14:26.230 suffering with the others the severest punishment, was put to death by the sword. 14:26.790 --> 14:31.310 Such were the martyrdoms which took place at Caesarea during the entire period of 14:31.310 --> 14:31.970 the persecution. 14:34.170 --> 14:40.170 CHAPTER XII I think it best to pass by all the other events which occurred in the 14:40.170 --> 14:44.810 meantime, such as those which happened to the bishops of the churches, when instead 14:44.810 --> 14:49.310 of shepherds of the rational flocks of Christ, over which they presided in an 14:49.310 --> 14:54.050 unlawful manner, the divine judgment, considering them worthy of such a charge, 14:54.410 --> 14:59.530 made them keepers of camels, an irrational beast, and very crooked in the structure 14:59.530 --> 15:03.870 of its body, or condemned them to have the care of the imperial horses. 15:04.210 --> 15:08.950 And I pass by also the insults and disgraces and tortures they endured from 15:08.950 --> 15:13.430 the imperial overseers and rulers, on account of the sacred vessels and 15:13.430 --> 15:18.350 treasures of the Church, and besides these the lust of power on the part of many, 15:18.730 --> 15:23.350 the disorderly and unlawful ordinations, and the schisms among the confessors 15:23.350 --> 15:28.490 themselves, also the novelties which were zealously devised against the remnants of 15:28.490 --> 15:32.730 the Church by the new and factious members, who added innovation after 15:32.730 --> 15:37.450 innovation, and forced them in unsparingly among the calamities of the persecution, 15:38.070 --> 15:40.110 heaping misfortune upon misfortune. 15:40.810 --> 15:45.830 I judge it more suitable to shun and avoid the account of these things, as I said at 15:45.830 --> 15:46.310 the beginning. 15:47.170 --> 15:51.030 But such things as are sober and praiseworthy, according to the sacred 15:51.030 --> 15:56.370 word, and if there be any virtue and praise, I consider it most proper to tell 15:56.370 --> 16:01.190 and to record, and to present to believing hearers in the history of the admirable 16:01.190 --> 16:01.870 martyrs. 16:02.510 --> 16:06.810 And after this I think it best to crown the entire work with an account of the 16:06.810 --> 16:09.170 peace which has appeared unto us from heaven. 16:10.910 --> 16:11.950 CHAPTER XIII. 16:13.150 --> 16:17.630 The seventh year of our conflict was completed, and the hostile measures which 16:17.630 --> 16:21.530 had continued into the eighth year were gradually and quietly becoming less 16:21.530 --> 16:22.030 severe. 16:22.910 --> 16:26.630 A large number of confessors were collected at the copper mines in 16:26.630 --> 16:31.690 Palestine, and were acting with considerable boldness, so far as even to 16:31.690 --> 16:32.830 build places of worship. 16:33.390 --> 16:37.650 But the ruler of the province, a cruel and wicked man, as his acts 16:37.650 --> 16:41.910 against the martyrs showed, having come there and learned the state of affairs, 16:42.390 --> 16:46.510 communicated it to the emperor, writing in accusation whatever he thought 16:46.510 --> 16:47.010 best. 16:48.610 --> 16:53.390 Thereupon, being appointed superintendent of the mines, he divided the band of 16:53.390 --> 16:58.090 confessors as if by a royal decree, and sent some to dwell in Cyprus and 16:58.090 --> 17:02.530 others in Lebanon, and he scattered others in different parts of Palestine and 17:02.530 --> 17:04.770 ordered them to labor in various works. 17:06.330 --> 17:10.950 And, selecting the four who seemed to him to be the leaders, he sent them to the 17:10.950 --> 17:12.970 commander of the armies in that section. 17:13.250 --> 17:18.450 These were Peleus and Nilus, Egyptian bishops, also a presbyter, and 17:18.450 --> 17:22.370 Patermuthius, who was known among them all for his zeal toward all. 17:22.950 --> 17:27.630 The commander of the army demanded of them a denial of religion, and not obtaining 17:27.630 --> 17:30.630 this, he condemned them to death by fire. 17:31.650 --> 17:35.890 There were others there who had been allotted to dwell in a separate place by 17:35.890 --> 17:40.310 themselves, such of the confessors as on account of age or mutilations, 17:40.610 --> 17:44.470 or for other bodily infirmities, had been released from service. 17:45.170 --> 17:50.150 Silvanus, a bishop from Gaza, presided over them, and set a worthy and genuine 17:50.150 --> 17:51.590 example of Christianity. 17:52.710 --> 17:57.310 This man having from the first day of the persecution, and throughout its entire 17:57.310 --> 18:01.810 continuance, been imminent for his confessions in all sorts of conflicts, 18:02.230 --> 18:07.610 had been kept all that time that he might, so to speak, set the final seal upon the 18:07.610 --> 18:09.190 whole conflict in Palestine. 18:10.690 --> 18:15.810 There were with him many from Egypt, among whom was John, who surpassed all in 18:15.810 --> 18:18.050 our time in the excellence of his memory. 18:18.730 --> 18:21.230 He had formerly been deprived of his sight. 18:21.730 --> 18:25.950 Nevertheless, on account of his imminence in confession, he had with the others 18:25.950 --> 18:28.790 suffered the destruction of his foot by cauterization. 18:29.670 --> 18:34.130 And although his sight had been destroyed, he was subjected to the same burning with 18:34.130 --> 18:39.010 fire, the executioners aiming after everything that was merciless and pitiless 18:39.010 --> 18:40.410 and cruel and inhuman. 18:41.990 --> 18:46.950 Since he was such a man, one would not be so much astonished at his habits and his 18:46.950 --> 18:51.990 philosophic life, nor would he seem so wonderful for them as for the strength of 18:51.990 --> 18:52.570 his memory. 18:52.870 --> 18:57.470 For he had written whole books of the divine scriptures, not in tables of stone, 18:57.650 --> 19:03.210 as the divine apostle says, neither on skins of animals, nor on paper which moths 19:03.210 --> 19:09.090 and time destroy, but truly in fleshy tables of the heart, in a transparent soul 19:09.090 --> 19:12.950 and most pure eye of the mind, so that whenever he wished he could 19:12.950 --> 19:18.250 repeat, as if from a treasury of words, any portion of the scripture, whether in 19:18.250 --> 19:22.550 the law, or the prophets, or the historical books, or the gospels, 19:22.710 --> 19:24.310 or the writings of the apostles. 19:25.450 --> 19:29.910 I confess that I was astonished when I first saw the man as he was standing in 19:29.910 --> 19:33.550 the midst of a large congregation and repeating portions of the divine 19:33.550 --> 19:34.010 scripture. 19:34.550 --> 19:38.550 When I only heard his voice, I thought that, according to the custom in the 19:38.550 --> 19:39.670 meetings, he was reading. 19:40.330 --> 19:44.850 But when I came near and perceived what he was doing, and observed all the others 19:44.850 --> 19:49.130 standing around him with sound eyes while he was using only the eyes of his mind, 19:49.550 --> 19:54.130 and yet was speaking naturally like some prophet, and far excelling those who were 19:54.130 --> 19:58.910 sound in body, it was impossible for me not to glorify God and wonder. 19:59.510 --> 20:04.430 And I seemed to see in those deeds evident and strong confirmation of the fact that 20:04.430 --> 20:10.010 true manhood consists not in excellence of bodily appearance, but in the soul and 20:10.010 --> 20:11.130 understanding alone. 20:11.610 --> 20:16.490 For he, with his body mutilated, manifested the superior excellence of the 20:16.490 --> 20:17.970 power that was within him. 20:19.090 --> 20:23.870 But as to those whom we have mentioned as abiding in a separate place, and attending 20:23.870 --> 20:28.970 to their customary duties in fasting and prayer and other exercises, God himself 20:28.970 --> 20:34.110 saw fit to give them a salutary issue by extending his right hand in answer to 20:34.110 --> 20:34.390 them. 20:34.850 --> 20:38.870 The bitter foe, as they were armed against him zealously through their prayers to 20:38.870 --> 20:43.330 God, could no longer endure them, and determined to slay and destroy them 20:43.330 --> 20:45.770 from off the earth because they troubled him. 20:46.850 --> 20:51.610 And God permitted him to accomplish this, that he might not be restrained from the 20:51.610 --> 20:56.350 wickedness he desired, and that at the same time they might receive the prizes of 20:56.350 --> 20:57.650 their manifold conflicts. 20:58.550 --> 21:03.610 Therefore, at the command of the most accursed Maximinus, forty, lacking one, 21:03.770 --> 21:05.250 were beheaded in one day. 21:06.350 --> 21:11.270 These martyrdoms were accomplished in Palestine during eight complete years, 21:11.630 --> 21:14.850 and of this description was the persecution in our time. 21:15.470 --> 21:19.590 Beginning with the demolition of the churches, it increased greatly as the 21:19.590 --> 21:22.150 rulers rose up from time to time against us. 21:22.630 --> 21:27.050 In these assaults, the multiform and various conflicts of those who wrestled in 21:27.050 --> 21:32.150 behalf of religion produced an innumerable multitude of martyrs in every province, 21:32.550 --> 21:36.910 in the regions extending from Libya and throughout all Egypt and Syria, 21:37.370 --> 21:40.330 and from the east round about to the district of Illyricum. 21:41.010 --> 21:45.570 But the countries beyond these, all Italy and Sicily and Gaul, 21:45.830 --> 21:50.450 and the regions toward the setting sun in Spain, Mauritania, and Africa, 21:50.970 --> 21:55.170 suffered the war of persecution during less than two years, and were deemed 21:55.170 --> 22:00.730 worthy of a speedier divine visitation and peace, the heavenly providence sparing the 22:00.730 --> 22:03.170 singleness of purpose and faith of those men. 22:04.090 --> 22:08.730 For what had never before been recorded in the annals of the Roman government, 22:09.150 --> 22:12.510 first took place in our day, contrary to all expectation. 22:13.110 --> 22:17.970 For during the persecution in our time, the empire was divided into two parts. 22:18.590 --> 22:22.610 The brethren dwelling in the part of which we have just spoken enjoyed peace, 22:22.970 --> 22:26.170 but those in the other part endured trials without number. 22:27.630 --> 22:32.850 But when the divine grace kindly and compassionately manifested its care for us 22:32.850 --> 22:37.970 too, then truly our rulers also, those very ones through whom the wars 22:37.970 --> 22:42.670 against us had been formerly carried on, changed their minds in a most wonderful 22:42.670 --> 22:47.890 manner, and published a recantation, and by favorable edicts and mild decrees 22:47.890 --> 22:53.370 concerning us, extinguished the conflagration against us, this recantation 22:53.370 --> 22:54.850 also must be recorded.