Gundenis

you@example.com (Your Name) — Tue, 18 Jul 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Year: 203.
Feast Day: July 18

A virgin-martyred in Carthage in North Africa under Septimius Severus.

Scillitan Martyrs

you@example.com (Your Name) — Mon, 17 Jul 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Year: 180.
Feast Day: July 17

Twelve martyrs, seven men and five women, who suffered at Scillium in North Africa under Septimius Severus. Their names are: Speratus, Narzales, Cythinus, Veturius, Felix, Acyllinus, Laetantius, Januaria, Generosa, Vestina, Donata and Secunda. The official Acts of these martyrs still exist.

Text of The Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs:

Show Latin original

Acta Martyrum Scillitanorum:

[1] Praesente bis et Condiano consulibus, XVI Kalendas augustas, Karthagine in secretario inpositis Sperato, Nartzalo et Cittino, Donata, Secunda, Vestia, Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Potestis indulgentiam domini nostri imperatoris promereri, si ad bonam mentem redeatis.”

[2] Speratus dixit: “Numquam malefecimus, iniquitati nullam operam praebuimus; numquam malediximus, sed male accepti gratias egimus; propter quod imperatorem nostrum observamus.”

[3] Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Et nos religiosi sumus, et simplex est religio nostra, et iuramus per genium domini nostri imperatoris, et pro salute eius supplicamus, quod et vos quoque facere debetis.”

[4] Speratus dixit: “Si tranquillas praebueris aures tuas, dico mysterium simplicitatis.”

[5] Saturninus dixit: “Initianti tibi mala de sacris nostris aures non praebebo; sed potius iura per genium domini nostri imperatoris.”

[6] Speratus dixit: “Ego imperium huius seculi non cognosco; sed magis illi deo servio, quem nemo hominum vidit nec videre his oculis potest. Furtum non feci; sed siquid emero teloneum reddo; quia cognosco dominum meum, regem regum et imperatorem omnium gentium.”

[7] Saturninus proconsul dixit ceteris: “Desinite huius esse persuasionis.”

Speratus dixit: “Mala est persuasio homicidium facere, falsum testimonium dicere.”

[8] Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Nolite huius dementiae esse participes.”

Cittinus dixit: “Nos non habemus alium quem timeamus, nisi Dominum Deum nostrum qui est in caelis.”

[9] Donata dixit: “Honorem Caesari quasi Caesari; timorem autem Deo.”

Vestia dixit: “Christiana sum.”

Secunda dixit: “Quod sum, ipsud volo esse.”

[10] Saturninus proconsul Sperato dixit: “Perseveras christianus?”

Speratus dixit: “Christianus sum”; et cum eo omnes consenserunt.

[11] Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Numquid ad deliberandum spatium vultis?”

Speratus dixit: “In re tam iusta nulla est deliberatio.”

[12] Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Quae sunt res in capsa vestra?”

Speratus dixit: “Libri et epistulae Pauli viri iusti.”

[13] Saturninus proconsul dixit: “Moram XXX dierum habete et recordemini.”

Speratus iterum dixit: “Christianus sum”; et cum eo omnes consenserunt.

[14] Saturninus proconsul decretum ex tabella recitavit: “Speratum, Nartzalum, Cittinum, Donatam, Vestiam, Secundam et ceteros ritu christiano se vivere confessos, quoniam oblata sibi facultate ad Romanorum morem redeundi obstinanter perseveraverunt, gladio animadverti placet.”

[15] Speratus dixit: “Deo gratias agimus.”

Nartzalus dixit: “Hodie martyres in caelis sumus: Deo gratias.”

[16] Saturninus proconsul per praeconem dici iussit: “Speratum, Nartzalum, Cittinum, Veturium, Felicem, Aquilinum, Laetantium, Ianuariam, Generosam, Vestiam, Donatam, Secundam duci iussi.”

[17] Universi dixerunt: “Deo gratias.”

Et statim decollati sunt pro nomine Christi.

Amen.

During the consulship of Praesens (second term) and Condianus, on 17 July, in Carthage, there were led into the governor’s office: Speratus, Nartzalus and Cittinus; Donata, Secunda, Vestia.

Saturninus the governor said: “You can have mercy from our lord the emperor, if you return to your senses.”

Speratus said: “We have never done wrong. We have stayed clear of treating people unfairly. We have never spoken ill of anyone. Instead, when treated badly, we have offered thanks, because we obey our own ruler.”
Saturninus the governor said: “We too are religious and our religion is simple: we swear by the birth spirit of our lord the emperor and offer sacrifice for his health, which you must do as well.”
Speratus said: “If you are prepared to listen to me, I will tell you a mystery of simplicity.”
Saturninus said: “If you’re going to tell bad things about our sacred rituals, I will not listen to you. Rather, swear by the birth spirit of our lord the emperor.”
Speratus said: “I do not acknowledge the authority of this world, but I rather serve that God whom no one has seen or can see with these eyes. I have never been guilty of theft, but whenever I buy, I pay the tax, because I acknowledge my lord, the king of kings and ruler of all peoples.”
Saturninus the governor said to the others: “Stop being of this persuasion!”

Speratus said: “Bad is the persuasion to commit murder, to bear false testimony.”

Saturninus the governor said: “Stop being part of this madness!”

Cittinus said: “We have no other to fear but the Lord our God, who is in heaven.”

Donata said: “Honor to Caesar in his capacity as Caesar, but fear to God.”

Vestia said: “I am a Christian.”

Secunda said: “What I am is exactly what I want to be.”

Saturninus the governor said to Speratus: “Do you persevere in being a Christian?”

Speratus said: “I am a Christian”, and all uttered their agreement with him.

Saturninus the governor said: “Do you want some time to consider the matter carefully?”

Speratus said: “In such a just cause there is no need for careful consideration.”

Saturninus the governor said: “What sort of things do you have in that case of yours?”

Speratus said: “Books and letters of Paul, a righteous man.”

Saturninus the governor said: “Have a delay of 30 days and think things over!”

Again Speratus said: “I am a Christian”, and all uttered their agreement with him.

Saturninus the governor read aloud the sentence from a tablet: “Concerning Speratus, Nartzalus, Cittinus, Donata, Vestia, Secunda and the others who have confessed that they live according to the Christian religion: because inspite of the opportunity given to them to return to the Roman way of life, they have stubbornly persisted in maintaining theirs, I have decided that they be put to the sword.”
Speratus said: “We offer thanks to God.”

Nartzalus said: “Today we are martyrs in heaven. Thanks to God.”

Saturninus the governor ordered a herald to declare his sentence: “I have ordered Speratus, Nartzalus, Cittinus, Veturius, Felix, Aquilinus, Laetantius, Januaria, Generosa, Vestia, Donata and Secunda, to be executed.”
All said: “Thanks to God.”

And immediately they were decapitated for the name of Christ.

Amen.

Martyrs under Septimius Severus

you@example.com (Your Name) — Thu, 06 Jan 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Year: c 210.
Feast Day: Jan 6

A number of Christians of both sexes burnt at the stake under Septimius Severus.

Severan Era on The African Fathers

Gundenis

Scillitan Martyrs

Text of The Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs:

Acta Martyrum Scillitanorum:

Martyrs under Septimius Severus