THIRTEEN MARTYRS AT GAZA
A.D. 304. TIMOTHEUS suffered martyrdom under Urban, the prefect of the
province, in the second year of Diocletian's persecution.
A.D. 304. The Syriac version of the history of the martyrs in Palestine
states that THECLA with AGAPIUS was cast to the wild beasts in the year
of Timotheus' martyrdom.
_c._ A.D. 308. SYLVANUS, Bishop of Gaza, was a martyr in the
persecution of Maximianus I. He was a Presbyter at the outbreak, and
from the beginning he endured much suffering with fortitude. Shortly
before his martyrdom, which was among the last in Palestine at that
period, he obtained the Episcopate.
Eusebius speaks with admiration of his Christian endurance, saying he
was "reserved until that time, that this might be the last seal of the
whole conflict in Palestine."
This aged martyr was eminent for his confessions from the very first
day of the persecution. In early manhood he had served as a soldier,
before receiving Holy Orders.
Dr. Meyer (_History of the City of Gaza_, p. 60. New York, 1907) states
that "the first Christian martyr of Gaza whose name is known is the
Bishop Sylvanus, who met his death in 285." Eusebius (_Ecclesiastical
History_, Book VIII, Chap. XIII), however, remarks that Sylvanus was
"beheaded with thirty-nine others at the Copper Mines of Phœne." Early
Christians of Gaza were not infrequently martyred at headquarters in
Cæsarea (Palestinæ).
A.D. 308. JOHN, a student of Holy Writ and of wonderful memory, was
associated with Sylvanus. He endured many tortures and was decapitated
with his Bishop.
A.D. 308. HATHA (ST. THEA), a virgin of Gaza, suffered martyrdom under
Firmilian in Cæsarea.
A.D. 361. During the reign of Julian, the pagans of Gaza attempted to
destroy the church built by St. Hilarion. During this revolt, Eusebius,
a Gaza Christian, with his brothers Nestabis and Zeno, were thrown into
prison, beheaded, and their bodies were burned outside the city walls,
on a spot used for the disposal of dead animals.
This persecution induced all the Christians to leave Gaza. The case
was brought to the attention of the Emperor. It seems that the heathen
governor of Gaza had imprisoned the citizens who had abused the
Christians, whereupon Julian exiled him.
About the same date, Nestor--a Confessor (according to the Rev. S.
Baring-Gould, _Lives of the Saints_)--was killed of wounds inflicted by
the populace.
A.D. 1370. The Franciscan Chronicles of the fourteenth century relate
that a Franciscan friar, John of Naples, went from Jerusalem to Gaza,
and was subjected to a cruel martyrdom.
A.D. 1555. Two French pilgrims were arrested at Gaza, and on their
refusing to renounce the religion of Christ were put to death. Their
bodies, carried away by the Christians, were buried under Orthodox
Greek auspices.[26]
FOOTNOTE:
[26] _New Guide to the Holy Land_, p. 534. The Church recognises many
Gaza saints, _e.g._ Dorotheus, Dositheus, Barsanuphius, and John the
Prophet.