(ABOUT A.D. 275.)
[Commemorated in some churches on Jan. 25th, in others on Jan.
29th, June 8th, Aug. 29th, Sept. 5th; sometimes together, and
sometimes severally. Authorities: two ancient lives of S. Sabinian,
and one of S. Sabina, published by Bollandus.]
SS. Sabinian and Sabina were brother and sister, natives of Samos.
Sabinian's soul having been touched by Christian teaching, he left his
native island, and coming to Gaul reached Troyes, where he fell in with
Christians, and he was there baptized in the river Seine. It is said
that his staff, which he had driven into the bank, as he went down into
the water, on his return put forth leaves and flowered.
In the reign of Aurelian he was brought before the emperor, then at
Vienne in Gaul, and was cruelly tormented, by being seated on a heated
bench of iron, and a red-hot helmet was placed on his head. He was
afterwards executed with the sword. His sister Sabina, who had followed
him, arrived at Troyes after his martyrdom. She was there baptized,
spent a holy life, and died a virgin.