(A.D. 304 AND 310.)
[Roman Martyrology. Not mentioned in any Martyrologies earlier than
that of Usuardus. Among these martyrs are some commemorated
separately on other days. Sylvanus, by the Greeks, on Jan. 29th; by
the Latins, on Feb. 6th. Zenobius, on Oct. 29th. Peleus and Nilus,
on Sept. 17th or 19th. Tyrannio is not noticed on any other day, nor
named by the Greeks, but they celebrate four martyrs at Tyre, on
Jan. 21st, without name given, and, possibly, Tyrannio may be one of
these. In the old Roman Martyrology, published by Rosweydus, on this
day, Feb. 20th, the notice is of martyrs at Tyre, without any name
given, save that of the governor who sentenced them. The authorities
for these martyrdoms are Eusebius, lib. viii., c. 7, and Ruffinus in
his paraphrase thereon.]
Eusebius, an eye-witness of what he relates concerning these martyrs,
gives the following account of them:--"Several Christians of Egypt,
whereof some had settled in Palestine, others at Tyre, gave
astonishing proof of their patience and constancy in the faith. After
innumerable stripes and blows, which they cheerfully underwent, they
were exposed to wild beasts, such as leopards, wild bears, boars, and
bulls. I, myself, was present when these savage creatures, accustomed
to human blood, being let loose upon them, instead of devouring or
rending them, as it was natural to expect, refused to touch them, but
turned upon their keepers, and others that came in their way. They
utterly refused to touch the soldiers of Christ, though these martyrs,
pursuant to the order given them, tossed about their arms, which was
thought a ready way to provoke the beasts, and stir them up against
them. Sometimes, indeed, they were perceived to rush towards them with
their usual impetuosity, but, withheld by a divine power, they
suddenly withdrew; and this many times, to the great admiration of all
present. The first having done no execution, others were let out upon
them, a second and a third time, but in vain; the martyrs standing all
the while unshaken, though many of them were very young. Among them
was a youth, not yet twenty, who had his eyes lifted up to heaven, and
his arms extended in the form of a cross, not in the least daunted,
nor trembling, nor shifting his place, while the bears and leopards,
with their jaws wide open, threatening immediate death, seemed just
ready to tear him to pieces; but, by a miracle, not being suffered to
touch him, they speedily withdrew. Others were exposed to a furious
bull, which had already gored and tossed into the air several infidels
who had ventured too near, and left them half dead: only the martyrs
he could not approach; he stopped, and stood scraping the dust with
his feet, and though he seemed endeavouring to rush forward, butting
with his horns on every side, and pawing the ground with his feet, and
was urged on by red-hot iron goads, yet it was all to no purpose.
After repeated trials of this kind with other wild beasts, with as
little success as the former, the saints were slain by the sword, and
their bodies cast into the sea. Others, who refused to sacrifice, were
beaten to death, or burned, or executed divers other ways." This
happened in the year 304, under Veturius, a Roman general, in the
reign of Diocletian.
The church on this day commemorates the other holy martyrs, whose
crown was deferred till 310. The principal of these was S. Tyrannio,
bishop of Tyre, who had been present at the glorious triumph of the
former, and encouraged them in their conflict. He had not the comfort
to follow them till six years after; when, being conducted from Tyre
to Antioch, with S. Zenobius, a holy priest and physician of Sidon,
after many torments, he was thrown into the river Orontes. Zenobius
expired on the rack, whilst his sides were being laid open with iron
hooks. S. Sylvanus, bishop of Emesa, in Phoenicia, was, some time
after, under Maximin, devoured by wild beasts in the midst of his own
city, with two companions, after having governed that church forty
years. Peleus and Nilus, two other Egyptian priests, in Palestine,
were consumed by fire. S. Sylvanus, bishop of Gaza, was condemned to
the copper mines of Phoenon, near Petra, in Arabia, and afterwards
beheaded there with thirty-nine others.