IN the seventh year of Dioclesian's persecution, continued by Galerius
Maximianus, when Firmilian, the most bloody governor of Palestine, had
stained Caesarea with the blood of many illustrious martyrs, Adrian and
Eubulus came out of the country called Magantia to Caesarea, in order to
visit the holy confessors there. At the gates of the city they were
asked, as others were, whither they were going, and upon what errand.
They ingenuously confessed the truth, and were brought before the
president, who ordered them to be tortured, and their sides to be torn
with iron hooks, and then condemned them to be exposed to wild beasts.
Two days after, when the pagans at Caesarea celebrated the festival of
the public Genius, Adrian was exposed to a lion, and not being
dispatched by that beast, but only mangled, was at length killed by the
sword. Eubulus was treated in the same manner, two days later. The judge
offered him his liberty if he would sacrifice to idols; but the saint
preferred a glorious death, and was the last that suffered in this
persecution at Caesarea, which had now continued twelve years under three
successive governors, Flavian, Urban, and Firmilian. Divine vengeance
pursuing the cruel Firmilian, he was that same year beheaded for his
crimes, by the emperor's order, as his predecessor Urban had been two
years before.
* * * * *
It is in vain that we take the name of Christians, or pretend to follow
Christ, unless we carry our crosses after him. It is in vain that we
hope to share in his glory, and in his kingdom, if we accept not the
condition.[1] We cannot arrive at heaven by any other road but that
which Christ held, who bequeathed his cross to all his elect as their
portion and inheritance in this world. None can be exempted from this
rule, without renouncing his title to heaven. Let us sound our own
hearts, and see if our sentiments are conformable to these principles of
the holy religion which we profess. Are our lives a constant exercise of
patience under all trials, and a continual renunciation of our senses
and corrupt inclinations, by the practice of self-denial and penance?
Are we not impatient under pain or sickness, fretful under
disappointments, disturbed and uneasy at the least accidents which are
disagreeable to our nature, harsh and peevish in reproving the faults of
others, and slothful and unmortified in endeavoring to correct our own?
What a monstrous contradiction is it to call ourselves followers of
Christ, yet to live irreconcilable enemies to his cross! We can never
separate Christ from his cross, on which he sacrificed himself for us,
that he might unite us on it eternally to himself. Let us courageously
embrace it, and he will be our comfort and support, as he was of his
martyrs.
Footnotes:
1. Matt. xvi. 24. Luke xxiv. 26.
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