Saint Januarius - Bishop & Martyr
I'm not sure why (okay, yes, the Holy Spirit must be working here but to what end?) but this morning I felt compelled to post on the Saint whose memorial it is. As it happens, today's memorial is that of Saint Januarius who was Bishop of Benevento and who was martyred in the reign of Diocletian around the year 305.
The information I found initially was fairly sparse - he suffered torture and was martyred. But I did a Google search and came upon a document on a Fordham University web site with the title
THE LIFE OF ST. JANUARIUS
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THE SAINT PACHOMIUS ORTHODOX LIBRARY
This document is in the public domain.
Copying it is encouraged.
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ACTS OF THE HIEROMARTYR JANUARIUS, BISHOP OF BENEVENTO
(Feast Day September 19)
Translated by Edward P. Graham, 1909
The title "The Life of St. Januarius" is a bit misleading unless I've missed more of the document because this document covers the imprisonment and martyrdom of the Bishop but not much else. Having said that I must recommend you read this document.
As I read through the account I was reminded of the phrase from the Psalms "harden not your hearts". The pagan governor, Timothy, who directs the torture and murder of Christians in the province of Campania under Diocletian, is a clear example of a hardened heart. This man becomes angry when the Bishop will not renounce his Christian beliefs and then becomes successively more furious each time the Bishop, deacons, and their companions resist the torture and suffering. When Timothy first confronts Januarius he says ". . . I shall subject you to horrible torments which the God whom you worship when he shall see them he himself shall fear." The Bishop had to know what was at stake and what horrible tortures he and his flock could suffer responded "Be silent, O unhappy man, and do not insult in my hearing Him who created heaven and earth, lest the Lord God may hear such a blasphemy as that which proceeds from your mouth and he may destroy you and you shall be mute and deaf, not hearing and like a blind man not seeing."
For a little spiritual uplifting go read "The Life of St. Januarius".
Update 9/20 - saw this post over at The Curt Jester
Comments
Wow...that last sentence could so easily be applied to things that are happening right now in our media crazy world.
This post reminds me of something I read "I could never be a saint, but I could probably be a martyr if they killed me quickly."
Guess St. Januarius didn't get that chance.
Posted by: Micki | September 20, 2007 12:43 PM
Yes -- I'm pretty sure I'd make as a poor a martyr as I do a saint! It most definitely would require the Holy Spirit to give me strength for such a trial!
Posted by: John Bowden | September 20, 2007 2:06 PM