As is well known unto all, the glory of the Martyrs is celebrated by the people of God (such being the divine will) to this end, that to them due honor may be paid, and to us may be shown, by the favor of Christ, examples of courage; while then we behold these celebrations, let us understand how great is their glory in heaven, whose festivals are thus honored on earth; may we ourselves be stirred up to show forth the like example, an equal courage, the same devotion and faith: that so, Christ helping us, we may fight and conquer the foe, and thus having shared the victory of these Saints, we may triumph together with them in the kingdom of heaven.


The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
by Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger, 1877

In the time of Constantine the Great, the city of Sebaste was witness of a magnificent spectacle of Christian heroism, in the forty soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the Faith of Christ. Licinius, to whom Constantine had entrusted the government of a portion of the empire, was at first very friendly to the Christians, but afterwards played the part of a cruel tyrant towards them. He issued an edict to all the prefects to force the Christians to adore the pagan gods, and, in case of their refusal, to condemn them to death. Agricola, Governor of Armenia, published the imperial mandate and summoned the Christians before, him. The first to answer this summons were forty brave soldiers of the garrison of Sebaste. They openly proclaimed themselves followers of Christ and ready to suffer tortures, and even death, rather than deny their faith. Lysias, their general, endeavored by praising their former bravery, by promising them imperial favors and rewards, and finally by threatening them with an ignominious death, to turn them from their holy purpose of remaining disciples of the Crucified. The Christian heroes, however, fearlessly declared, that in a case where the honor of the King of kings and their own eternal welfare were at stake, they disregarded promises and threats, and scorned the favor or displeasure of the Emperor.

The Governor, provoked to anger, ordered the holy confessors to be bound with chains and cast into dungeons. He called them again and again before his tribunal, but, finding them always firm in their faith, inflicted cruel tortures on them and sent them back, to prison. During their confinement, they exhorted each other to perseverance with these words: "We have borne so many hardships, so often exposed our lives in the service of an earthly sovereign, and in defence of our country: shall we do less for the King of Heaven and in behalf of our own souls?" In this manner they encouraged each other, and begged of the Lord that He would strengthen them in their impending martyrdom. They employed a portion of their time in singing the Divine praises. Our Saviour did not fail to assist and console His servants. In a vision, He addressed them in these terms: "The beginning is good, but he only who perseveres to the end will be saved." Shortly after this, sentence was pronounced on the forty martyrs, and immediately carried out.

They were first struck on the mouth with stones, and at nightfall conducted, in the middle of winter, to a frozen lake. They were condemned to sit there, naked, until death should put an end to their sufferings. There was also a hot bath in readiness, at a neighboring house, for those who should chance to go over to the service of the idols.

As soon as the Christian soldiers reached the lake, they took off their clothes and went out on the ice. Here they continued their praises of God, earnestly asking for the Divine assistance. "We are forty going on the ice," said they, "grant, O merciful Lord, that forty also may be crowned, and that none lose his crown. It is a favored number, which Thou hast ennobled by Thy holy fast. Elias sought and found God by a fast of forty, days." Near the martyrs were stationed the guards to watch that no one should escape. Some hours had already passed; the heroes still persevered in glorifying God by their chants, and continued to offer supplications to the throne of the Most High: the guards, however, had fallen asleep: the prison-keeper alone was watching. He suddenly beheld the martyrs environed by a shining light, and angels descending from heaven with magnificent crowns in their hands, which they placed on the heads of the soldiers. He remarked, however, that only thirty-nine were crowned. He said to himself: "There are forty Christians on the lake; where is the crown of the other one?" The mystery was soon solved. One of the number, unable to endure the cold any longer, had crawled to the bath, and by this act, denied his faith. But God did not suffer this inconstancy to go unpunished, for the wretch died soon after entering the bath, losing his life and precipitating himself into the flames of hell; thus, by seeking to escape short sufferings, he also forfeited the heavenly reward due to perseverance. The thirty-nine were much grieved at this desertion, but they were gladdened by seeing the prison-keeper himself filling up their number again. For, reflecting on what he had just witnessed, he concluded that the faith of the Christians must be the only true one. Awaking the guards, he related to them his vision, and cried out, in a loud voice: "I also am a Christian, and will live and die with the Christians." He stripped off his garments, and, joining the martyrs on the, lake, begged them to petition the Lord to bestow a similar crown on him. Their prayer was heard, for an angel I came down from heaven with the crown.

At the break of day, everything that had occurred in the! night was reported to the Governor. He immediately ordered the forty martyrs to be drawn out of the lake, their limbs to be broken with clubs, and the bodies to be thrown into the fire. The icy water had deprived all of life, with the exception of one, who, being younger, was possessed of greater power of endurance. The name of this one was Melitho. His mother, seeing him still alive, said to him: "Persevere only a little longer, my child; Jesus is standing at the gate of heaven, hastening to your assistance." In the mean while, the bodies of the other confessors had been thrown into a cart and were carried to the burning pile. The mother, perceiving that her son was left behind, in the hope of bringing him over to the worship of the idols, took him on her shoulders, in order to place him on the cart or on the pile. Whilst carrying him, she encouraged and exhorted him to persevere by considerations on the shortness of life and the eternity of the reward. The courageous youth, whilst listening to the words of his mother, gave up the ghost. The pious mother, however, completed her task, and laid the corpse with those of the other martyrs, that he might be united, even in death, with his companions. St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and many other holy fathers, delivered sermons, full of instruction and unction, on these holy martyrs.

Before coming to the usual considerations, I will present to the reader the thoughts which arose in my mind at the reading of these incidents. These martyrs were all soldiers, and we find frequent mention, in the Calendar of Saints, of holy martyrs who followed the profession of arms. They underwent the most cruel tortures for the sake of Christ. But for such deeds of heroism, great virtue was necessary. Hence the folly of those who say that a soldier cannot live piously and save his soul. Thousands of martyrs were soldiers, and numberless holy confessors, had formerly been warriors. This is an undeniable proof, that it is not impossible to lead a Christian life in camp and obtain salvation. Thus, St. John the Baptist did not advise the soldiers, who asked him " What was necessary for salvation?" to forsake the army, but insisted on this, that they be satisfied with their pay, treat no one ill, calumniate no one, etc., as it is written in St. Luke. A soldier, solicitous about his salvation, must apply himself to the faithful observance of the Commandments of God and the Church, avoid sins, especially those common in the army--for example, blasphemy, cursing, excess in drinking and gaming, robbing and cheating, and, above all, the abominable vice of impurity--of which not only the deeds but also the words and thoughts are to be shunned. He must likewise be on his guard against idleness and wicked companions, and entice no one to sin. He should be zealous for good works, devoutly say his night prayers early in the evening, frequent the Sacraments, be eager to hear the Word of God, obey his officers, and faithfully serve the master to whom he has sworn fidelity. Moreover, he should patiently bear the many and great hardships attached to his condition, out of love for God, offering them up in a spirit of penance for past offences. A soldier has often a more severe life than a Priest, even in the most austere religious order. He can gain exceeding great merit, if he makes use of the opportunities. Every Christian soldier, by observing these lessons, will be sanctified, and his salvation will be assured.

I. The sad example of the apostate is worthy of consideration. A Christian, who had already suffered much for Christ's sake, becomes a traitor at the last moment. To escape a short pain, and enjoy a small relief, he forfeits everlasting joys and falls into the pit of hell. In the first picture, behold the weakness and inconstancy of man; learn from it to call daily upon the Almighty for His grace and strength; and do not trust too much in yourself. In the second picture, you see yourself. Often, for a sinful gratification, a slight gain, or to avoid a little trouble, you have grievously offended the Divine Majesty and exposed your soul to eternal perdition. Of course you hope to escape this danger by penance; but do you imagine that this apostate expected to die in his sin? I believe that he intended to repent and come back to the fold of Christ. His denial, probably, was only by words, in the expectation of repenting of his fault at some future time. His hopes were vain. He perished miserably in his sin; there was no time of repentance for him. May not this be your lot also? May not your hopes also be delusive? Think well on this, and never wilfully expose yourself to such a danger. Consider, further, how this soldier must pine, when he reflects on the meanness of the comfort for which he exchanged an eternity of bliss. The same useless mourning will be your share, if you lose heaven--not perhaps by apostasy, but by some other mortal sin. Meditate seriously on this subject, and be watchful, that you may not one day undergo a similar experience.

II. Impress deeply on your soul the conclusion which the holy martyrs reached: "If we have borne so many hardships for an earthly sovereign and for our country, why should we not do the same for the King of Kings and for our eternal welfare?" You, perhaps, put up with many inconveniences; you work or suffer for the sake of some person, or for a small profit. Now, why do you refuse to suffer for God, who promises you an eternal and immense reward? Animate yourself with the thought of the greatness of the Master you serve, and of the infinite recompense promised. The mother of St. Melitho said: "The pains are short, the joys endless." Call to mind these words, when you feel discouraged in your work or trials. "Rejoice, my soul," said St. Chrysologus; "for the afflictions you undergo are transitory, while the glory awaiting you is eternal." The same holy father, speaking of the recompense which God bestows on His faithful servants, and of that which Satan confers on his followers, says: "Behold how the devil rewards the services rendered to him! Death terminates life, and begins the torture. But the servants of Jesus despise death, and receive eternal bliss for their recompense." The poor renegade deserved the former, the firm and persevering soldiers obtained the latter. Whose service do you choose? For whose love will you labor and suffer? To whom do you offer up your works and toils? "I," says the Prophet David, "speak my works to the King"--that is, to God, the King of kings--" to Him I dedicate all my labors; whatsoever I do or suffer, it is for His love and honor, and my sole aim is to serve Him" (Ps. xliv.). The memory of the great reward promised to the faithful servant urged him to say this, as he himself tells us: "I have inclined my heart to do Thy justifications forever, for the reward" (Ps. cxviii.). Imitate his example. Offer all to the Lord, and serve Him with zeal and joy. "Serve ye the Lord with gladness," says David (Ps. xcix.). A servant works with joy when he is promised great wages. Your pay is infinitely great: serve God, then, with joy; but also persevere to the end. If, like the poor wretch, you desert the service of Jesus and enter that of Satan, you need hope for no reward in heaven. For Truth itself has said: "But he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved" (Matt. x.).

O ye blessed Martyrs of the heavenly kingdom! ye who sacrificed to the Almighty God the honors, the riches, and possessions of this life, and have received in return the unfading glory and never-ending joys of heaven! ye who are secure in the everlasting possession of the brilliant crown of glory which your sufferings have obtained! look with compassionate regards upon our wretched state in this valley of tears, where we groan in the uncertainty of what may be our eternal destiny. And from that divine Saviour, for whom you suffered so many torments, and who now repays you with so unspeakable glory, obtain for us that we may love him with all our heart, and receive in return the grace of perfect resignation under the trials of this life, fortitude under the temptations of the enemy, and perseverance to the end. May your powerful intercession obtain for us that we may one day in your blessed company sing the praises of the Eternal, and, even as you now do, face to face, enjoy the beatitude of His vision! Amen

We know the mystery of the number Forty. This tenth of March brings it before us. Forty new advocates! Forty encouraging us to enter bravely on our career of Penance! On the frozen pool, which was their field of battle, these Martyrs reminded one another that Jesus had fasted for Forty Days, and that they themselves were Forty in number! Let us, in our turn, compare their sufferings with the Lenten exercises which the Church imposes upon us; and humble ourselves in seeing our cowardice; or, if we begin with fervour, let us remember, that the grand thing is to be faithful to the end, and bring to the Easter Solemnity the crown of our perseverance. Our Forty Martyrs patiently endured the cruelest tortures; the fear of God, and their deeprooted conviction that he had an infinite claim to their fidelity, gave them the victory. How many times we have sinned, and had not such severe temptations as theirs to palliate our fall? How can we sufficiently bless that Divine mercy, which spared us, instead of abandoning us as He did that poor apostate, who turned coward and was lost! But, on what condition did God spare us? That we should not spare ourselves, but do penance. He put into our hands the rights of His own Justice; Justice, then, must be satisfied, and we must exercise it against ourselves. The Lives of the Saints will be of great help to us in this, for they will teach us how we are to look upon sin, how to avoid it, and how strictly we are bouud to do penance for it, after having committed it.

During the reign of the Emperor Licinius, and under the presidency of Agricolaus, the city of Sebaste, in Armenia, was honoured by being made the scene of the martyrdom of forty soldiers, whose faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and patience in bearing tortures, were so glorious. After having been frequently confined in a horrid dungeon, shackled with chains, and having had their faces beaten with stones, they were condemned to pass a most bitter winter night in the open air, and on a frozen pool, that they might be frozen to death. When there, they united in this prayer: "Forty have we entered on "the battle; let us, O Lord, "receive Forty Crowns, and suffer not our number to be broken. The number is an honoured one, for thou didst fast for forty days, and the divine law was given to the world after the same number of days was observed. Elias, too, sought God by a forty days' fast, and was permitted to see Him." Thus did they pray.

All the guards, except one, were asleep. He overheard their prayer, and saw them encircled with light, and Angels coming down from heaven, like messengers sent by a King, who distributed crowns to thirty-nine of the soldiers. Whereupon, he thus said to himself: There are "forty men; where is the "fortieth crown?" Whilst thus pondering, one of the number lost his courage; he could bear the cold no longer, and threw himself into a warm bath, which had been put near at hand. His saintly companions were exceedingly grieved at this. But God would not suffer their prayer to be void. The sentinel, astonished at what he had witnessed, went immediately and awoke the guards; then, taking off his garments, he cried out, with a loud voice, that he was a Christian, and associated himself with the Martyrs. No sooner did the governor's guards perceive that the sentinel had also declared himself to be a Christian, than they approached the Martyrs, and, with clubs, broke their legs.

All died under this torture except Melitho, who was the youngest of the forty. His mother, who was present, seeing that he was still living after his legs were broken, thus encouraged him: "My son, be patient yet awhile. Lo! Christ is at the door, helping thee." But, as soon as she saw the other bodies being placed on carts, that they might be thrown on the pile, and her son left behind (for the impious men hoped, that, if the boy survived, he might be induced to worship the idols,) she lifted him up into her arms, and, summing up all her strength, ran after the waggons, on which the Martyrs' bodies werebeing carried. Melithon died in his mother's arms, and the holy woman threw his body on the pile, where the other martyrs were, that as he had been so united with them in faith and courage, he might be one with them in burial, and go to heaven in their company. As soon as the bodies were burnt, the pagans threw what remained into a river. The relics miraculously flowed to one and the same place, just as they were when they were taken from the pile. The Christians took them, and respectfully buried them.

Valiant Soldiers of Christ! who meet us, with your mysterious number, at this commencement of our Forty Days' Fast,--receive the homage of our devotion. Your memory is venerated throughout the whole Church, and your glory is great in heaven. Though engaged in the service of an earthly Prince, you were the Soldiers of the Eternal King: to Him were you faithful, and from Him did you receive your crown of eternal glory. We, also, are his Soldiers; we are fighting for the kingdom of heaven. Our enemies are many and powerful; but, like you, we can conquer them, if, like you, we use the arms which God has put in our hands. Faith in God's word, hope in His assistance, humility, and prudence,--with these, we are sure of victory.

Pray for us, O Holy Martyrs, that we may keep from all compromise with our enemies; for our defeat is certain, if we try to serve two masters. During these Forty Days, we must put our arms in order, repair our lost strength, and renew our engagements; come to our assistance, and get us a share in your brave spirit. A crown is also prepared for us: it is to be won on easier terms than yours, and yet we shall lose it, unless we keep up within us an esteem for our vocation. How many times, in our past lives, have we not forfeited that glorious crown? But God, in his mercy, has offered it to us again, and we are resolved on winning it. Oh! for the glory of our common Lord and Master, make intercession for us.