The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Actus et visio martyrum Luci Montani et ceterorum comitum quod est X kal. Iunii

'The acts and vision of the martyrs Lucius, Montanus, and their companions, which took place on the 10th day before the Kalends of June [23 May]'


First part: The letter of the martyrs from prison to the Church of Carthage

1. (…) Qua ui, qua ratione hic amor, hoc officium ad has nos inpulit litteras ut fratribus post futuris et magnificentiae Dei fidele testimonium et laboris ad tolerantiam nostri per Dominum memoriam relinqueremus !

‘The power of love and duty have obliged us to write this letter, so that we can leave to future brothers a faithful testimony of God’s magnificence and the record of our labours and sufferings undertaken for the Lord’.

2. Post popularem tumultum quem ferox uulgus in necem praesidis concitarat, postque sequentis diei in acerrimam persecutionem Christianorum praeuaricatam uiolentiam, adprehensi sumus Lucius, Montanus Flauianus, Iulianus, Victoricus, Primolus, Renus et Donatianus cathecuminus, qui baptizatus in carcere statim reddidit, ab aquae baptismo ad martyrii coronam inmaculato itinere festinans.

‘There was a popular riot of the defiant people who wanted to kill the governor. In the following days most cruel violence raged against the Christians. We: Lucius, Montanus, Flavianus, Julianus, Victoricus, Primolus, Renus and Donatianus, were arrested; Donatianus was only a catechumen, and was baptised in the prison, going quickly by an immaculate path from the water of baptism to the crown of martyrdom’.

3. The authors describe how the governor wanted to have them burned alive; however, the fire that had been prepared was miraculously extinguished by rain, analogous to the miraculous delivery of the Three Youth in the Book of Daniel:

Et incumbentes precibus adsiduis tota fide statim quod petebamus accepimus: accensus paene in exitium nostrae carnis ignis extinctus est et flamma caminorum ardentium dominico rore sopita est. Nec difficile credentibus fuit noua posse ad uetera exempla contingere, domino in spiritu pollicente, quia qui gloriam istam operatus est in tribus pueris, uincebat in nobis.

‘We were constant in our prayers, with all trust, and immediately we obtained what we were asking for. When the fire had just been lit to destroy our bodies, it went out, and the flames of the blazing ovens were put to sleep by the Lord’s dew. It was not difficult for the believers to link these new miracles to old examples, as the Lord promised in His Spirit, and He who worked that glory for the Three Youths was victorious with us.'

4. The martyrs are thrown into prison.

5. One of them, Renus, has a dream-vision. He himself and his companions are marching with lighted lamps, which symbolised following Christ.

6. The martyrs are interrogated by the procurator (standing in for the dead proconsul). This ends in ‘the defeat of the devil’. The martyrs are conducted back to the prison, where several of them suffer through malnourishment.

7. One of them, the presbyter Victor, has a vision: A young boy entered the prison, his face was resplendent, He comforted the prisoners, saying to them “I am with you”, and promising them the most glorious crown. Victor demands a sign he can show to his companions. He is denied a vision of paradise, being told that faith should be enough, but is told to tell his companions about the ‘sign of Jacob’.

8. A woman called Quartillosa, whose husband and son were martyred three days earlier has a vision. She first saw her son sitting on the edge of a large watering trough (aquarium). Then a very tall young man appeared with two cups of milk, and gave it to everyone to drink.

9. Lucius is able to bring some more supplies to the prison, through subdeacon Herennianus and catechumen Ianuarius.

10. The authors reflect on the mutual harmony and charity between the Christians.

11. After a disagreement between Iulianus and Montanus, Montanus describes a vision in which the martyrs are guided towards an immense field, where they meet *Cyprian (bishop and martyr of Carthage, S0411) and *Leucius (probably the bishop of Theveste, executed in Carthage in 258/259, S03087). Everyone is in resplendent vestments, but there are stains on that of Montanus; Lucianus explains to Montanus that this is because of not having reconciled with Iulianus in time. The letter ends here.


Second part: the anonymous account

12. The account of martyrdom continues, especially as Flavianus personally asked for it to be written down, before he died. After several months all the prisoners are brought back to judgement. All confess to be Christians, but the advocates of Flavianus claim that he is not a deacon. Therefore Lucius, Montanus, Iulianus and Victoricus are condemned, and Flavianus is sent back to prison.

13. The martyrs are conducted to the place of execution. Many pagans and Christians, who owe their faith to the teaching of Cyprian, attend. In their humility, Lucius and his companions mutually ask each other for prayer:

Cui cum dicerent fratres: “Memento nostri!”. “Vos”, inquit, “mei mementote”. Quanta martyris humilitas, de gloria sua nec soli nec sub ipsa passione praesumere!

‘The brothers were saying to Lucius: “Remember us”, and he responded: “You remember me!”. Behold the humility of the martyr, who would not take his glory for granted himself even at the moment of his martyrdom.'

14. Montanus firmly admonishes the idolaters, the heretics and those who had lapsed back into paganism:

Haereticorum quoque superbam et inprobam contumaciam retundebat, contestans eos ut uel de copia martyrum intellegerent ecclesiae ueritatem, ad quam redire deberent. Deinde lapsorum abruptam festinantiam, negationem pacis, ad plenam paenitentiam et Christi sententiam differebat, nec non integros quoque ad tutelam integritatis exhortans.

‘He checked the pride and wicked stubbornness of the heretics, indicating that at least they should understand the truth of the Church, to which they should return, from the abundance of its martyrs. Then he criticised the precipitous haste of those who had lapsed, putting off granting them peace until full penitence and the sentence of Christ, and also exhorted the unsullied to the safety of integrity.'

He asks for the unity of the Christian leaders.

15. When Montanus is at the point of being beheaded, he prays that Flavianus can follow him soon. He divides the band with which his eyes are to be covered and asks to keep the second part for Flavianus. Indeed, Flavianus will be executed two days later. Montanus also orders that a place is reserved for the burial of Flavianus, so their bodies will not be separated.

16. For now, Flavianus is conducted back to prison. On his way there, he is comforted by his mother, called by the author “Machabeic mother”, who also strives to see his martyrdom.

17. When they arrive at the prison gate, it takes considerably more time than usually to open it. Flavianus finally can come in, and spends his last days full of hope and trust.

Dicam quod sentio: dies ille post biduum tertius non quasi passionis sed quasi resurrectionis dies sustinebatur, admirans denique turba gentilium qui uocem Montani petentis audierant.

‘I will say what I feel: this third day was expected not as the day of suffering, but as the day of resurrection; even the crowd of pagans admired Flavianus, when they heard his prayers.'

18. Flavianus is finally conducted to the praetorium, this being a cause of joy for him and for everyone.

19. The author says that he was there, holding the hand of Flavianus. Meanwhile the disciples of Flavianus try to convince him to offer sacrifice and save his life. He responds that he is more afraid of the ‘second death’, and that even pagans affirm it to be foolish to be more afraid of death than of life.

20. Flavianus is against interrogated in front of the tribunal, he confirms that he is a deacon and he is finally sentenced to death.

21. Flavianus charged the author personally to produce this account. He wants him to add the account of his visions, from the last days to what he has already written down himself. He describes one of them: after the death of Cyprian, Flavianus asked him in a vision whether the fatal blow was painful.

Qui mihi respondit et dixit : Alia caro patitur cum animus in caelo est, nec quicquam corpus hoc sentit cum se Deo tota mente deuouit.

‘And [Cyprian] answered me and said: a different flesh suffers when one's spirit is in heaven, and the body does not feel anything when one devotes oneself with all one's mind to God.’

Flavianus later sees another man who tells him not to be sad, because he has confessed twice, and at the third occasion, he will be martyred with the sword. He has another vision, of Bishop *Successus (S03088), martyred earlier. Successus is hardly recognisable, as mortal eyes are pierced by his angelic splendour. Successus announces to Flavianus that he will be conducted to martyrdom immediately, and this indeed happens. Flavianus is conducted to martyrdom by two soldiers. A crowd of soldiers accompany him, among them his mother, who cries:

Laudate, laudate, quia nemo sic martyrium duxit.

‘Give praise, give praise, for nobody has marched to martyrdom in this way.’

22. The author agrees with this opinion, given how many people, among them priests, escorted him as if he was a military chief. This was to show that the martyr was to reign together with God.

Sed nec de caelo testimonium defuit. Imber largus et lenis temperato rore descendens fluebat ad multa proficiens : primo ut gentiles perniciter curiosos interuentu pluuiae refrenaret, tunc deinde ut diuertendi daretur occasio ut sacramentis legitimae pacis nullus profanus arbiter interesset, et, quod Flauianus ipse ore suo dixit, ad hoc pluebat ut dominicae passionis exemplo aqua sanguini iungeretur.

‘Even the heavens witnessed it. An abundant rain began to fall, and the downpour was mild and moderate, which was very useful. Firstly, the curiosity of the pagans was restrained by the downpour. Then, the outsiders were diverted by it and no profane witness saw the sacrament of the legitimate peace. Finally, as Flavianus himself said, because of the rain, water could be mixed with blood, as happened at the Lord’s Passion.’

23. Flavianus is eventually conducted to his death. Before it, he exhorts the faithful to keep unity. As his testament, he indicates that the presbyter Lucianus should become bishop.

O martyrum gloriosa documenta! O testium Dei experimenta praeclara, quae ad memoriam posterorum merito conscripta sunt, ut quemadmodum de scripturis ueteribus exempla, dum discimus, sumimus, etiam de nouis aliqua discamus.

‘O most glorious example of the martyrs! O most illustrious trials of the witnesses of God! They were written down for the memory of future generations so, just as we learn when we take examples from the ancient writings, so we can learn something from new ones.’


Text: F. Dolbeau.
Summary and translation: Stanisław Adamiak.

Miracle at martyrdom and death
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Power over elements (fire, earthquakes, floods, weather)

Unbaptized Christians
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy
Relatives of the saint

Considerations about the veneration of saints

Source

Discussion

Bibliography