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Clearly
Roman Christians were offered a swift, painless death, while their non-Roman compatriots were made to withstand a much slower torture. At risk of playing devil’s advocate, from Romans’ perspective Christians were disobedient and avoided specific questions governor asked them. For example, during his trial, Sanctus was severely tortured but stood up to onslaughts. When asked, he didn’t tell governor his name, race, birthplace, nationality, or whether “he was a slave or free”. Instead, to every question he replied that he was a Christian. (142) Pothinus, when asked who Christians’ god was, replied “If you are a fit person, you shall know”. (143) And Alexander, when asked what name God had, he replied “God hasn’t a name like a man”. (146) The governor had also asked who Alexander was, to which Alexander replied “I am a Christian”. (146) The martyrs perceived these answers as a testimony to their faith, but Romans perceived them as antagonistic; governor would lose his temper and patience each time a Christian declared his or her faith (a rejection of Roman gods), or answered his questions in riddles. The Romans were not getting results they wanted from Christians (conformity to Roman gods instead of Christ) due to what they considered to be Christians’ insubordination and would thus send them “to ranks of martyrs”.
If there is one thing writer of this account wants us to realize is apparent superhuman strength Christians displayed while enduring most abominable punishments and tortures inflicted upon them. They remained unbending and unyielding to Romans, firm in their confessions of faith and noble and heroic in their actions. (139, 141) The strength they found seemed to come from another world, for punishments writer describes is enough to make even strongest person quiver with fright:
Again they ran gauntlet of whips…they were mauled by beasts…culminating in iron chair which roasted their flesh and suffocated them with reek. (144)
This strength not only enabled each Christian to individually endure impossible, it also strengthened resistance of Christians who were watching, encouraging them on to Christ’s glory: …the endurance of blessed saints, strengthened by Lord and fortified in body and soul, stimulating and encouraging rest. (143)
But Blandina was hung on a post and exposed as food for wild beasts let loose in arena. She looked as if she was hanging in form of a cross, and through her ardent prayers she stimulated great enthusiasm in those undergoing their ordeal, who in their agony saw with their outward eyes in person of their sister One who was crucified for them. (145)
I felt a sense of urgency from this writer; as he was describing each account, he was quick to point out several times how martyrs were hastening to their deaths with a sense of purpose and resolve, filled with an almost unworldly bliss as their paths wound closer to one they called Master:
…they made light of their heavy load as they hastened to Christ. (139)
…they made a full confession of their testimony with greatest eagerness. (140)
The faithful stepped out with a happy smile, wondrous glory and grace blended on their faces. (144)
Attalus too was loudly demanded by mob, as he was a man of note. He strode in, ready for fray, for he had trained hard in school of Christ. (145)
Attalus’ actions, that he “strode in”, imply defiance and steadfast faith martyr had in his God, actions Romans again found infuriating. Some of Attalus’ fellow Christians reacted in same manner:
Day after day they had been taken into watch rest being punished, and attempts were mad to make them swear by heathen idols. When they stood firm and treated these efforts with contempt, mob was infuriated with them. (147)
The Christian community’s members shared a common bond in Christ that gave them a sense of brotherhood; they treated each other with love and support. This bond, along with belief that they were gaining Christ’s approval for not denying Him in face of agony, enabled group to stand up to Roman authorities with courage and resolve, acknowledging not only support of one another, but that of Christ himself:
…as [Vettius] showed by fullness of his love when he gladly laid down his own life in defense of his brother Christians. (140)
With all horrible torture and death Romans inflicted on Christian community in Lyons and Vienne, one is led to believe author blamed them for Christians’ pain and suffering. This is not case. Evidence of writer’s target is made obvious in first few sentences of report:
The adversary swooped on us with all his might, giving us now a foretaste of his advent, which undoubtedly is imminent. (139)
He left no stone unturned in his efforts to train his adherents and equip them to attack servants of God. (139)
Hence, it was not necessarily Romans inflicting punishments, but rather an unseen yet potent evil spirit, a being Christians would call their adversary, Satan, or Devil, that was influencing Romans’ actions. In text there were many references regarding how Christians were “handed over to punishment by they devil”, endured onslaught of “evil one”, ensnared by “Satan”, and how they “unhesitatingly declared their faith without one thought for devil’s promptings. (139,141, 147) These statements make clear that although Romans themselves were doing slaughtering, Satan was in fact influencing them to do so.
Vienne and Lyons, Roman-occupied cities in second century A.D., hosted some of most gruesome spectacles in history of Christian church. The small community that confessed Christ as their Lord was mercilessly mauled and slaughtered because its beliefs were considered offensive to Roman gods and its actions insubordinate to city authorities. The writer of these accounts considered Satan, adversary, to be extremely active in these tortures, influencing Roman authorities to send Christians to their deaths, martyring them in name of One they worshiped. The martyrs endured each punishment with resistance, strength of conviction, and joy, so much so that reader is left to marvel at faith they had in their Christ, faith that was so profound that it has lasted for 2,000 years.
*This article has been reprinted on www.outofthecube.com.
REFERENCES
1. Eusebius: The History of Church from Christ to Constantine. Translated by G.A. Williamson. Penguin Books, 1965. pp. 139-148
About the Author Kathy Simcox, Columbus, Ohio, United States hrdude28@hotmail.com
