Saint Apollonius

Apollonius was highly distinguished for his merit in literature and philosophy. Scarcely had he known the truth when he studied Holy Scripture with as much success as ardor. He was living quietly in the practice of good works when one of his slaves, named Severus, accused him o f bein Sévère Slave of Apollonius who denounced him as a Christian. g a Christian before Perennis, the praetor Pérennis Praetorian prefect who judged Apollonius. ian prefect. The slave had his legs broken and was condemned to death, in accordance with an edict of Marcus Aurelius, who had pronounced the death penalty against the accusers of Christians, although he had not revoked the laws previously enacted against the latter.

Regar ding Apoll Apollonius Roman senator and Christian philosopher, martyr under Commodus. onius, the prefect strongly exhorted him to abandon Christianity in order to preserve his life and fortune. The Saint showed through his responses that he would not become an apostate. His constancy being unshakable, Perennis referred the sénat Roman political institution before which Apollonius appeared. case to the Senate so that the accused might give an account of his faith there. Apollonius delivered an excellent speech in full Senate in favor of the Christian religion. Unfortunately, this document has not reach ed us. We le saint Jérôme Father of the Church and author of the original biography of Saint Asella. arn from Saint Jerome, who had read it, that elegance and solidity were combined there with a profound knowledge of sacred and profane literature. The Saint, still persisting in his initial resolution, was condemned by a decree of the Senate to lose his head. His martyrdom occurred around the year 180.

Nothing is stranger than the jurisprudence of the Romans in relation to the Christians. Proof of this is found in the edict of Marcus Aurelius, which we have just mentioned, and in the response of Trajan to Pliny the Younger, which forbade the searching for Christians while simultaneously ordering them to be condemned if they were brought to justice for their religion. "What inconsiste Tertullien Christian author cited for his critique of Roman jurisprudence. ncy," said Tertullian on this subject. "How is it that you are contrary to yourselves? If you judge that we must be punished, why do you not approve of us being sought out? And if it seems to you that we should not be sought out, why do you not pronounce our absolution?" Quid temetipaum censura circumvenis? Si damnas, cur non et inquiris? Si non inquiris, cur non et absoicis?

We will not deny Marcus Aurelius moral virtues and several of the qualities that make great princes, but for all his supposed moderation, he did not like the Christians, as can be seen from a work of his that we still possess. Moreover, there was in his character a fund of weakness that is difficult to reconcile with the wisdom attributed to him. His love for philosophy degenerated into a ridiculous fanaticism. Was it fitting for a Roman emperor to go, at an advanced age, with his book like a schoolboy, to listen to the lessons of the philosopher Sextus? After the miraculous victory he won over the Quadi in 174, he published an edict in favor of the Christians; but this edict did not produce all the effect that it was natural to expect from it. If Commodus, his son and successor, did not persecute the Christians, he abandoned them without defense to the Senate, which hated them. There were even emperors who were naturally peaceful who appeared to have declared themselves against Christianity only to gain the esteem of the Senate, which was always highly regarded. The purpose of these observations has been to show that there were martyrs even under emperors who are considered not to have been persecutors.

It is objected, against the truth of the story of Saint Apollonius, that it is not credible that his slave would have accused him. How, it is said, could this slave have determined himself to an action that was punishable by death? To this we answer: 1° The accuser could have been ignorant of the prince's edict, or at least persuaded himself that he had nothing to fear from it; 2° the hope of obtaining freedom, or some other reward, could have animated and emboldened him; 3° perhaps powerful pagans encouraged him and flattered him with their protection, in case he were pursued; 4° it is very likely that he wished to curry favor with certain influential persons; it is known that such people are not always displeased to have informers. These are only conjectures, but very plausible conjectures. Furthermore, we have drawn what we have said about Saint Apollonius from the purest sources.

To return to the informers, their maneuvers and their perjuries made them detested in Rome. Tacitus c alls Rome Birthplace of Maximian. them genus hominum publico exitio refertum, et pœnis numquam satis coercitum — a race of men crushed under the weight of public opprobrium and whom one could never sufficiently punish. — Titus, Nerva, and Trajan had issued very severe edicts against them; and when Saint Cyprian was required to name the saint Cyprien Bishop of Carthage cited as an example for his refusal to appoint his priests. priests of Carthage, he replied that informers were condemned by Roman laws.

In the case in question here, the senate could condemn Saint Apollonius, in consequence of the rescript of Trajan to Pliny the Younger, or of ancient edicts that had not been revoked; but it also wished to punish the slave to intimidate informers. Moreover, Roman laws decreed the death penalty against a slave who accused his master.

Drawn f rom Eu Eusèbe Church historian and primary source. sebius, Hist., bk. v, ch. 21; from Saint Jerome, Cat., ch. 42; from Tertullian, Apol.