Saint Symphorosa and her seven sons

Symphorosa lived in Tivoli with her seven sons, and used her income, which was considerable, to relieve the poor, and especially the Christians who were suffering for the faith. She was the widow of Getulius or Zoti Gétule ou Zotique Husband of Symphorosa, tribune and martyr. cus, who had received the crown of martyrdom with his b rother Amance Brother of Getulius and martyr. Amantius, and who is honored on June 10. After the death of both, Symphorosa buried their bodies. As she desired nothing more than to see the moment arrive when she would be reunited with them in glory with her sons, she prepared herself continually to follow them through the practice of good works.

Hadrian, whose superstition had been alarmed by the response of his gods or their priests, had Symphorosa and her sons brought before him. Symphorosa came with joy, praying for herself and for her children, and asking God for the grace to generously confess His holy name. The emperor first spoke to them with gentleness and urged them in a pressing manner to sacrifice.

Symphorosa replied to him in the name of all: "Getulius, my husband, and his brother Amantius, both tribunes in your troops, suffered various torments for the name of Jesus Christ rather than sacrifice to idols; they conquered your demons by their death, preferring to let their heads be cut off than to yield to your efforts. The death they suffered appeared shameful in the eyes of men; but it filled them with glory among the angels; they currently enjoy in heaven a life that will never end."

The emperor, changing his tone, said to her with severity: "If you do not sacrifice with your sons, I will have you all offered as a sacrifice to our powerful gods." — Symphorosa: "Your gods cannot receive me as a sacrifice; but, if I am burned for the name of Jesus Christ, my death will increase the torments that your demons suffer in the flames. Could I hope for the happiness of being offered as a sacrifice, with my children, to the living and true God?" — Hadrian: "Either sacrifice to my gods, or you will all perish miserably." — Symphorosa: "Do not believe that fear can make me change; I desire to be reunited in the place of rest with my husband, whom you put to death for the name of Jesus Christ."

Then Hadrian had Symphoros a led to t Symphorose Christian widow and martyr at Tivoli under Hadrian. he temple of Hercules, where her face was bruised by blows; she was then suspended by her hair. In this position, she implored her children to imitate her and to suffer the torments joyfully for Jesus Christ; to remember the death of their father by making themselves imitators of his courage, to consider that she was their mother, who was dying before their eyes, and to believe assuredly that the torments are not as cruel as they appear, and that the reward one receives from them is greater than the human mind can comprehend. As she remained unshakable in the midst of her torments, the emperor ordered that she be thrown into the river with a large stone around her neck. Her brother Eugenius, who was one of th e lead Eugène Brother of Symphorosa and member of the council of Tibur. ers of the council of Tibur, retrieved her body and buried it on the road, near the city.

The next day, Hadrian ordered that the seven sons of Symphorosa be brought to him all at once. Having uselessly employed exhortations and threats to win them over, he had seven stakes planted around the temple of Hercules, where they were stretched with pulleys. They were tightened with such violence that their bones were dislocated in several parts of their bodies. Far from yielding to the cruelty of the tortures, they encouraged one another and showed themselves more eager for suffering than the executioners were ardent to torment them. Finally, the emperor commanded that they be put to death each in the plac e where Crescent Disciple of Saint Paul and presumed evangelizer of Vienne. he was. Crescent, the eldest of all, had his throat cut; the second, named Julian, received a dagger blow to the chest; Nemesius had his heart pierced with a lance; Primitivus was struck in the stomach; Justin had his loins broken; Stacteus had his sides opened; Eugenius, the youngest, was split from top to bottom.

The next day, Hadrian came to the temple of Hercules, had a deep pit dug, and ordered that the bodies of the martyrs be thrown into it. The pagan priests named this place the seven biothanati, that is to say, the seven victims of violent death.

The persecution having ceased, the Christians breathed for about eighteen months. During this interval, they rendered to the relics of the martyrs the honor that was due to them, and buried them on the Via Tiburtina, halfway between Rome and Tivoli. One can still see some remains of a church that was built under their invocation, in a place that bears the name of the seven brothers (Cette-Frate, nine miles from Rome). A pop e named Etienne Pope who transferred the bodies of martyrs to Rome. Stephen transported their bodies to Rome, to the church of Sant'Angelo. They were found there under the pontificate of Pius IV, with the following inscription, written on a lead plate: "Here rest the bodies of the holy martyrs Symphorosa, Getulius her husband, and their children, who were transported by Pope Stephen."

She is represented with her seven children before her, all holding the palm of martyrdom in their hands. — She is also sometimes seen suspended by her hair, and encouraging her children to martyrdom.

Taken from their sincere acts, published by Dom Eulnart. — Cf. Godescard, Baillet, Ribadeneira.