ST EUSEBIUS OF PALESTINE, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 14 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 14th of August

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST EUSEBIUS OF PALESTINE, PRIEST AND MARTYR 

In the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, Eusebius, a holy priest, a man eminently endowed with the spirit of prayer, and all apostolical virtues, suffered death for the faith in Palestine.

HE WAS APPREHENDED FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN

The emperor Maximian happening to be in that country, an information was lodged with Maxentius, president of the province, against Eusebius, that he distinguished himself by his zeal in invoking and preaching Christ, and the holy man was apprehended, and brought before him. 

Maxentius, whom the people stirred up by furious clamours against the servant of Christ, said to him: "Sacrifice to the gods freely, or you shall be made to do it against your will." The martyr replied: "There is a greater law which says, Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve." 

"LORD JESUS PRESERVE ME"

Upon this, Maxentius ordered that he should be stretched on the rack, and his sides rent with iron hooks. Eusebius repeated whilst he was tormenting: "Lord Jesus preserve me. Whether we live or die, we are yours." The president was amazed at his constancy and fortitude, and after some time, commanded that he should be taken off the rack. Then he said to him: "Do you know the decree of the senate, which commands all to sacrifice to the gods?" Eusebius answered: "The command of God is to take place before that of man." 

"THE COMMAND OF GOD IS TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE THAT OF MAN"

Eusebius walked out with a constancy and joy painted in his countenance which struck the prefect and the by-standers with amazement, and the prefect called after him: "You run to an unnecessary death; your obstinacy astonishes me. Change your mind." Maxentius therefore said to his guards and keepers: "Let him be confined till tomorrow." 

THE MARTYRS STRUCK WITH A SECRET AWE THOSE WHO TORMENTED THEM

The next day, he was to be beheaded. Eusebius, hearing the sentence pronounced, said aloud: "I thank your goodness, and praise your power, O Lord Jesus Christ, that by calling me to the trial of my fidelity, you have treated me as one of yours." Being come to the place of execution, he knelt down, and his head was struck off. His soul flew to Christ. 

The martyrs, by their meek constancy, vanquished the fiercest tyrants, and haughty lords of the world; they struck with a secret awe those who tormented them. 

(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)