ST POLYCHRONIUS, BISHOP OF BABYLON, MARTYR - 17 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

 Saints celebrated on the 17th of February

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 POLYCHRONIUS, BISHOP OF BABYLON, MARTYR 

Saint Polychronius, bishop and martyr appears under very different names in the martyrologies. Besides the name Polychronius there are also: Polochronius, Polocronius and Pologronius. 

DECIUS CONQUERED PERSIA

He was bishop of Babylon. The story of his torture is distorted by later additions. The following has been established beyond doubt: When the emperor Decius (in power since 249) defeated the Persians, he occupied many cities and killed many Christians. 

"BEFORE DEMONS... WE DO NOT BOW OUR HEADS"

In the city of Babylon he met the bishop Polychronius with the priests Parmenius, Elymas, Chrysotelus (Chysotelus) and the deacons Lucas and Mucius. He had them captured and ordered them to sacrifice to the gods. The holy bishop Polychronius said: 'We offer ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ; but before demons, these images made by human hands, we do not bow our heads”. 

HE DID NOT SAY A WORD

The bishop was then put in prison with his clergy. In the interrogation that followed, the saint did not speak a word, which is why he was hit repeatedly on the mouth with stones, with great force and for a long period of time - until he gave up the ghost with his hands and eyes raised to heaven. His martyrdom occurred in A.D. 251. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints)

FROM THE ROMAN MARTYROLOGY

Here the corresponding entry in the Roman Martyrology on this day:

"In Persia, during the persecution of Decius, the birthday of blessed Polychronius, bishop of Babylon, who, being struck in the mouth with stones, stretched out his hands, lifted up his eyes to Heaven, and expired."