ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 2nd of December
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| A page of one of Fortunatus Hueber's Saints' books, "Stammenbuch..." (1693) |
All the saints mentioned here suffered during the time of the Valerian persecution of Christians, around the year 255. At that time Saint Hippolytus lived as a Christian in a grotto not far from the city of Rome.
Saint Hippolytus had a sister named Paulina, who was married to a certain Adrias, to whom she bore a boy Neon and a daughter Mary. Both parents were pagans. The uncle took these children into instruction and education, but did not have them baptised immediately, nor did he send them to their parents. He hoped that they too would come to him one day and he could win them over to Christianity.
The priest Eusebius and the deacon Marcellus visited the parents and spoke strongly to their hearts. Adrias and Paulina were attracted to Christianity, but their fear of trouble with the pagan government outweighed their motives.
A while later, Eusebius happened to baptise a child suffering from gout, which was thereupon restored to health, and this brought about the conversion of Adrias and Paulina, who also soon had their children baptised; they also received the sacraments of the altar and that of confirmation by pope Saint Stephen, and so did the parents.
At last the Emperor Valerian got word of this and had them taken prisoner by Maximus. But an evil spirit entered into Maximus, from which the holy prisoners, in turn, freed him. Following this experience, he himself asked pope Stephen for baptism. When he freely and openly confessed to the emperor that he was now also a Christian, the latter threw him off the bridge into the Tiber. Eusebius found the body and buried it on January.
Soon after, Adrias and Paulina were thrown into the Mamertine dungeon with their children, along with Eusebius, Hippoytus, and Marcellus. After three days they were brought out in order to show them the tortures that awaited them if they remained Christians, but they remained steadfast. Paulina died at the hands of the henchmen. After torture, Eusebius and Marcellus were decapitated on October 20. Adrias and his children were tortured with Hippolytus, then Neon and Mary were beheaded in front of their father, after which Adrias and Hippolytus gave up the ghost during a gruesome flagellation.
All were then buried by another deacon named Hippolytus. In the Roman Martyrology* the following holy martyrs are also mentioned: Martana or Maria and Aurelia, her daughter. They are relatives of Adrias, came to Rome only nine months after his death and rejoiced in the Lord over his happy consummation. After 13 years they found their resting place next to him.
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861, pp. 125-26)
*A hagiography source used by the authors
Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Eusebius, Marcellus, Hippolytus, and Companions may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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