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Vie des Saints

le 21 avril 2018 Publié dans Formations. Affichages : 0

Lives of the Saints

Saints Lucian and Marcian
, magicians and later Christian martyrs († 250)

Lucian and Marcian, born into the darkness of idolatry, were passionate about the study of magic. But they were converted when they saw that their spells had no effect on a Christian virgin, and that evil spirits were vanquished by the power of the sign of the cross. No sooner had their eyes been opened to the light of the Gospel than they burnt their books of magic in the very heart of the city of Nicomedia.

Having cleansed themselves of their sins through baptism, they distributed their possessions to the poor and withdrew into solitude, so that through the practice of prayer and self-denial, they might subdue their passions, strengthen themselves in the resolutions they had made to protect themselves more securely from danger, and more easily avoid the temptations to which one is exposed in the world, until their virtue was firmly established.

When they had spent a considerable time in this manner, they began to preach Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, so that they might share in the grace they had received.

When Decius’s edict against the Christians was issued in Bithynia in the year 250, they were arrested and brought before the proconsul Sabinus. When the proconsul asked Lucian by what authority he preached Jesus Christ, he replied that every man ought to strive to lead his brothers out of error. Marcian made no less generous a profession of his faith. The judge ordered that they be stretched out on the rack.

‘Whilst we were worshipping idols,’ said Lucian and Marcian to him, ‘we committed many crimes; we publicly indulged in the abominations of sorcery, without being subjected to any punishment: yet now that we have become Christians and are fulfilling our duties as good citizens, we are subjected to barbaric tortures. ’ The proconsul, threatening to make them suffer even more, Marcien replied: ‘We are ready to suffer whatever you please; but we shall not renounce the true God, lest He cast us into a fire that will never be quenched.’

No sooner had he finished speaking than Sabinus condemned them both to be burnt alive. They went joyfully to the place of execution. They breathed their last amidst the flames, praising and blessing the Lord.

 

 

Saints Lucian and Marcian

Magiciens, puis martyrs chrétiens († 250)

Lucien and Marcien, born into the darkness of idolatry, were passionate about the study of magic. But they were converted when they saw that their spells had no effect on a Christian virgin, and that evil spirits were vanquished by the power of the sign of the cross. No sooner had their eyes been opened to the light of the Gospel than they burnt their books of magic in the very heart of the city of Nicomedia.

Having cleansed themselves of their sins through baptism, they distributed their possessions to the poor and withdrew into solitude, so that through the practice of prayer and self-denial, they might subdue their passions, strengthen themselves in the resolutions they had made to protect themselves more securely from danger, and more easily avoid the temptations to which one is exposed in the world, until their virtue was firmly established.

When they had spent a considerable time in this manner, they began to preach Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, so that they might share in the grace they had received.

When Decius’s edict against the Christians was issued in Bithynia in the year 250, they were arrested and brought before the proconsul Sabinus. When the proconsul asked Lucian by what authority he preached Jesus Christ, he replied that every man ought to strive to deliver his brothers from error. Marcian made no less a generous profession of his faith. The judge ordered that they be stretched out on the rack.

‘Whilst we were worshipping idols,’ said Lucian and Marcian to him, ‘we committed many crimes; we publicly indulged in the abominations of sorcery, without being subjected to any punishment: yet now that we have become Christians and fulfil the duties of good citizens, we are subjected to barbaric tortures. ’ The proconsul, threatening to make them suffer even more, Marcien replied: ‘We are ready to suffer whatever you please; but we shall not renounce the true God, lest He cast us into a fire that will never be quenched.’

No sooner had he finished speaking than Sabinus condemned them both to be burnt alive. They went joyfully to the place of execution. They breathed their last amidst the flames, praising and blessing the Lord.