The Tenth Day

Of the Month of December

The Passion of the Holy Martyrs

Menas, Hermogenes, and Eugraphus

During the reign, the emperors Diocletian and Maximian mercilessly shed much Christian blood, but failed to eradicate the holy faith. Reduced to perplexity by their lack of success and vanquished by the might of Christ manifested through the deeds of His holy martyrs and confessors, the two rulers in end abdicated the throne. They were succeeded by Maxentius, whose seat of power was in Rome itself; by Maximin, in the East; and by Constantine, ruler of Gaul, who later believed in Christ and enlightened the whole world. It was some time, however, before the persecution of the Christians came to an end, especially in the East where it seemed that even earth and sea were shaken and troubled, rising up against the Church of Christ. Yet despite every affliction, the Church grew and its strength increased: it was watered by the blood of the martyrs, which enabled it to blossom like a lily among thorns. Now the impious Emperor Maximin was a great zealot of godless polytheism and despised Christianity, which he persecuted ruthlessly. He was informed that the whole of Alexandria, the most renowned city of Egypt, was in turmoil because of disturbances that had arisen between the Christians, whose numbers were multiplying, and the pagans. Because affairs detained him in Byzantium, he was unable to go there himself, so he sent on of his nobles, a wise man from Athens named Menas, who was well educated in the learning of the Greeks and a skilled orator. Menas’ orders were to put down the disturbances in Alexandria, to punish those guilty of inciting the crowds, and to destroy every trace of Christianity in the city, compelling those who had forsaken impiety to return to the worship of the gods, and strengthening paganism in every way. Menas, who apparently held the same impious beliefs as the Emperor, accepted his orders. Secretly, however, he was the true Christian, kept God’s commandments, and was only awaiting the day when a divine call would summon him to undergo the struggle of martyrdom and be crowned.

Menas hurried to Alexandria, where he easily quelled the strife, reconciling Christian and pagan by his wise exhortations. He permitted every man to hold whatever faith he wished and then amended certain unjust laws by which the city was governed. This done, he informed the Emperor by letter of the completion of his mission. At the same time he concluded that the hour had come for him to confess openly his faith in Christ which he had formerly concealed, and to undergo the struggle of martyrdom, which had proved the path to salvation for so many others and made of them examples of piety. He said to himself, “If I wait for another time, I may suffer alone. At the moment, however, my position makes it likely that others will share my crown.” Thus it was that Menas began to glorify the name of Christ openly, teaching the holy faith to unbelievers, not only by words, but by deeds as well, for he was granted by Heaven power to heal diseases by calling upon the name of Christ and making the sign of the Cross over the sick.

One day, while walking through the city followed by a crowd of people, Menas noticed how many of those he passed by were lame, blind, deaf, possessed, or otherwise afflicted. After beseeching God that He manifest His might and convert the unbelievers, Menas began laying hands on the ill, calling upon the name of Christ as he did so. Everyone he touched immediately received healing: the blind saw, the dumb spoke, the lame bounded like deer, and demoniacs were freed from bondage to unclean spirits. Seeing this, the people were amazed, and many believed in Christ. When the saint had instructed them in the faith, they were numbered among the Christians. Yet even after this, those hardened in unbelief and blinded by evil paganism, sons of darkness who hated the light, continued to despise the honorable and abstinent way of life taught by the Christians. They persisted in keeping the heathen feasts beloved of the demons, when they ate, drank, and committed foul deeds. Maddened because the Christians mocked their deities and vile festivals, they secretly sent word to the Emperor, informing him the Menas believed in the crucified Galilean, was converting the Alexandrians to his faith, and that the temples of the ancient gods were emptied of worshippers. The Emperor was infuriated and summoned his nobles and counselors. He declared to them his complaint against Menas, explaining that instead of eliminating Christianity from Alexandria as ordered, he was doing everything possible to foster its growth. The nobles counseled Maximin to send to the city someone capable of correcting those perverted by Menas and convincing or compelling Menas himself to return to the gods. The man chosen, they said, should be known for his loyalty to the imperial authority and should be a person certain to perform efficiently every command given him. After some consideration they agreed on Hermogenes, the widely respected Eparch of Byzantium. They were certain he would successfully accomplish what the Emperor desired. Without delay Maximin gave Hermogenes a command of soldiers and dispatched him to Alexandria. Now Hermogenes was, like Menas, born in Athens and reared an impious idolater, but he was a good, kind man. Although he did not know Christ as the true God, he nevertheless honored Him by his deeds, doing by nature the things contained in the Law. One night, while sailing to Egypt with his troops, Hermogenes had a dream in which he saw three radiant men saying to him, “Know, Hermogenes, that God takes account of even the least good work; therefore, He has accepted your deeds, although they are not virtuous in every respect. It is His desire that your voyage, which was intended to bring about the death of many, should instead redound to your immortal glory and honor. Remember our words, for your true destination is the court of the eternal King. For our part, we will send you a helper, a friend of the Sovereign Who is blessed forever. He will assist you to win the King’s friendship and to gain honors far surpassing any your present ruler can bestow.” Hermogenes awoke, and in fear and amazement pondered what he had seen. He was uncertain what to do and thought that perhaps he would receive some decoration from an earthly king. Because the eyes of his heart had not yet been enlightened, he knew nothing of the King of heaven.

In a few days Hermogenes and his troops reached Alexandria. The Eparch disembarked and made a glorious entry into the city, to the sound of timbrel and trumpet. He was met by the entire population and escorted in honor to a beautiful palace. When evening fell and the people had dispersed, the blessed Menas presented himself. He wished to converse with Hermogenes in private about the one God and the one holy faith, believing that if he spoke with the Eparch alone, his words would more likely meet acceptance. “Glory to the one, great God Whose providence has brought you here!” he greeted Hermogenes.

No sooner had Menas revealed that he wished to talk privately, than the Eparch ordered that he be taken into custody. Several persons who served at court were standing nearby, and Hermogenes was afraid that they might report to the Emperor that he was holding secret conversations with an enemy of imperial authority. After Menas was seized, the Eparch turned to Maximin’s officials and declared, “Tomorrow that Galilean shall learn what sort of friend I am to the Emperor’s foes and discover whether there is one God or many!”

The next morning a judgment seat was moved to the arena, where a multitude of people gathered. Hermogenes, surrounded by his bodyguard, sat down and commanded that Saint Menas be brought before him. As Christ’s warrior was led to the tribunal, his soul was fearless and burned with zeal for God, and his face shone gloriously. The judge said to him, “All me, Menas, are obliged to show reverence for the Emperor and the deities worshipped by him. Every Roman should be grateful to the Emperor and the gods for the benefits their rule provides, but you revere neither and have forgotten their kindness to you.”

“Judge,” answered the saint, “we should indeed display gratitude toward our benefactors, until they begin to do us harm; then we should flee from them. Because God has entrusted rulers with authority, it is our sacred duty to respect them, but when they fail to show due reverence for the Lord, it is not right for us to continue to honor them. It is especially foolish to adore the deities worshipped by the Emperor without first ascertaining whether they possess the same might as the true God. Are they beginningless, eternal, and immortal? If they lack any of these attributes, they ought rather to be despised, for how can what is not perfect be divine?”

“One should attempt to learn Who is the true God, with earnest longing and a pure heart,” continued Menas. “You know, O judge, that while living in Athens I kept the laws handed down by our ancestors. I was still a youth when I left my parents to pursue the study of the Greek myths, to which I devoted myself with fervor and complete dedication. Learning that the Christians have their own sacred books, I wished to acquaint myself with them also. Having read them, I understood that they contain an indescribable wealth of profit for the soul. I compared the Christians Scriptures with the teachings of the pagans and found the differences between the two to be immeasurably great: in the first I discerned power and truth, in the second nothing but error and evil. The Christian Scriptures are worthy of God and reveal the might of Christ, while the sacred texts of the Greeks ascribe to the divine nature human weaknesses: passion and desires. They tell of little but lies, revelry, lust, and shamelessness. They depict the gods as fighting and conquering one another, and being wounded even by mortal men; they are full of innumerable falsehoods and fables. In a word, the Christian Scriptures lead one to salvation through knowledge of the truth, the heathen writings to certain damnation, plunging a man into the abyss of impiety, shameful passions, and error. Yet although the holy books of the Christians are clearly superior, I did not immediately begin to follow their teaching. To dispel every doubt in my mind as the truth of  Christ’s words, I decided to test His power. Encountering a paralytic, I called on Christ’s name, and the sick man was healed at once; whereupon, I acknowledged Jesus Christ to be the one almighty God, renounced the superstitions of the heathen, accepted Holy Baptism, and dedicated my life to the Lord. From then till now I have easily and quickly healed every illness by calling on Christ, something possible only with the assistance of God the Physician. Everyone here will witness to what I say. If you wish ,test my words.”

The saint spoke of Christ God from the third till the seventh hour of the day, and the whole time the people listened attentively. No one wished to see him suffer, and finally the crowd began shouting to Hermogenes, “Weary yourself no longer, good judge! We have seen the miracles Menas has worked by the power of Christ. Not a word he has said is false. If you had been here to see him working wonders, you would undoubtedly be convinced that it is senseless to worship any god other than the one he preaches.”

Hermogenes understood that Menas had turned the hearts of the Alexandrians to Christ and that the Christians were unafraid,  so he hesitated to put the saint to torture. Unable to find an answer to the truth, he was overcome by shame and ordered that Menas be led away to prison. Then he retired to his palace in dismay. The people dispersed with the saint’s praises on their lips. In the dungeon, the blessed one chanted, “Thou hast saved us from them that afflict us, and them that hate us hast Thou put to shame. I have opened my mouth in parables, I have uttered dark sayings which have been from the beginning.

Hermogenes was to downcast to eat or sleep that night. Fear of both the people and the Emperor troubled this thoughts: of the people, because they might rise up to defend Menas; and of the Emperor, because he would doubtless be furious if Menas did not perish miserable. The next morning he returned to the judgment seat and ordered that the instruments of torture be laid out on the table. He then had the saint brought in chains and said, “Tell me, godless wretch: yesterday, when you dared to disobey the Emperor and shamelessly blaspheme the gods and were stirring up the people, did you imagine that your God would somehow preserve you from harm? What did you hope to accomplish>”

The saint replied, “It is not on account of my words, but because of the miracles they have witnessed that the people burn with divine zeal and refuse to obey the Emperor’s commands. It is true that I have spoken evil of the tyrant’s gods; but then, every man of sound reason, who is in his right mind, should despise what is false, and love and revere the truth. And the people know beyond a doubt, O judge, that Christ is truth!”

“It only seems to you, fool, that Christ is truth.” Retorted the judge. “I will show you now that you gain nothing by worshipping the Crucified One and that what you say is nonsense. If I burn or sever one of your limbs, can you restore it by praying to Christ? And if you cannot heal yourself, how can you claim to heal others?”

“Judge,” Menas answered, “it is my fervent hope that you will subject me to every torture known to you. Still more, it is my desire that you set aside temporal rank to submit yourself to the rule of Christ.”

Angered by these words, the judge ordered that Menas be taken away and that the soles of his beet be cut off and the skin removed from his knees. After this the saint was to be dragged back before the tribunal. The Eparch’s intention was to reduce Menas to silence by pain. The flesh was sliced off his feet, but Menas stood on bare bones, chanting, My foot hath stood in uprightness; in the congregations will I bless Thee, O Lord. Rivers of blood flowed from his wounds, but the martyr’s countenance was radiant. His heart remained steadfast in the face of suffering, and he spike still more eloquently than before, praising the one, true God and condemning the atheism of the heathen. Enraged by this defiance, the persecutor ordered that his tongue be cut out. When Hermogenes’ servants were about to fulfill the command, that saint said to them, “Do not stop with my tongue, but remove my eyes also! Even with this you will fail to conquer me, because the law of Christ is a lamp unto my feet. I pray that after you have finished mutilating me, you will yourself glorify Christ.” Menas’ tongue was severed and blood poured from his mouth, but this did nothing to quench his spirit. With his eyes he indicated that he was ready to sacrifice every member of his body for Christ; and seeing this, the judge hurried to give the command that his eyes be gouged out. The saint’s response was to bow his head and thank God for deeming him worthy to undergo torture for His sake. Menas was then cast into prison again, and the judge left the arena, muttering, “Tomorrow his carcass will serve as food for the birds.”

The saint lay in prison weakened by pain and scarcely breathing. At the third hour of the night, however, a light flashed like lightning, and Christ the Lord Himself appeared. His approach filled the martyr’s heart with joy and bravery, and His touch restored Menas’ tongue and eyes, and healed his feet. Having thus raised the saint, as it were, from the dead, the Lord said to him, “Hearken unto Me, Menas” I am Jesus Christ, for Whom you suffer! I have come to be with you, although truly I was with you from the beginning, watching your struggles and witnessing how you proved your love for Me before the powerful of this world. Since your tormentor already knows how great is your devotion. I will henceforth defend you openly. Hermogenes is My enemy and does not fear My name, but tomorrow he shall be humbled and entreat your help. He will become your companion in martyrdom, and you will be crowned together. He has worked numerous good deeds, and I cannot permit these to come to naught because of his ignorance.” So saying, the Lord breathed on the saint, filling him with the grace of the Holy Spirit and even greater joy.

Meanwhile, Hermogenes was lying on his bed, thinking about Menas, his noble origin, wisdom, and manliness; about his high rank, his former freedom of access to the Emperor, and how he had obtained Maximin’s clemency for many. Certain that the saint had already expired, Hermogenes cursed himself for having tortured such a man, wept for the martyr, and made plans to give his body an honorable burial. At dawn he returned to the judgment seat and the people of Alexandria assembled in the arena. Hermogenes dispatched soldiers to bring the martyr’s corpse, but entering the foul dungeon, the found Menas alive, healed, and shining with heavenly light. Standing beside the saint were two handsome, radiant soldiers who appeared ready to avenge the holy martyr. Saint Menas could see and speak clearly, and was chanting, “Though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou at with me, O Lord.” The soldiers were speechless and amazement and terror. After convincing themselves that what they saw was no illusion, but a mighty wonder worked by the power of the Lord, they Exclaimed, “Great is the God of the Christians! Believing in Christ, they refused to return to the Eparch. In the meantime, everyone at the arena was growing weary, so Hermogenes sent more troops to discover the cause of the delay. When these saw the light, the angels, and the saint perfectly healed, they also believed in Christ and joined themselves to the first group of soldiers. Learning that the entire population of the city was waiting at the arena and that the judge was seated upon his tribunal, the saint rose and went there of his own accord, followed by the soldiers who had believed in Christ. As he approached, he sang, Though a host should array itself against me, my heart shall not be afraid. The crowd was filled with amazement and terror, seeing that he who the day before was blind, without a tongue, and nearly dead could now see, speak, and walk. The people cried out with one voice, “Wondrous is the power of Christ, which has prevailed over death itself! Blessed is our city of Alexandria, which through this man has perceived the wiles of the demons and come to know the Lord! Truly, this is a great manifestation of God’s might! Hail, O preacher and athlete of the one, true God and Saviour, hail!”

Utterly astonished by this new and wondrous spectacle, the judge left his seat, fearing an uprising. The crowd shouted, “Do not depart, O honorable judge! Do not refuse to share our city’s joy! Today Alexandria has acknowledged the one, true God and chosen the straight path to the light of truth.”

Motioning the people to silence, the judge commanded the saint to come closer. As a stranger to Christ, he thought that what he saw was an illusion. He examined the martyr carefully and touched him to ascertain whether the man before him was in fact Menas, healed of his wounds. Having convinced himself that what he saw was real, he became extremely frightened. He fell silent, and only after some time did he rouse himself and say to Menas, “Tell me, man, what is this I see? Is it only your God that can work such marvels or can the others as well?”

The saint responded by telling the Eparch about the beginningless God, of Whom he spoke for a long time, after which he explained how man was created, how he transgressed the Lord’s commandment, how Christ assumed flesh and redeemed the human race, and how He voluntarily endured the Cross. He ended with these words” “God, the good and merciful, descended to earth to save mankind, O judge. He does not wish to see one of us fall away from eternity’s blessings and perish. A mother who cares for her son endures his unruliness and insults. Because of her love for him, she does not become angry when he behaves foolishly, understanding that he does this out of ignorance and without evil intent. She patiently waits for him to attain maturity, hoping to see him enjoy the esteem of others. Similarly, our God and Creator cares for us, and like a father, compassionately endures the misdeeds we commit in our ignorance. He knows that the devil has brought you to perdition; that you have failed to come to a knowledge of the truth; that you continue to serve idols, the gods which are no gods; and that you do not fear His might. Despite this, He has taken pity on you. In his fatherly care, He has used me as His instrument to confound you, triumphing over your errors and your blind zeal. It is clear to everyone that you have been vanquished. Yesterday, as an old man, I was at the end of my strength and lay like a corpse in your dungeon, having endured torture and dismemberment; today I stand before you unharmed, with the strength of a youth. Behold the power of Christ revealed in me! Let the world be assured that it was the true God Who restored my tongue, eyes, and feet, healing me completely; let the whole world believe in Him Who in the beginning made the earth and everything in it, and is the Giver of life! Understand, O judge, and do not blind yourself to His love for you. He desires your conversion. Providence has ordained that you should turn to Christ, as was revealed to me by the Lord Himself. Rejoice, for the good King Who reigns forever has called you to share with me in the contest of martyrdom!”

Through the saint’s words and because of the miracles, the judge, whose heart was responsive to the prompting of grace, began to believe in the true God. Divine light illumined the eyes of his soul, and he called to mind the dream he had while sailing to Alexandria. He understood that God wished to number him among His true servants and friends, and rejoiced as though he had found a great treasure, marveling at how the Lord could have considered him worthy to be a recipient of grace after he had wandered in error for such a long time. While reflecting on this, Hermogenes saw the following vision. Two men were standing beside Saint Menas. They shone like lightning, had wings, and were holding a crown over the martyr’s head. Hermogenes was terrified, and when he asked those standing nearby whether they could see the vision also, they told him they could. Rising at once from his seat, he stretched our his hand toward the saint, and turning to the people, shouted, “This man is beyond doubt a servant of the true God! Great is the God Whom he teaches us to revere! He gives wondrous assistance from heaven to His servants, defends them, and grants them victory. I have been a fool, serving demons and attempting to return you to their worship, but now I take the said of those who believe in Christ! Hermogenes yearned to fall at the martyr’s feet, but hesitated to approach him because he was afraid of the angels. Suddenly, however, they became invisible; so the judge made bold to draw near Saint Menas and kiss his honorable feet, saying, “Pray for me, true servant of God; pray, I entreat you in the name of the truth which you proclaim, that I, the wretch, be permitted to become the servant of your God. If He deems me worthy of His grace, I will repent of my errors and foolish deeds.”

“Take courage, noble Eparch,” the saint replied, “and do not doubt God’s goodness. I know Him to be most kind and merciful, and I am certain that He will receive you if you turn to Him. Do not doubt that He will accept fervent faith and write your name in the book of life. He has revealed to me His desire that you glorify His divine name by undergoing martyrdom.”

Presently, the saint remembered that the crowd had not eaten the whole day. In their amazement, the people completely forgot about food. Marveling at the sweet words spoken by Christ’s confessor and the glorious wonders, not one person wished to leave the arena; therefore, the saint was forced to order the crowd to disperse. He promised to be back the next morning to provide instruction in the precepts of the holy faith. That night he remained with Hermogenes, teaching him as much as he could about the path to knowledge of the true God and the mysteries of piety.

At dawn so many people assembled at the arena that the structure could not hold them all. As Saint Menas entered with Hermogenes, he was preceded by a multitude of Greeks who cried with one voice, “We believe in the God Whom you preach! We vow to labor for Him alone and to renounce our former error!”

The saint thanked God for converting the hard-hearted pagans and setting them on the path of truth. From the center of the arena he addressed the people, praising them for turning to Christ and comforting their souls with wise exhortations. Menas instructed them to place their trust in God’s grace, of with they would partake in Holy Baptism, and assured them that the Lord would perfect them and assist them in every good work by the might of the Holy Cross. He then told them to ask whatever questions they might have concerning the Lord, to which the judge and the people replied, “We have no doubt that your God is true, O most holy Menas. All of us believe with certainty everything you teach. We ask only that you unite us to the Lord in Holy Baptism.” To this some of the Christians added, “Truly, God is no respecter of persons. In His great compassion, He has deemed the heathen worthy to know Him!”

Shortly afterwards, about thirty bishops who had been in hiding in nearby villages and in the desert appeared in Alexandria, some to encourage the faithful, others to see the martyrs endure suffering. Meanwhile, Saint Menas baptized the judge in the presence of all the citizens, who gave glory to Christ God. Many others were baptized as well, and there was much rejoicing in the city as the Christians exulted in the Lord their God. A few days later, Hermogenes was consecrated Bishop of Alexandria and distributed his possessions among the poor. With his flock, he took up arms against the devil and within a short time succeeded in destroying numerous idols and temples of the demons, building churches where they had stood. A multitude of pagans accepted Christ and were baptized, and Hermogenes healed every disease and expelled evil spirits by calling upon the name of Christ and tracing the sign of the Cross over the afflicted. He instructed the people in piety and chastity, humility and love, meekness, and the other virtues, and served as a worthy example for the flock.

Things were in this state when Rusticus, a member of the imperial council and inveterate pagan, returned to the Emperor and informed him of events in Alexandria. Maximin became furious not only with Hermogenes and Menas, but with all the Alexandrians. Without delay he set out for the city, taking with him ten thousand heavily armed troops. Upon arrival, he had Menas and Hermogenes seized, and ordered the entire population to assemble in the arena. The saints were stripped naked before his judgment seat, and he exclaimed, “By the gods! What is this? We bestowed the highest honors on these men, but they disdain us and have embraced a miserable, worthless way of life, acting like buffoons.” Then, turning to Hermogenes, he added, “Tell me, wretch, why do you think I entrusted you with authority over this whole country and the seas that border it? Was it not because every one of my counselors was certain that you would remain true to me and the gods, and turn Menas back to our ancestral laws? Instead, you failed to convert him from error, and worse, have yourself accepted his teaching, permitting your hair to be shorn like a clown’s.”

As the haughty Emperor vented his anger, the good King of heaven looked down on His servants. Angels suddenly appeared to them, filling them with courage and enjoining them not to fear the tyrant’s wrath, since they would gain the final victory. Hermogenes then addressed Maximin, saying, “If you are will, O Emperor, to hear me patiently, I will tell why I renounced what you consider to be the good fortune I once enjoyed, preferring instead poverty, dishonor, derision, and to be regarded as a fool; that is, why I became a Christian. For Christ I am prepared to endure fire, the sword, and the teeth of wild beasts; indeed, I prefer death for His sake rather than to remain alive.”

“I am prepared to listen to the truth, but do not try to fill my ears with lies, warned the Emperor.

Thereupon Hermogenes began: “Knowing very well, I Emperor, how eager I was to persecute Christ and the Christians, to honor the ancients gods, and to do your will, you sent me, accompanied by soldiers, to this city under orders to return the wise Menas by blandishment or threats to our ancestral faith. The people of Alexandria will testify how, when I first arrived, I alternately flattered and threatened Menas, employing every means to turn him from Christian piety. I was a fool, never having encountered anyone so brave, so eloquent, so capable of making reply, so ready to suffer the cruelest tortures rather than renounce Christ. Seeing that he refused to worship the gods, was not cowed by threats of force, and would not heed my advice, but continued to revile the gods and had converted almost all the citizens to his faith, I put him to torture. First, I had his soles stripped off, down to the bone; then I ordered his tongue removed and his eyes plucked out. He was so enfeebled by pain that he could hardly breathe. Finally, I cast him into prison. I tell you truthfully that my heart ached to see someone who hailed from the same city as I, a wise, eloquent man, perishing in such torment. The next morning, thinking he was dead, I ordered his corpse brought to me, but instead he walked unassisted into my presence, his feet healed, and able to see and speak! I thought he was a phantom and shut my eyes, I so hated the sight of the enemy of the gods. Astonishment, however soon prevailed over me and compelled me (as it did others present) to examine him carefully. This I did not with my eyes alone, but also by touching him, and I was forced to acknowledge, against my will, that before me indeed stood Menas: conscience would not permit me to deny the truth. What more need I say? Both Menas and the people who saw him tortured are present. Question them directly; the miracle was evident. Christ manifested His power by suddenly restoring a man mutilated and at death’s door. Is it possible that someone has seen what I saw, and failed to acknowledge the miracle as the work of the one God Who created the first man and promised the eternal Kingdom in the heavens to those who believe in Him? If you know of such a case, swear to the truth of it by your gods, O Emperor. Is it possible to witness something like this and still fail to believe in such a God or now wish to be called His friend? Furthermore, would anyone in his right mind willingly pass by the grace and might to heal the blind and the lame, to move mountains, to raise the dead like God himself, and to order about by a single word or movement of the hand all creation? Would any sane man surrender the assurance of eternal happiness and the Kingdom? Who would shut his eyes to such blessedness? Who would prefer the worship of the gods or the rank of eparch or emperor to this? Anyone who would make such a choice should be regarded as foolish and ignorant, unable to discern what is good and profitable. Now you know, O Emperor, why I have renounced your vile gods and myths, and every vain, temporal blessing. Having turned to the one God, I prefer to be considered, as you say, a fool than to enjoy your favor and to be esteemed by you as wise. This is all I have to say. If you wish, try the might of Christ. Devise the most terrible tortures you can. If they fail, I will come to your assistance. I was, as you know, a judge and persecutor for some time myself and am experienced in these matters. Let me remind you beforehand of some of the possibilities. Offer us as food to the beasts; hurl us from a cliff; cast us into the sea; bury us alive; dismember us with the sword; burn us! If you prefer prolonged tortures, I will gladly suggest a different one for each member of the body. After all, it was just recently, while blinded by unbelief, that I inflicted torments of Saint Menas, the lamp that guided me to the light of truth!”

The people marveled at how fearlessly Hermogenes spoke to Maximin, and they confirmed the miracle of Menas’ healing. As for the Emperor, he could not find a single word to say in reply. Knowing that if he attempted to argue, he would only bring shame upon himself and ridicule upon the gods, he immediately ordered  Saint Hermogenes’ arms cut off at the shoulder and his legs at the knee. The martyr’s severed members were then thrown into a fire before his very eyes. At the sight of his limbs burning, the blessed one exclaimed, “How fortunate I am that God had deigned to accept as an oblation the arms I once lifted in prayer to false gods and the legs that walked the path of error!” After this the saint’s belly was torn open with a lance, and his inner parts spilt out. Thereupon the persecutor ordered that Hermogenes be cast into the Nile, although he was not yet dead.

Maximin was afraid to question Saint Menas because he did not wish to be reminded of the miracles Hermogenes had mentioned; also, he was worried that Menas would turn the remaining heathen away from the gods. Therefore, without any semblance of a trial, he had the martyr taken to a vile dungeon where he was suspended by the hands with a heavy rock tied to his feet. The tyrant expected that after the weight of the stone pulled Menas’ joints apart he would perish in agony. As the saint endured this torture, the words of the psalm were on his lips” Behold, he cried to God, my lowliness and my toil. To this he added the Apostle’s saying: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Later, however, when his limbs were torn from their sockets and his flesh was ripped, pain silenced him. Then God, Who manifests His might in the saints, deigned to deliver His servants and worked wondrous miracles. Providence dispatched angels to draw the scarcely breathing Hermogenes from the river. They laid him on the shore and restored his severed arms and legs. So completely was he healed that he seemed to be a new man. When night fell, the angels led him to the prison where Menas, who was barely alive, was still suspended. They cut Saint Menas down and healed him, and encouraged both martyrs with promises of the crowns and rewards awaiting them on high. The angels reminded Menas and Hermogenes that the Ruler of the contest expected them to complete the struggle of martyrdom bravely, and was waiting for them. The messengers from heaven remained until daybreak, preparing the saints to renew the struggle.

At dawn the Emperor ordered that the arena be opened and the people to assemble. Then he went there also and sat upon his throne. Knowing that most of the populace believed in Christ, his thoughts were unsettled, and he said to himself, “It is not good to leave the citizens unpunished; neither is it profitable to destroy them all.” With this in mind he pretended not to know that the citizens had forsaken the idols, and addressed them with these words: “I know that you are accustomed to honor our great gods with worship and sacrifices and that you are obedient to the imperial authority, which you regard with fear. Nevertheless, when these vile men first arrived and began spreading the teachings of the Crucified One, you failed to rise up against them and stone them, as was your duty. By this you have put yourselves in danger of incurring the wrath of our gods. Although I do not desire that you fall into any misfortune, I cannot leave you without punishment for having slighted our deities, so I decree that your city is no longer to enjoy the honors bestowed upon it of old. No citizen of Alexandria is now permitted to hold a high rank or be entrusted with a position of authority. I want you to understand that the Crucified One is powerless to deliver those who believe in Him. More than this, every sort of woe and even death itself are the lot of His followers. As evidence of the truth of my words, I offer you the example of the two sorcerers Hermogenes and Menas. They promised to raise the dead, but proved unable to assist themselves when I inflicted on them the tortures they merited. So I ask you: where now is the might of the deceiver Christ?

As the Emperor blasphemed the name of Christ, the people whispered their discontent to one another and muttered plans to discomfit him. Then, just as the heralds were ordering the crowd to be silent so that Maximin could resume his speech (for he had paused to catch his breath), Saints Menas and Hermogenes entered the arena. Everyone was overwhelmed and exclaimed with a single voice, “There is only one God, the God of the Christians!” The Emperor too was amazed, but still more, he was furious.

In the crowd there was a man named Eugraphus who was well educated in the learning of the Hellenes and had served as a scribe when Saint Menas was administering the city. Seeing the holy martyrs alive and healed, Eugraphus was filled with divine zeal, and signing himself with the Cross, boldly advanced to the center of the arena. Standing directly in front of Maximin, he shouted, “Emperor, I am a Christian and refuse to obey your commands! I surrender to you my body for the sake of Christ. Do not imagine that you will win me over either by threats or flattery: you are powerless to prevail over me or any true Christian. We consider being in your presence as no different from death. True life for us is to suffer for Christ. You entered our city roaring like a lion, intending to swallow up Christ’s flock and restore idolatry, but we are not frightened by you. We consider you to be nothing more than a crafty fox and are prepared to die for piety’s sake.”

As this the Emperor became enraged and rushed down to where the Christian stood. Tearing the sword from the hand of a guard, he dismembered the martyr, then beheaded him. As long as he was able, Eugraphus continued to upbraid the persecutor for his godlessness; he gave thanks to the Lord that he had been deemed worthy to enter the divine presence before the other martyrs and that the numerous wounds inflicted on him would gain for him many crowns. After Saint Eugraphus surrendered his soul into God’s hands, the Emperor returned to his seat. He addressed Saint Menas and Hermogenes: “I swear by the might of the gods that I have never encountered wizards like you! It is no wonder that the common folk heed you. By sorcery you lead the ignorant astray, turning them from the gods and convincing them to die for the Crucified One, but now I will uncover your deception. We shall learn whether your bodies were actually healed or whether you are mere phantoms.”

“Since your mind utterly lacks good judgment, you are bereft of inner sight, your heart is hardened, what is true seems to you to be an illusion,” answered the saints. “The truth shines upon you more brilliantly than the sun, but you refuse to acknowledge it. Is this not proof that you are blind? If you are uncertain that we are real, examine us carefully. If this does not suffice, do not hesitate to employ tortures to assure yourself that we are flesh. Do not hope, however, to persuade us to agree with your beliefs by offering us temporal rewards. Even if you were to promise us your Empire itself, we would not be swayed. Do not waste time; [ass a final sentence on us, for all your efforts to turn us from Christ shall come to nothing.”

The Emperor repeatedly touched the saints and at length convinced himself that they were not apparitions and that their wounds had truly been healed. He quickly ordered their beheading and then returned to his palace, hanging his head in shame because of his failure to prevail over Christ’s warriors. All the people followed the saints as they were led to execution. At the place where they were to be slain, the martyrs lifted up their eyes to heaven and prayed to God for a long time, asking that He grant the holy churches and all Christians peace and tranquility and that no one who called upon them for assistance be left without aid. Finally, after embracing one another and bidding each other farewell, they offered their necks to the soldiers and were beheaded.

Before his death the great Menas requested the Emperor’s permission to be buried in Byzantium; moreover, he asked the faithful present at his execution to arrange this. Maximin had no intention of either fulfilling the saint’s request or granting the Christians possession of the relics. He ordered that an iron casket be made, that the corpses of  both martyrs be placed in it, and that it be thrown into the sea. Then, sensing the people’s frame of mind, he quickly set sail for Byzantium, fearing a revolt. The casket did not sink, however, but by the power of God floated on the water, and moving faster than a flying bird, reached Byzantium before the Emperor. The Bishop of Byzantium saw a divine vision in the night commanding him to hurry to the seashore and reverently draw the casket from the water. He quickly rose, and summoning the clergy and a number of believing noblemen, went down to the shore. They beheld a pillar of light descend from heaven and hover over what appeared to be two radiant men in a boat moving toward them. As the pillar of light approached, it was seen that below it was not a boat, but a coffin directed to shore by shining angels. As soon as the coffin touched land, the angels became invisible. The Bishop and those with him joyfully pulled the coffin onto the beach, and seeing that it was made of iron, marveled greatly that an object so heavy did not sink, but floated like a piece of wood. They kissed the precious bodies of the holy martyrs and hid them.

On his return to Byzantium divine retribution befell the Emperor Maximin. Long devoid of spiritual vision, he lost his physical sight as well. According to the testimony of his friends and members of his household, he was struck by an invisible hand and perished miserably a few days later.

After the Emperor’s death, the Bishop reverently buried the relics of the martyrs by the walls of Byzantium so that they might serve as a defense for the city, protection for those that sail the seas, and healing for the ill, unto the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

Amen.