Today the Church remembers St. Pontius of Rome, Martyr.
Ora pro nobis.
St. Pontius lived during the third century AD, the son of the pagan Roman senator Marcus and his wife Julia. While with child, Julia had gone with her husband to the temple of Jupiter. Upon seeing the pregnant Julia, the pagan priest suddenly shouted out that the boy in Julia’s womb would destroy Jupiter and his pagan temple. When the boy was born, his mother wanted to kill him out of fear of the prediction, but his father opposed this and the child was left to live. He was named Pontius, and he grew up sharp of mind and eager for study.
On his way to the pagan school, Pontius happened to go past a house, where Christians were attending the morning services. Hearing the words of the Psalm which the Christians were singing: “the idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the works of men’s hands” (Ps. 114/115: 4 and Ps. 134 /135: 15 ). Pontius became very interested in this verse and he paused at the gate.
Saint Pontian, who was celebrating the service, invited Pontius and his companion Valerian to come in. After the service, the bishop talked for a long while with the youths, revealing to them the Gospel teachings, and after a certain while he baptized them. Saint Pontius, in turn, converted his father to Christ, whom Saint Pontian also baptized, together with his whole household.
After the death of his father, Saint Pontius, then 20 years old, was appointed by the emperor Severus Alexander (222-235 AD) as a senator, to take the place of his deceased father. In the Senate and the surroundings of the emperor, Saint Pontius enjoyed universal esteem for his good nature, sound sense, and fairness. When emperor Severus died, a period of profound instability wracked the Roman empire, known as the Crisis of the Third Century, which included nearly fifty years of civil war, foreign invasion, and the collapse of the monetary economy.
Under the successor to the emperor Alexander Severus, Maximinus’ brief rule (235-238 AD) was marked by chaos. In 238 AD (which came to be known as the Year of the Six Emperors), a senatorial revolt broke out, leading to the successive proclamation of Gordian I, Gordian II, Pupienus, Balbinus, and Gordian III as emperors in opposition to Maximinus. Maximinus advanced on Rome to put down the revolt, but was halted at Aquileia, where he was assassinated by disaffected elements of the Legio II Parthica. It was in this period of chaos that any who were deemed disloyal to the emperor or to the stability of Roman life were singled out. Christians, in particular, we’re accused of being disloyal for abandoning the ancient traditions of Rome. St. Pontian was accused of being a Christian, and therefore an enemy of the state. When put on trial, he was offered the opportunity to recant his Christian Faith and to te-embrace the gods of Rome. He steadfastly refused to renounce Jesus. Saint Pontian finished his life as a martyr, being condemned to death by beheading c. 237 AD.
Almighty God, who gave to your servant Pontius boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
