Today the Church honors St. Silvanus and Companions, Martyrs.
Orate pro nobis.
Most of what we know about St. Silvanus comes to us from St. Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260/265 – 30 May 339), the great Church historian and bishop of Caesarea Maritima in Israel. He wrote about his contemporary bishop Silvanus, and the 40 other Christians who were martyred with him, many of the Egyptian Christians, in his book, On the Martyrs.
“This blessed Silvanus came from Gaza, and he was one of the veteran soldiers; and when his freedom from service proved to be contrary to his habits, he enlisted himself as a good soldier of Christ. For he was a perfectly meek man, and of a bright mind, and used his faith with simplicity and purity. He was a presbyter of the church in the city of Gaza, and conducted himself there with great propriety. And because the conflict for life was proclaimed against the soldiers of Christ, he, an old man, of a noble person, went down to the Stadium, and there, in his first confession before the people of Caesarea, he acquitted himself valiantly, being tried with scourgings. And when he had endured these bravely, he fought in a second conflict, in which the old man endured the combs on his sides like a young man. And at the third conflict he was sent to the copper mines; and during a life of much length he exhibited great probation.
He was also deemed worthy of the office of the episcopate, and also rendered himself illustrious in this office of his ministry. But, on the fourth day of Iyar, the great gate of heaven was fully opened to him, and this blessed man went up with a company of martyrs, not being left alone, for a great assembly of brave men followed him. And suddenly a mandate of wickedness was issued, and command was given that all those in the mines who were become enfeebled through old age or sickness, and those who were not able to work, should be put to death by the sword; and God's martyrs, being all together forty in number, were beheaded all in one day. And many of them were Egyptians, but their leader and guide was this same martyr and bishop of martyrs, Silvanus, a man truly blessed and beloved of God.”
Silvanus and his Companions in martyrdom died in AD 310, among the last martyrs of the Roman Empire, during the reign of emperor Galerius Maximianus. Although he was a staunch opponent of Christianity, Galerius ended the Great Persecution of Diocletian when he issued an Edict of Toleration in Serdica in AD 311. The Edict implicitly granted Christianity the status of ‘religio licita’, a religion recognized and accepted by the Roman Empire. It was the first edict granting a form of legal recognition to Christianity, and preceded the Edict of Milan by two years, which gave Christianity full legal status and protection from official persecution and popular mob violence.
Almighty God, who gave to your servant Silvanus and his Companions 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.
