Today the Church honors St. Dasius of Durostorum, Martyr.
Ora pro nobis.
Dasius is a Christian martyr of the early 4th century AD. He was a Roman soldier of Legio XI Claudiana at Durostorum on the Danube River (modern Silistra), Moesia Inferior. Dasius was the first of twelve martyrs executed at Durostorum during the fourth Diocletian edict of persecution of Christians in AD 304.
The inhabitants of Durostrum were preparing for the annual Saturnalia festival. In Roman mythology, Saturn was an agricultural deity who was said to have reigned over the world in a Golden Age, when humans enjoyed the spontaneous bounty of the earth without labour in a state of innocence. The revelries of Saturnalia were supposed to reflect the conditions of the lost mythical age.
The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves as it was seen as a time of liberty for both slaves and freedmen alike. To conclude the festival, sources of the third century AD and later, Saturn is recorded as receiving dead gladiators as offerings (munera) during or near the Saturnalia. These gladiatorial events, ten days in all throughout December, were presented mainly by the quaestors and sponsored with funds from the treasury of Saturn. The practice of gladiator munera was criticized by Christian apologists as a form of human sacrifice.
In this context, we have the story of Dasius. The choice of his compatriots fell upon Saint Dasius, since in the city there was not a more handsome youth. Learning of this, the saint said, "If I am fated to die, then it’s better to die for Christ as a Christian." He openly confessed his faith in Christ before his fellow citizens and refused to take part in the shameful ritual. He denounced the impiety and error of the idolaters, and in so doing converted many of them to Christ. Therefore, on the orders of the emperors Diocletian (AD 284-305) and Maximian (AD 305-311), he was beheaded after cruel tortures.
Almighty God, who gave to your servant Dasius 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.
