On this day, June 7 according to the Julian Calendar (June 20 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Hieromartyr Marcellus, Pope of Rome, and the Martyrs Sissinus, Cyriacus the Deacon, Smaragdus, Largus, Apronianus, Saturninus, Papius, Maurus, Crescentianus, and the holy women Priscilla, Lucina, and Artemisia.
These saints were martyred in Rome during the reigns of Diocletian and Maximian (284–305) and their successors Galerius (305–311) and Maxentius (305–312). The western ruler Maximian stripped all Christians of their military rank and sent them to forced labor. A wealthy Christian named Thrasonas would send food and clothing to the prisoners through the Christians Sissinus, Cyriacus, Smaragdus, and Largus. When Pope Marcellus learned of this charity, he gave thanks to Thrasonas and ordained Sissinus and Cyriacus as deacons. The saints who came to visit the prisoners were soon themselves arrested and shared the fate of the other Christians. Sissinus and Cyriacus labored not only their own share but also that of the aging Saturninus. When this was discovered, Maximian handed Sissinus over to the district governor Laodikios for torture. Thrown into prison, the guard Apronianus saw Sissinus’ face shining with a heavenly light, believed in Christ, was baptized, and together with the saint came to Pope Marcellus, received anointing, and received Holy Communion from his hands.
On that same day, June 7, Sissinus and Saturninus were brought before Laodikios with Apronianus. Apronianus was immediately beheaded. Sissinus and Saturninus were cast into prison. Laodikios ordered them brought to a pagan temple to perform sacrifice. Saturninus cried out: “May the Lord turn those pagan altars to ashes!” At that moment the tripods standing before the idols melted away. Witnessing this miracle, the soldiers Papius and Maurus confessed Christ. After prolonged tortures, Sissinus and Saturninus were beheaded; Papius and Maurus were imprisoned, where they fervently prayed to the Lord to grant them the grace of baptism. By the mercy of God, the confessors managed to slip unnoticed from the prison, were baptized by the hand of Marcellus, and returned again.
Before the tribunal they again confessed Christianity, for which they perished in terrible torments. Their holy relics were buried by the priests John and Thrasonas.
The saints Cyriacus, Smaragdus, Largus, and other captive Christians were worked again to exhaustion. At this time Diocletian’s youngest daughter Artemisia was tormented by an evil spirit. When the emperor learned that the captive Cyriacus healed diseases and cast out demons, he summoned him to court. The saint healed and then baptized the emperor’s daughter.
In gratitude, Diocletian granted freedom to Cyriacus, Smaragdus, and Largus. Shortly afterward, he sent Cyriacus to Persia to heal the daughter of the Persian king. On his return to Rome, the saint was seized by order of the new emperor Galerius, son-in-law of the retired Diocletian, who was enraged by the conversion of the princess Artemisia. He ordered the naked and shackled Cyriacus to be dragged behind his chariot as an object of mockery and derision for the crowd.
Pope Marcellus publicly denounced Galerius for the bestial torments inflicted on innocent Christians, for which he was thrown into prison. The saints Cyriacus, Smaragdus, Largus, and another captive, Crescentianus, were killed by torture. Also put to death in prison were the emperor’s daughter Artemisia and twenty-one other prisoners who had been confined with Saint Cyriacus.
A devout Roman helped Pope Marcellus escape from prison. He transferred the bodies of Cyriacus, Smaragdus, and Largus to the estate of the Christian women Priscilla and Lucina, and converted Lucina’s house into a church.
When Maxentius ascended the imperial throne, he ordered the church demolished and turned into a cattle pen, and appointed the holy Pope as a cattle herder. Tormented by hunger, cold, and the foul conditions of the stable, Saint Marcellus fell ill and died in 310 AD.
Saint Priscilla and Lucina were dishonorably banished from Rome, and their estates were plundered.
May the intercessions of the Hieromartyr Marcellus, Pope of Rome, and all the saints who suffered with him, be with us all.