Holy Martyr Pontius of Rome; the Hieromartyrs Anteros and Fabian, Popes of Rome (†257) — August 5 / August 18 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, August 5 according to the Julian Calendar (August 18 on the civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Martyr Pontius of Rome, together with the Hieromartyrs Anteros and Fabian, Popes of Rome.

The Holy Martyr Pontius lived in the third century. He was the son of a pagan Roman senator, Marcus, and his wife Julia. Once, when Julia, being with child, entered the temple of Jupiter together with her husband, the demon that dwelt there cried out through the mouth of the priest: “The infant that this woman carries in her womb will overthrow Jupiter and his altar!” When the child was born, his mother, frightened by the prophecy, wished to kill him, but her husband opposed her and the child was spared; the boy was named Pontius. When he grew up, Saint Pontius became interested in the teaching of the Christians and turned to Pope Pontian of Rome for guidance; enlightened in mind by the truth of the Christian faith, he confessed Christianity. Pontius also converted his father, and Pontian baptized him together with his whole household. After his father’s death Pontius, then twenty years old, was appointed by the emperor Alexander Severus (222–235) to his father’s place as a senator, and in the Senate and the emperor’s circle he enjoyed universal respect. In the reign of Alexander’s successor Maximinus (235–238), Pope Pontian ended his life in martyrdom (†235).

After the holy pope, the hierarch Anteros was chosen as bishop of Rome, but he soon shared the lot of his predecessor and was perfected in martyrdom for Christ (†236). Saint Fabian was enthroned upon the seat of the blessed hieromartyr; and Pontius, who loved the holy shepherd of the Church as a son, gave over all his property for the needs of the poor. In 238 the lawless Maximinus died, and the emperor Gordian III (238–244) came to reign and halted the persecution of Christians. His successor, the emperor Philip (244–249), under the influence of Saint Pontius’s conversations and preaching, believed in Christ and, together with his son and co-ruler Philip, was baptized by the hand of the holy pope Fabian. With the emperor’s consent, Saint Pontius and the hierarch Fabian shattered the idol of Jupiter in a pagan sanctuary and raised in its place an Orthodox church. For four years peace reigned in the Church of Christ; then the lawless Decius (249–251) ascended the throne, plotted a conspiracy, and put to death the emperor Philip and his son. In those days the hierarch Fabian was martyred (†250), and Saint Pontius left Rome and withdrew to the city of Cimela on the border of Italy and Gaul, where he lived as a hermit. Meanwhile the emperor Valerian (253–259) sent executioners into every corner of the land to seek out and destroy all Christians, and for this purpose Claudius and Anabius came to Cimela. Saint Pontius fearlessly confessed Christ and refused to sacrifice to the idols, for which he was cast into prison. When the tormentors made ready to torture him, the saint calmly warned them that before the torture was finished they would become witnesses of the Lord’s might; and indeed, as soon as the servants tried to nail the blessed one to the torture-post, the instrument broke to pieces, and the executioners fell to the ground as though dead.

“Know, O false believer, the almighty power of my Lord,” said Saint Pontius to Claudius; but on the advice of Anabius he threw the martyr to two bears in the arena to be torn apart. The beasts would not approach the saint, and instead mauled the guards. “One is God, the God of the Christians, whom Pontius confesses!” cried the people. At the tormentors’ command a great fire was kindled to burn the blessed one; the fire went out, and Pontius remained unharmed, while the onlookers cried still more loudly, “Great is the God of the Christians!” Then certain Jews present shouted in fury, “Kill this sorcerer quickly!” Pontius remembered how the crowd that desired Christ’s crucifixion had cried out to Pontius Pilate, “Crucify Him, crucify Him,” and he gave thanks to the Lord. It was resolved to behead the holy confessor, and the sentence was carried out outside the city (†257). The saint’s body was buried at the place of execution by his friend Valerian; later the holy remains were translated to the city of Nice (Nizza), near Cimela.