Страдание святых мучеников Максима, Дады и Квинтилиана

In the second year of the reign of the wicked Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian 2820, under the governors of Tarquinius and Gavinia, the devil poured out terrible wrath on Christians. From these kings and governors came the following command: - Although we know that all our subjects reverently honor the gods, however, caring for the better structure of the state, we ask and urge everyone who currently lives in the lands of the Roman Empire to honor and love the gods in every possible way and try to lead others to the same. If there is anyone who mentions the name of Christ anywhere, then he is subject to our wrath. Hearing such an order, all the peoples hastened to gather, make sacrifices to the gods, according to the command, and greet their leaders with these words: – Joy and long-term health to our rulers for such concern for the veneration of the gods! Viceroy Tarquinius said to the crowd: “Seeing such your zeal, we ask you to gather tomorrow to make sacrifices to the gods together; and now have fun with us and take a break from the long journey, tomorrow after the sacrifice let everyone return to their city. The next morning everyone gathered, held an abominable festival, making sacrifices to idols, and were sent home by Tarquinius. The next day one of the wicked idolaters reported to Tarquin: “There are three men in the city who yesterday disobeyed your order and did not make a sacrifice, but say to themselves that they worship the One God who exists in heaven. Tarquin immediately sent his servants to seize the disobedient people. Having found them in the village of Ozovia praying to God, the servants put them in chains and soon brought them to the city of Dorostol, where both governors happened to be at that time. It was already evening when they came to the city and informed about the captured Christians. Tarquin ordered to guard the prisoners until the morning. The saints prayed all night and exclaimed: – Our Lord, Jesus Christ! Give us Your strength from heaven to help us, so that we can overcome our enemies, and grant us, by Your goodness, to receive the crowns of victory. In the morning, Tarquinius and Gavinius sat down in court and ordered the captured Christians to be brought before them. Seeing them, Tarquin asked: – Are these people neglecting our commands and arbitrarily professing their faith? Then he asked the saints what their names were. Saint Maximus replied: - By faith I am a Christian, like these brothers of mine, and by humanity I am called Maxim. “You declared,” said the ruler, “that you serve not our gods, but some other one.” What's your friend's name? He answered himself that his name was Dada and that he was just as Christian as his brother. When Tarquin asked what the third was called, Quintilian gave his name and declared that he was also a Christian. Secretary Magnilian recorded the testimony of each. The governor Gavinius asked him if he had written down the names. Magnilian said that he would read it if he received the order. “Read it,” said Gavinius. The secretary read: – The names of the upcoming Christians, according to their testimony, are as follows: Maxim, Dada, Quintilian. Then Tarquin addressed the saints with these words: – Your life is in your hands. If you want to live, make a sacrifice to the mother of the gods and become her priests, because her priest died and went to the great heavenly king Zeus to serve him there. - A wicked and shameless man! - answered Maxim. “Or are you not afraid of the Lord, calling him a god and calling a filthy adulterer king?” Know, crazy people, the King of Heaven is Christ, who cares for everyone and rules everything. Know also that we, the creation of the True God, will never fulfill your destructive command! The governor Gavinius called Dada and Quintilian to him and without success had a long conversation with them, convincing them to admit their wicked and destructive teaching. The saints answered: “We stand for what our brother Maxim said.” He is a reader in our Catholic Church, understands the Holy Scriptures well and knows what is useful for us. And you, stricken by demonic madness, do not know what is necessary for you. If you were willing to listen to us, you would see the light. Then Gavinius and Tarquin said: “Here, we admonish you in every possible way and advise you what is better, but you do not submit and remain in your extravagance.” “No,” answered Saint Maxim, “it is you who are raging, wanting to convert people who live virtuously and serve the One God to the demonic faith.” Do with us what you want, but never turn us away from the true faith. Then Gavinius and Tarquin began to consult what to do with the saints, and ordered them to be taken to prison. They went with joy, talking about their salvation. While in prison, they had a spiritual conversation, and Maxim taught Dada and Quintilian a lot from the Holy Scriptures. At midnight they fell asleep and saw in a dream the devil attacking them with weapons. Rising from sleep, they saw an Angel saying to them: – Do not be afraid: God, your hope, will take you to Himself. He is not far from you and will help you. The appearance of the Angel and his words strengthened the martyrs; they blessed God, praising until the morning. The rulers, having sat down in court, ordered the prisoners to be brought before them again, and Gavinius said to them: - We called you; We again exhort you to make a sacrifice to the gods, and then you will receive considerable honors from us. If you do not listen to us, then you yourself will be guilty of your own death. This night our gods spoke their will regarding you in a dream. The holy martyrs answered that God ordered them to endure all kinds of torment for His holy name. Tarquin addressed Gavinius with these words: “If we don’t send them to torture, they will never listen to us.” “They chose it themselves, let them blame themselves.” Then the rulers ordered the martyrs to be stripped of their clothes. When this was done, Gavinius ordered them to be tied up, stretched out on the ground and beaten. When this was done, Tarquin said to the servants: “Ask them if they would like to obey us and make sacrifices to the gods; if not, then we will arrange other torments for them and destroy them with an evil death. To the questions of the servants, the holy martyrs unanimously answered: “Our God strengthens us, we neglect your torments, we will not listen to your evil advice and we will not offer sacrifices to demons.” Tarquin ordered the servants to take the saints back to prison, since it was time for lunch. When the seventh hour had already passed, the governors again sat down in court and again brought in the holy martyrs. - Maxim! Have you decided to listen to our advice and make a sacrifice to the gods? – We don’t accept your advice; As we have already said before, we repeat now that we will worship only our Lord Jesus Christ with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. The angry Gavinius shouted: “If you don’t want to come to your senses and worship the gods, then we will destroy you: we will order you to be taken to a deserted place and beheaded there.” The saints conjured the rulers to carry out the threat. Then the governors ordered the martyrs to be taken to their village and beheaded there. Hearing the death sentence, the saints glorified God and prayed: – Lord Jesus Christ, who delivered us from an earthly sinful life, accept us into Your palace and make us worthy of Your Heavenly Kingdom. The praying holy martyrs were brought to the village of Ozovia, there they cut off their heads, and the holy martyrs Maximus, Dada and Quintilian gave up their spirits into the hands of God on the 28th day of April, during the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, under the governors of Tarquinia and Gavinia. To our Lord Jesus Christ, who rules over us, be glory, dominion and kingdom throughout all ages. Amen. Diocletian reigned from 284 to 305, and Maximian (Galerius) from 306 to 311. You might be interested in: