Страдание святого мученика Конкордия

During the reign of Emperor Antoninus 3619, such a cruel persecution against Christians was instituted in the city of Rome that no one could buy or sell anything unless he made a sacrifice to the gods. At that time, a certain man named Concordius lived in the city of Rome. He came from a noble house. Concordia's father, Gordian, was in holy orders and was a presbyter. Having a son, Concordius, Gordian taught him the understanding of the Holy Scriptures and the faith of Christ. Therefore, by the Roman Bishop Pius, who suffered martyrdom for Christ during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in 3620, Concordius was made a subdeacon. This blessed man, together with his Father, practiced fasting and prayer day and night; Moreover, they generously gave alms to the poor and all those in need. For their part, they asked the Lord to grant them the opportunity to escape the cruelty of the persecution brought against Christians. One day blessed Concordius said to his father: - My lord! If you have nothing against my intention, then give me the blessing to go to Saint Eutyches and live with him for a short time, until the ferocity of our enemy, Emperor Antoninus, ceases. “We’d better stay here, child,” Father Concordia said to this request, “so that we too may receive martyr’s crowns from the Lord.” “I can receive the crown of martyrdom wherever Christ God is favored, so let me fulfill my intention.” After these words, his father released him, and Concordius retired to his relative Eutyches, who was then on his estate on the Salarian road, near the city of Trebula 3621. Having received Concordius with great joy, blessed Eutyches began to give thanks to God, and they remained together in that place, practicing fasting and prayer. Many people came here to see them, suffering from various ailments. They, praying in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, gave them healings, and through this the fame of them spread among the people over a long distance. The Tus eparch, Torquatus 3622, who then lived in the city of Spoleta 3623, heard about them. Calling Blessed Concordius to him, he first of all asked the saint about his name. “I am a Christian,” answered Concordius. “I ask you about your name,” the bishop said again, “and not about your Christ.” “I have already told you,” answered Saint Concordius, “that I am a Christian and confess Christ.” “Make a sacrifice to the immortal gods,” said the eparch, “and you will be our friend.” I will consider you instead of my father and will ask Emperor Antoninus, my lord, to appoint you priest of the gods. “Let your gods better remain with you,” said Saint Concordius to this. “Listen to me and make a sacrifice to the immortal gods,” the eparch continued to persuade him. “You better listen to me,” answered Saint Concordius, “and make a sacrifice to the Lord Jesus Christ in order to avoid eternal torment.” If you do not do this, you will receive punishment in eternal life and suffer torment in unquenchable fire. Then the eparch ordered to beat him with sticks and throw him into a common dungeon. At night, blessed Eutyches came to Concordius with the holy bishop Anthimus. Anfim was a friend of Torquatus and begged him to release the prisoner to him for a short time. And so Concordius was released from prison at night and lived with Anthimus for a long time. At the same time, Anthimus ordained Concordius a priest, and they, living together, practiced fasting and prayer. After some time had passed, Torquatus sent for Concordius and asked him: – What have you come up with about your life? “My Life is Christ, to whom I daily offer a sacrifice of praise, and you will burn in Gehenna,” Concordius told the eparch. Then Torquatus ordered the saint to be tied to the pillory. But the saint joyfully said: – Glory to You, Lord Jesus Christ! “Make a sacrifice to the great Zeus 3624,” the eparch insisted. “I will not sacrifice to a deaf and dumb stone,” answered Blessed Concordius, “since my Lord Jesus Christ is with me, Whom my soul serves!” After this, the eparch, angry, sent Concordius to be imprisoned in a cramped dungeon, and ordered iron to be placed on his hands and neck and forbade anyone to enter him, for he wanted to starve the saint to death. But blessed Concordius, imprisoned, did not lose heart, but with joy began to offer thanks to the omnipotent God: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” he sang. At midnight the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not be afraid, but stand courageously in the faith, for I am with you.” After three days, the eparch sent two of his armor-bearers to him at night and commanded them: “Go and tell the prisoner to make a sacrifice to our gods, or else his head will be cut off.” The squires came to Concordius with an idol of the god Zeus and asked him: – Did you hear what the bishop ordered? “I don’t know that,” answered the saint. “Make a sacrifice to the god Zeus,” the squires continued, “otherwise you will be beheaded!” Then blessed Concordius, thanking God, said: – Glory to You, Lord Jesus Christ. And he spat in Zeus's face. Seeing this, one of the soldiers drew a sword and cut off the saint’s head, and thus blessed Concordius, confessing the Lord, gave up the ghost 3625. After this, two clerics and some pious men came into prison; Having taken the body of the saint, they laid it near the city of Spoleta, in a place watered by abundantly flowing springs. Here, at the tomb of the martyr, those possessed by demons and suffering from various diseases began to receive healing through the prayers of Saint Concordius, who stands before our Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. The Roman Emperor Antoninus, nicknamed Shem by the pagans, i.e. the Pious, reigned from 138 to 161. Marcus Aurelius occupied the Roman imperial throne from 161 to 180. Three towns in the Sabine land, located in central Italy, east of Rome, were named after Trebula. Due to what is said later about how St. Concordia called to himself the diocese of Tussa, who lived in Spoleta, in the province of Umbria; one must think that the city designated here under the name Trebula was located in the northern part of the Sabine land, not far from Umbria, a province located northeast of Rome. The Romans called Tusca the inhabitants of Etruria, a province located in the west of Central Italy, north of Rome. Thus the diocese of Tus was the ruler of Etruria. Spoleta, now Spoleto, a city in Central Italy, in ancient Umbria, on the border with Etruria. Probably Umbria and Etruria were under the rule of one ruler. Zeus, in Roman Jupiter, was revered as the main deity, the father of gods and people; he was the ruler of heaven and earth, thunder and lightning, winds and rains. You might be interested in: