Saint Pionius
Martyr à Smyrne (+ 250)
Il périt sur le bûcher avec quinze compagnons, arrêtés lors de célébration du martyre de saint Polycarpe.
À Smyrne en Asie, vers l’an 250, saint Pione, prêtre et martyr. On dit que pour
avoir fait une apologie de la foi chrétienne devant le peuple, il fut jeté dans
une prison infecte, où il encouragea par ses exhortations un grand nombre de
frères à supporter le martyre, et que lui-même, soumis à des tourments, reçut
en partage, à travers le bûcher, une fin bienheureuse pour le Christ.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/541/Saint-Pionius.html
Also
known as
Pione
Pionio
formerly 1 February
Profile
Priest.
Noted scholar and preacher.
During the persecutions of Decius, Pionius and
fifteen followers, hearing they were about to be arrested,
spent the night of 22-23 February 250 in prayer; they
were arrested in
the morning at the end of Mass. They
had put on their own chains and
shackles to make it obvious that they were prisoners,
and not going to aposticize. Every time he was taken into public, the courts,
or anywhere out of his cell, Pionius preached faith
to the Christians,
civility to the pagans. Racked
and torn with hooks to make him sacrifice to pagan gods; he
refused. Martyr.
Born
at Smyrna, Turkey
nailed to a stake
and burned
alive on 12 March 250
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trial and martyrdom of
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MLA
Citation
“Saint Pionius of
Smyrna“. CatholicSaints.Info. 16 January 2022. Web. 22 February 2022. <https://catholicsaints.info/saint-pionius/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-pionius/
St. Pionius
Martyred at Smyrna,
12 March, 250. Pionius, with Sabina and Asclepiades, was
arrested on 23 February, the anniversary of St.
Polycarp's martyrdom.
They had passed the previous night in prayer and fasting. Knowing of
his impending arrest, Pionius had fastened fetters round the necks of himself
and his companions to signify that they were already condemned.
People seeing them led off unbound might suppose that they were prepared, like
so many other Christians in Smyrna,
the bishop included,
to sacrifice. Early in the morning, after they had partaken of
the Holy Bread and of water, they were conducted to the forum.
The place was thronged with Greeks and Jews,
for it was a great Sabbath and
therefore a general holiday in the city — an indication of the importance
of the Jews in Smyrna.
Pionius harangued the multitude. He begged
the Greeks to remember what Homer had said about not
mocking the corpse of an enemy. Let them refrain therefore from mocking
those Christians who
had apostatized.
He then turned to the Jews and
quoted Moses and Solomon to
the same effect. He ended with a vehement refusal to offer sacrifice.
Then followed the usual interrogatories and threats, after which Pionius and
his companions were relegated to prison,
to await the arrival of the proconsul. Here they found other confessors,
among them a Montanist.
Many pagans visited
them, and Christians who
had sacrificed, lamenting their fall. The latter Pionius exhorted
to repentance. A further attempt before the arrival of the proconsul was
made to force Pionius and his companions into
an act of apostasy. They were carried off to
a temple where every effort was made to compel them to participate in
a sacrifice. On 12 March, Pionius was brought before the proconsul who
first tried persuasion and then torture. Both having failed, Pionius was
condemned to be burnt alive. He suffered in company with Metrodorus,
a Marcionite priest.
His feast is
kept by the Latins on 1 Feb.; by the Greeks on 11 March.
The true day
of his martyrdom,
according to the Acts, was 12 March. Eusebius (Church
History; "Chron.", p. 17, ed. Schoene) places the martyrdom in
the reign of Antoninus.
His mistake was probably due to the fact that he found the martyrdom of
Pionius in a volume containing the Acts
of Martyrs of an earlier date. Possibly his manuscript lacked
the chronological note in our present ones. For
the life of Polycarp by
Pionius, see SAINT
POLYCARP. Did Pionius before his martyrdom celebrate
with bread and water? We know from St.
Cyprian (Ep. 63) that this abuse existed in his time. But
note (1) the bread is spoken of as Holy, but not the water; (2) it is
unlikely that Pionius would celebrate with only two persons present.
It is more likely therefore that we have an account, not of a celebration, but
of a private Communion (see Funk, "Abhandlungen", I,
287).
Bacchus, Francis
Joseph. "St. Pionius." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol.
12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 24 Feb.
2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12105a.htm>.
Transcription. Dedicated
to the memory of Brother Declan Brown, L.C.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2021 by Kevin Knight.
Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12105a.htm
St. Pionius, Priest and
Martyr
HE was priest of
Smyrna, a true heir of the spirit of St. Polycarp, an apostolic man, who
converted multitudes to the faith. He excelled in eloquence, and in the science
of our holy religion. The paleness of his countenance bespoke the austerity of
his life. In the persecution of Decius, in 250, on the 23rd of February, he was
apprehended with Sabina and Asclepiades, while they were celebrating the
anniversary festival of St. Polycarp’s martyrdom. Pionius, after having fasted
the eve with his companions, was forewarned thereof by a vision. On the morning
after their solemn prayer, taking the holy bread (probably the eucharist) and
water, they were surprised and seized by Polemon, the chief priest, and the
guardian of the temple. In prolix interrogatories before him, they resisted all
solicitations to sacrifice; professed they were ready to suffer the worst of
torments and deaths rather than consent to his impious proposals, and declaring
that they worshipped one only God, and that they were of the Catholic church.
Asclepiades being asked what God he adored, made answer: “Jesus Christ.” At
which Polemon said: “Is that another God?” Asclepiades replied: “No: he is the
same they have just now confessed.” A clear confession of the consubstantiality
of God the Son, before the council of Nice. Being all threatened to be burnt
alive, Sabina smiled. The pagans said: “Dost thou laugh? thou shalt then be led
to the public stews.” She answered: “God will be my protector on that
occasion.” They were cast into prison, and preferred a low dungeon, that they
might be more at liberty to pray, when alone. They were carried by force into
the temple, and all manner of violence was used to compel them to sacrifice.
Pionius tore the impious garlands which were put upon his head, and they
resisted with all their might. Their constancy repaired the scandal given by
Eudæmon, the bishop of Smyrna, there present, who had impiously apostatized and
offered sacrifice. In the answers of St. Pionius to the judges, and in all the
circumstances of his martyrdom, we admire the ardent piety and courage of one
who had entirely devoted himself to God, and employed his whole life in his
service. When Quintilian the proconsul arrived at Smyrna, he caused Pionius to
be hung on the rack, and his body to be torn with iron hooks, and afterwards
condemned him to be burned alive: he was accordingly nailed to a trunk or post,
and a pile heaped round him and set on fire. Metrodorus, a Marcionite priest,
underwent the same punishment with him. His acts were written by eye-witnesses,
quoted by Eusebius, l. 4. c. 15. and are extant genuine in Ruinart, p. 12.—See
Tillemont, t. 3. p. 397. Bollandus, Feb. t. 1. p. 37.
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume
II: February. The Lives of the Saints. 1866
SOURCE : https://www.bartleby.com/210/2/012.html
Hieromartyr Pionius of
Smyrna and those with him
The Hieromartyrs Pionius
and Limnus, the Holy Martyrs Sabina, Macedonia, and Asclepiades suffered during
the persecution of Christians in the reign of Decius (249-251). They suffered
at Smyrna, a mercantile city on the eastern shores of the Aegean Sea. The
Church in Smyrna was founded by the holy Apostle John the Theologian (May 8 and
September 26), and was made glorious by its martyrs and confessors.
St Pionius knew that he
and his companions would be arrested on February 23, the anniversary of St
Polycarp’s martyrdom, and a feastday for the Christians of Smyrna. The day
before they were arrested, St Pionius entertained Asclepiades and Sabina in his
house. Taking three lengths of woven chains, St Pionius placed them around his
neck, and around the necks of the other two. He did this to show that they were
all determined to be led off to prison rather than eat food sacrificed to
idols.
The holy confessors were
indeed arrested on February 23. After a brief interrogation they were dragged
off by Polemon the verger in order to sacrifice to the idols and eat forbidden
foods. They were brought to the forum, where a great crowd had gathered.
St Pionius addressed the
people, chiding them for laughing and rejoicing at those Christians who had
agreed to offer sacrifice. He quoted Homer to the pagans (Odyssey 22, 412) and
said that it was shameful to gloat over those who were about to die. He
reminded the Jews in the audience of the words of Solomon: “If your enemy falls,
do not rejoice over him, and do not be glad when he stumbles” (Proverbs 24:17).
Polemon attempted once
again to persuade Pionius to obey the law and offer sacrifice to the idols.
“If only I could persuade
you to become Christians,” he replied.
The men laughed at him,
saying that he did not have the power to do that, because they knew they would
be burned alive if they converted.
St Pionius said, “It is
far worse to burn after death.”
St Sabina laughed when
she heard this. Then Polemon threatened to put her in a brothel, but she said
she believed that God would protect her.
Under questioning, St
Pionius stated repeatedly that he was a Christian, and could not sacrifice to
the emperor or to the idols.
Before Polemon came to
Sabina to question her, St Pionus told her to say that her name was Theodote.
This he did so that she would not be returned to her former mistress Politta,
an immoral woman. In an effort to turn her from Christ, Politta bound St Sabina
and cast her out on the mountains. She was secretly helped by the brethren, and
hid in St Pionus’s house most of the time. That is how she came to be arrested.
Sts Sabina and
Asclepiades were questioned, and they said they were Christians who worshiped
Jesus Christ. Then they were thrown into jail.
In prison St Pionius and
his companions met Limnus, a priest of the Church of Smyrna, and his wife
Macedonia from the village of Karine. They had also been imprisoned for
confessing Christ.
Many believers visited
the holy confessors in prison, offering them whatever they could, but the
saints did not accept it. The jailers were angry, because they used to keep a
portion of the gifts given to prisoners for themselves.
The holy martyrs were
brought to the marketplace, and were urged to offer sacrifice. When they
refused, they were taken back to prison. On the way, they were beaten and
mocked by the crowd. Someone said to St Sabina, “Why couldn’t you have died in
your own city?”
St Sabina retorted, “What
is my native city?”
Terentius, who was in
charge of the gladiatorial games, said to Asclepiades, “After you are
condemned, I shall ask that you compete in the games given by my son.”
“That does not scare me,”
he said.
After many torments, the
holy martyr was brought to the amphitheatre on March 11, 250. Since he still
refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, St Pionius was sentenced to be burned
alive. He was nailed to a cross, then they stacked wood around him and lit the
fire. When the fire subsided, everyone saw the body of the saint was unharmed. Not
even the hairs of his head had been singed. His face was radiant, and shone
with divine grace. After his victory in the contest, St Pionius received an
incorruptible crown of glory from the Savior Christ.
St Pionius transcribed
the Martyrdom of St Polycarp of Smyrna (February 23) from an older copy made by
Isocrates (or Socrates) in Corinth. This document in turn was transcribed from
an earlier manuscript written by Gaius, and was based on the recollections of
St Irenaeus of Lyons (August 23), who knew St Polycarp. St Polycarp appeared to
Pionius in a vision, telling him to search for the text of Isocrates. St
Pionius collected the material which was nearly worn out with age, thus
preserving the account for later generations. Now St Pionius rejoices in the
heavenly Kingdom, glorifying the Life-Creating Trinity, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, throughout all ages.
SOURCE : http://oca.org/saints/lives/2016/03/11/100779-hieromartyr-pionius-of-smyrna-and-those-with-him
San Pionio (o Pione)
di Smirne Martire
† 250 circa
Martirologio
Romano: A Smirne, nell’odierna Turchia, san Pionio, sacerdote e martire,
che, come si racconta, per aver tenuto pubblicamente un’apologia in difesa
della fede cristiana, dopo aver subíto l’amarezza del carcere, durante il quale
confortò con il suo incoraggiamento molti fratelli ad affrontare il martirio,
crudelmente torturato ottenne in sorte nel fuoco una fine beata in Cristo.
Eusebio di Cesarea, pur ingannandosi sulla data del martirio, che pone all’epoca di quello del concittadino Policarpo, mentre questo avvenne durante la persecuzione di Decio (249-51), ci ha conservata nella sua Storia Ecclesiastica una preziosa testimonianza su Pionio: «Fra tutti questi, celeberrimo appare il martirio di un tale chiamato Pionio. Chi desiderasse conoscere gli episodi della sua confessione, la franchezza del suo linguaggio, cioè l'apologia che egli fece della fede dinanzi al popolo e ai magistrati, i suoi discorsi istruttivi al popolo, gli incoraggiamenti ai "lapsi" e le esortazioni che rivolse nel carcere ai fratelli che accorrevano a lui, i tormenti e gli strazi che sostenne, tra cui le trafitture dei chiodi, il dominio che conservò di sé in mezzo alle fiamme, e, dopo tutti questi stupendi eroismi, la sua morte, noi lo rimandiamo allo scritto che parla del fatto. In esso tutto ciò vi è esposto per filo e per segno, e io l’ho inserito nella mia Collezione degli Antichi Martiri». La collezione cui allude Eusebio è oggi andata perduta, ma è assai probabile che gli Atti di Pionio, cui egli aveva fatto ricorso, siano quelli pubblicati dapprima da O. von Gebhardt e poi da R. Knopf e G. Krueger.
Pionio, il cui nome completo era Geminius Pionius, era prete della chiesa di
Smime e, per la sua modestia e la probità dei suoi costumi, godeva di un’alta
reputazione perfino agli occhi dei pagani. Dai viaggi effettuati,
particolarmente in Palestina, egli aveva tratto una vasta esperienza,
arricchita ancora dalle sofferenze e dalla fame patite durante le calamità che
si abbatterono su Smirne poco prima dell’epoca del suo martirio. Quando si
scatenò la persecuzione di Decio, pare che gli ebrei di Smirne fossero
particolarmente accaniti contro i cristiani e Pionio fu arrestato forse su loro
istigazione. Il 23 febbraio, anniversario del martirio di Policarpo (senza
dubbio questa coincidenza ha indotto Eusebio a iscrivere Pionio tra i
contemporanei dell’illustre martire smirniota), egli fu arrestato nella stessa
chiesa, unitamente a Sabina e Asclepiade, al termine della celebrazione della
liturgia eucaristica. Polemone, il magistrato incaricato di ricercare i
cristiani per costringerli a sacrificare agli dèi, fece tradurre i tre fedeli
al foro, dove furono sottoposti all’abituale interrogatorio. Dopo l'ostinato rifiuto
a sacrificare, Pionio arringò la folla presente per spiegare le ragioni del suo
comportamento. Sabina, che manifestava in modo giudicato troppo insolente il
suo assenso alle conclusioni dei discorsi del suo compagno, fu minacciata di
essere condotta in un luogo di perdizione (l’episodio della vergine cristiana
minacciata nella sua integrità corporale ritorna in altre passiones di martiri,
v. ad esempio Pelagia, martire di Antiochia). Pionio e i suoi compagni furono
imprigionati ed i cristiani andavano a visitarli, ma egli rifiutò di godere dei
viveri che gli erano offerti, non volendo essere di peso agli altri,
specialmente nel momento in cui sapeva la morte vicina.
Alcuni giorni più tardi, Polemone ritornò alla carica per spingere Pionio ad
imitare il vescovo Eudemone che, per debolezza, si era lasciato convincere a
sacrificare, ma il martire, trasportato di forza nel tempio, riparò con la
fedeltà all'atteggiamento del vescovo «lapso».
Quando poi giunse a Smirne il proconsole Giulio Proculo Quintiliano, Pionio comparve ancora una volta dinanzi al tribunale: per la sua indefettibile ostinazione e per la sua resistenza all’ordine di sacrificare venne condannato a morte.
Fu bruciato vivo, mentre dimostrava degnamente fino all’ultimo la sua forza e la sua speranza nella risurrezione. Gli Acta aggiungono che, contemporaneamente a lui, fu arso un prete marcioniti di nome Metrodoro, mentre tacciono sulla sorte dei due compagni dell’inizio, Sabina e Asclepiade. Secondo la stessa fonte, il martirio ebbe luogo il 4 prima delle idi di marzo, cioè, il 12 marzo.
Questa data è conservata nel Martirologio Geronimiano, in cui Pionio è
associato in modo del tutto inatteso al prete marcionita Metrodoro. Nella
medesima fonte si trova anche una menzione di Pionio al 10 marzo, e tracce di
menzioni anteriori, secondo H. Delehaye, al 26 febbraio.
I sinassari bizantini con una notizia proveniente dalla passio greca, lo
commemorano all’11 marzo, ma il suo nome ritorna ancora al 13 o al 20 marzo.
Nei calendari georgiani è annunciato al 7, all’8 e all’11 marzo.
In Occidente, con Floro, Pionio compare alla data nuova del primo febbraio in seguito ad un'errata interpretazione del Poenis che si legge in quel giorno nel Martirologio Geronimiano, nella lista dei pretesi compagni di Policarpo di Smirne che di fatto sono martiri egiziani. L'elogio dedicato a Pionio nel Martirologio di Floro proviene dalla traduzione latina di Rufino della Storia Ecclesiastica di Eusebio per il quale, come è già stato sottolineato, Pionio era nel martirio contemporaneo di san Policarpo.
Notiamo infine che Floro attribuisce a Pionio, sempre secondo le stesse fonti, "quindici compagni", numero dato da uno dei mss. del Geronimiano, mentre in Rufino sono menzionati anonimamente dodici compagni di san Policarpo. Lo stesso elogio sarà poi ripreso da Adone e, un po' abbreviato, da Usuardo. Lo si ritrova successivamente, tale e quale, sempre al primo febbraio, nel Martirologio Romano.
Autore: Joseph-Marie Sauget
