Jacques Callot. Saint
Jonas et saint Barachisius. Gravure, XVIIe.
Saints Barachise et Jonas
Martyrs
en Perse (✝ 327)
Ils étaient frères
selon la chair, ils le furent dans le témoignage qu'ils rendirent durant leurs
tortures, ils le restèrent par le sang qu'ils versèrent pour le Sauveur Jésus,
l'espérance des chrétiens. Une tradition authentique nous rapporte qu'ils
étaient toujours joyeux. Comme ils ne craignaient pas la mort, ils se moquèrent
tellement du juge qui voulait leur faire adorer le soleil, que l'assistance
s'en amusa, pleine de gaieté, et qu'on dût lever la séance. Ils furent jugés de
nuit alors que les gens dormaient, et condamnés à être écrasés sous une pierre.
SAINT JONAS et SAINT BARACHISIUS
Martyrs
(327)
L'an 327 de l'ère chrétienne, vivaient dans un petit village de la Perse deux frères chrétiens nommés Jonas et Barachisius; ils craignaient Dieu et observaient fidèlement Sa loi.
Ayant appris que le roi Sapor avait lancé un édit contre la religion du Christ, et que déjà un grand nombre de chrétiens étaient en prison, ils résolurent d'affronter la persécution et d'aller encourager les martyrs. A la vue de plusieurs chrétiens dans les tourments: "Ne craignez rien, leur dirent-ils, combattons, mes frères, pour le nom de Jésus crucifié, et nous obtiendrons, comme nos devanciers, la glorieuse couronne promise aux vaillants soldats de la foi."
Soutenues par ces paroles, les victimes consommèrent sans faiblesse leur sacrifice. Mais il n'en fallait pas davantage pour exciter la colère des ministres du roi. Jonas et Barachisius sont arrêtés et menacés de mort s'ils n'adorent les dieux de la Perse, le soleil, le feu et l'eau. Leur refus est suivi de cruelles tortures.
Jonas, attaché à un pieu, est frappé de verges couvertes d'épines jusqu'à ce que ses côtes soient mises à nu; mais il bénit et glorifie le Seigneur. On le traîne alors, une chaîne aux pieds, sur un étang glacé pour y passer la nuit.
Pendant ce temps, Barachisius confond à son tour la folie des adorateurs des idoles, et affirme que jamais il n'adorera que Celui qui est le Créateur tout-puissant du soleil, du feu et de l'eau. On lui verse du plomb fondu sur les yeux, dans la bouche, dans le nez et les oreilles, puis on le suspend par un pied dans sa prison.
Le lendemain, le combat recommence pour les deux frères. Aux questions railleuses de ses bourreaux, Jonas répond: "Dieu ne m'a jamais donné une nuit plus heureuse ni plus tranquille," puis il leur parle avec une éloquence et une sagesse qui les ravissent d'étonnement et d'admiration malgré eux, sans toutefois diminuer leur barbarie. Ils coupent par phalanges les doigts des mains et des pieds du saint martyr, et ensuite le jettent dans une chaudière de poix bouillante, après lui avoir ôté la peau de la tête. La poix bouillante l'ayant épargné, ils le placent sous un pressoir à vis et le broient en faisant tourner sur lui cet horrible instrument; et c'est dans ce supplice que Jonas termina son combat victorieux.
Quant à son frère Barachisius, il ne fut pas moins admirable. Jeté dans un buisson d'épines aiguës, on ne l'en retira que pour enfoncer dans sa chair des pointes de roseaux et les arracher violemment. Au lieu de se plaindre, la douce victime, à l'exemple du Maître, priait pour ses ennemis. Son corps fut ensuite broyé sous le même pressoir où son frère avait expiré.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame, 1950.
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_jonas_et_saint_barachisius.html
29 mars. Saint Jonas, saint Barachisius, frères,
et leurs saints compagnons, martyrs. 326.
- Saint Jonas (ou Jonan ou encore Yon), saint
Barachisius (ou Barachise ou encore Berikjesu), frères, et leurs saints
compagnons, martyrs. 326.
Pape : Saint Sylvestre Ier. Roi des Perses : Sapor Ier.
" Ne craignez rien, leur
dirent-ils, combattons, mes frères, pour le nom de Jésus crucifié, et nous
obtiendrons, comme nos devanciers, la glorieuse couronne promise aux vaillants
soldats de la foi."
Saint Barachisius.
La dix-huitième année de son règne, Sapor, croyant qu'il était de sa politique de persécuter l'Église du Christ, renversa les églises et les autels, brûla les monastères, et accabla de vexations les chrétiens. Il voulait leur faire renier le culte du Dieu créateur pour celui du feu, du soleil et de l'eau : quiconque refusait d'adorer ces divinités était torturé.
Il y avait dans la ville de Beth-Asa deux frères également vertueux et chers à tous les chrétiens ; ils se nommaient Jonan et Berikjesu. Connaissant les tourments qu'on faisait subir, en divers lieux, aux chrétiens, pour les forcer à renier, ils résolurent de s'y rendre incontinent. Arrivés à la ville de Hubaham, et désirant tout voir par eux-mêmes, ils pénétrèrent jusqu'à la prison publique, pour y visiter les chrétiens. Ils en trouvèrent un grand nombre qui avaient résisté à plusieurs épreuves; ils les animèrent à persévérer, leur apprirent à trouver dans les Écritures des réponses pour confondre les juges ; et le succès de leurs exhortations fut tel que, parmi ces chrétiens, les uns confessèrent devant les tyrans et les autres cueillirent la palme du martyre ; ces derniers furent au nombre de neuf : Zébinas, Lazare, Marout, Narsai, Elia, Mahri, Habile, Saba et Schembaitch.
A la vue de plusieurs chrétiens dans les tourments, ils les encouragèrent ainsi :
" Ne craignez rien, leur dirent-ils, combattons, mes frères, pour le nom de Jésus crucifié, et nous obtiendrons, comme nos devanciers, la glorieuse couronne promise aux vaillants soldats de la foi."
Soutenues par ces paroles, les victimes consommèrent sans faiblesse leur sacrifice. Mais il n'en fallait pas davantage pour exciter la colère des ministres du roi. Jonas et Barachisius sont arrêtés et menacés de mort s'ils n'adorent les dieux de la Perse, le soleil, le feu et l'eau. Leur refus est suivi de cruelles tortures.
Jonas, attaché à un pieu, est frappé de verges
couvertes d'épines jusqu'à ce que ses côtes soient mises à nu ; mais il bénit
et glorifie le Seigneur. On le traîne alors, une chaîne aux pieds, sur un étang
glacé pour y passer la nuit.
Pendant ce temps, Barachisius confond à son tour la folie des adorateurs des idoles, et affirme que jamais il n'adorera que Celui qui est le Créateur tout-puissant du soleil, du feu et de l'eau. On lui verse du plomb fondu sur les yeux, dans la bouche, dans le nez et les oreilles, puis on le suspend par un pied dans sa prison.
Le lendemain, le combat recommence pour les deux frères. Aux questions railleuses de ses bourreaux, Jonas répond :
Pendant ce temps, Barachisius confond à son tour la folie des adorateurs des idoles, et affirme que jamais il n'adorera que Celui qui est le Créateur tout-puissant du soleil, du feu et de l'eau. On lui verse du plomb fondu sur les yeux, dans la bouche, dans le nez et les oreilles, puis on le suspend par un pied dans sa prison.
Le lendemain, le combat recommence pour les deux frères. Aux questions railleuses de ses bourreaux, Jonas répond :
" Dieu ne m'a jamais donné une nuit plus heureuse ni plus tranquille ", puis il leur parle avec une éloquence et une sagesse qui les ravissent d'étonnement et d'admiration malgré eux, sans toutefois diminuer leur barbarie. Ils coupent par phalanges les doigts des mains et des pieds du saint martyr, et ensuite le jettent dans une chaudière de poix bouillante, après lui avoir ôté la peau de la tête. La poix bouillante l'ayant épargné, ils le placent sous un pressoir à vis et le broient en faisant tourner sur lui cet horrible instrument ; et c'est dans ce supplice que Jonas termina son combat victorieux.
Quant à son frère Barachisius, il ne fut pas moins admirable. Jeté dans un buisson d'épines aiguës, on ne l'en retira que pour enfoncer dans sa chair des pointes de roseaux et les arracher violemment. Au lieu de se plaindre, la douce victime, à l'exemple du Maître, priait pour ses ennemis. Son corps fut ensuite broyé sous le même pressoir où son frère avait expiré.
V. de Beauvais. Saint Jonas. Speculum historiale. XVe.
St. Jonas and St. Barachisius
King Sapor of Persia reigned in the fourth century. He hated Christians and persecuted them cruelly. He destroyed their churches and monasteries. Two brothers named Jonas and Barachisius heard of the persecutions. They learned that many Christians had been put to death.
They decided to go to help them and to encourage them to remain faithful to Christ. Jonas and Barachisius knew that they, too, might be captured. But that did not stop them. Their hearts were too full of love of others to have room for a thought of themselves.
At last the two brothers were taken prisoner. They were told that if they did not worship the sun, the moon, the fire and water, they would be tortured and put to death. Of course, they refused to worship anything or anyone except the one true God. They had to suffer greatly, but they prayed. They kept thinking of how Our Lord had suffered for them. The two brothers endured terrible tortures but would not give up their faith. They were finally condemned to death and joyfully gave up their lives for Jesus. Jonas and Barachisius were martyred in 327.
Reflection: Is there an area in my life where I am called to greater selflessness? How have I experienced others giving of themselves to help me in my own needs?
SOURCE : http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/dailysaint/march/0329.asp
King Sapor of Persia, in the eighteenth year of his reign, raised a
bloody persecution against the Christians, and laid waste their churches and
monasteries, Jonas and Barachisius, two brothers of the city Beth-Asa, hearing
that several Christians lay under sentence of death at Hubaham, went thither to
encourage and serve them. Nine of that number received the crown of martyrdom.
After their execution, Jonas and Barachisius were apprehended for having
exhorted them to die. The president entreated the two brothers to obey the king
of Persia, and to worship the sun, moon, fire, and water. Their answer was,
that it was more reasonable to obey the immortal King of heaven and earth than
a mortal prince. Jonas was beaten with knotty clubs and with rods, and next set
in a frozen pond, with a cord tied to his foot. Barachisius had two red-hot
iron plates and two red-hot hammers applied under each arm, and melted lead
dropped into his nostrils and eyes; after which he was carried to prison, and
there hung up by one foot.
Despite these cruel tortures, the two brothers remained steadfast in the
Faith. New and more horrible torments were then devised under which at last
they yielded up their lives, while their pure souls winged their flight to
heaven, there to gain the martyr’s crown, which they had so faithfully won.
SS. Jonas,
Barachisius, and Their Companions, Martyrs
From their
genuine acts compiled by Esaias, a noble Armenian knight in the troops of King
Sapor, an eye-witness; published in the original Chaldaic, by Stephen Assemani,
Act. Mart. Orient. t. 1. p. 211. They were much adulterated by the Greeks in
Metaphrastes. Ruinart and Tillemont think Sapor raised no persecution before
his fortieth year; but Assemani proves from these acts, and several other
monuments, a persecution in his eighteenth year. See Præf. Gen. and p. 214.
app.
A.D. 327
KING SAPOR, in
the eighteenth year of his reign, raised a bloody persecution against the
Christians, and demolished their churches and monasteries. Jonas and
Barachisius, two brothers of the city Beth-Asa, hearing that several Christians
lay under sentence of death at Hubaham, went thither to encourage and serve
them. Nine of that number received the crown of martyrdom. After their
execution, Jonas and Barachisius were apprehended for having exhorted them to
die. The president mildly entreated the two brothers to obey the king of kings,
meaning the king of Persia, and to worship the sun, moon, fire, and water.
Their answer was, that it was more reasonable to obey the immortal King of
heaven and earth, than a mortal prince. The Magians were much offended to hear
their king called mortal. By their advice the martyrs were separated, and
Barachisius was cast into a very narrow close dungeon. Jonas they detained with
them, endeavouring to persuade him to sacrifice to fire, the sun, and water.
The prince of the Magians, seeing him inflexible, caused him to be laid flat on
his belly with a stake under his navel, and to be beaten both with knotty clubs
and with rods. The martyr all the time continued in prayer, saying: “I thank
you, O God of our father Abraham. Enable me I beseech you to offer to you
acceptable holocausts. One thing I have asked of the Lord: this will
I seek after. 1 The sun, moon, fire, and water I renounce: I believe
and confess the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” The judge ordered him next to be
set in a frozen pond, with a cord tied to his foot. After supper and a short
nap he sent for Barachisius, and told him his brother had sacrificed. The
martyr said it was impossible that he should have paid divine honours to fire,
a vile creature, and spoke much on the immensity and power of God, and with
such eloquence and force, that the Magians were astonished to hear him, and
said one to another, that if he were permitted to speak in public, he would draw
over many from their religion. Whereupon they concluded for the future to hold
his interrogatories in the night. In the mean time they caused two red-rot iron
plates, and two red-hot hammers, to be applied under each arm, and said to him:
“If you shake off either of these, by the king’s fortune, you deny Christ.” He
meekly replied: “I fear not your fire; nor shall I throw off your instruments
of torture. I beg you to try without delay all your torments on me. He who is
engaged in combat for God, is full of courage.” They ordered melted lead to be
dropped into his nostrils and eyes; and that he should then be carried to
prison, and there hung up by one foot. Jonas, after this, being brought out of
his pool, the Magians said to him: “How do you find yourself this morning? We
imagine you passed the last night but very uncomfortably.” “No,” replied Jonas:
“from the day I came into the world, I never remember a night more sweet and
agreeable: for I was wonderfully refreshed by the remembrance of Christ’s sufferings.”
The Magians said: “Your companion hath renounced.” The martyr, interrupting
them, answered: “I know that he hath long ago renounced the devil and his
angels.” The Magians urged: “Take care lest you perish, abandoned both by God
and man.” Jonas replied: “If you are really wise, as you boast, judge if it be
not better to sow the corn, than to keep it hoarded up. Our life is a seed
sown, to rise again in the world to come, when it will be renewed by Christ in
immortal light.” The Magians said: “Your books have drawn many aside.” Jonas
answered: “They have indeed drawn many from worldly pleasures. When a servant
of Christ is in his sufferings inebriated with love from the passion of his
Lord, he forgets the transitory state of this short life, its riches, estates,
gold, and honours; regardless of kings and princes, lords and noblemen, where
an eternity is at stake, he desires nothing but the sight of the only true
King, whose empire is everlasting, and whose power reaches to all ages.” The
judges commanded all his fingers and toes to be cut off, joint by joint, and
scattered about. Then they said to him: “Now wait the harvest to reap other
hands from this seed.” To whom he said: “Other hands I do not ask. God is
present, who first framed me, and who will give me new strength.” After this
the skin was torn off the martyr’s head, his tongue was cut out, and he was
thrown into a vessel of boiling pitch; but the pitch by a sudden ebullition
running over the servant of God was not hurt by it. The judges next ordered him
to be squeezed in a wooden press till his veins, sinews, and fibres burst.
Lastly, his body was sawn with an iron saw, and, by pieces, thrown into a dry
cistern. Guards were appointed to watch the sacred relics, lest Christians
should steal them away. The judges then called upon Barachisius to spare his
own body. To whom he said: “This body I did not frame, neither will I destroy
it. God its maker will again restore it; and will judge you and your king.”
Hormisdatscirus, turning to Maharnarsces, said: “By our delays we affront the
king. These men regard neither words nor torments.” They therefore agreed that
he should be beaten with sharp pointed rushes; then that splinters of reeds
should be applied to his body, and by cords strait drawn and pulled, should be
pressed deep into his flesh, and that in this condition his body pierced all
over with sharp spikes, armed like a porcupine, should be rolled on the ground.
After these tortures, he was put into the screw or press, and boiling pitch and
brimstone were poured into his mouth. By this last torment he obtained a crown
equal to that of his brother. Under their most exquisite tortures they thought
they bought heaven too cheap. Upon the news of their death, Abtusciatus, an old
friend, came and purchased their bodies for five hundred drachms and three silk
garments, binding himself also by oath never to divulge the sale. The acts are
closed by these words: “This book was written from the mouths of witnesses, and
contains the acts of the saints, Jonas, Barachisius, and others, martyrs of
Christ, who by his succour fought, triumphed, and were crowned, in whose
prayers we beg place may by found, by Esaias, son of Adabus of Arzun, in
Armenia, of the troop of royal horsemen, who was present at their interrogatories
and tortures, and who wrote the history of their conflicts.” They were crowned
on the 29th of the moon of December. This was the 24th of that month, in the
year of Christ 327, of Sapor II. the 18th. The Roman Martyrology mentions them
on the 29th of March.
Those powerful
motives, which supported the martyrs under the sharpest torments, ought to
inspire us with patience, resignation, and holy joy, under sickness, and all
crosses or trials. These are the times of the greatest spiritual harvest, by
the exercise of the most perfect virtues. For nothing is more heroic in the
practice of Christian virtue, nothing more precious in the sight of God, than
the sacrifice of patience, submission, constant fidelity and charity in a state
of suffering. Under sickness we are too apt eagerly to desire health, that we
may be able to do something for God, and to discharge the obligations of our
profession, as we persuade ourselves. This is a mere invention of self-love,
which is impatient under the weight of humiliation. Nothing indeed is more
severe to nature than such a state of death, and there is nothing which it is
not desirous of doing, to recover that active life, which carries an air of
importance, by making an appearance in the tumultuous scene of the world. But
how much does the soul generally lose by such an exchange! Ah! did we but truly
know how great are the spiritual advantages and riches, and how great the glory
of patience founded upon motives of true charity, and how precious the
victories and triumphs are which it gains over self-love, we should rejoice too
much in a state of suffering and humiliation ever to entertain any inordinate
desires of changing it. We should only ask for health in sickness under this
condition, if it be more expedient for God’s honour and our spiritual
advancement. With St. Paul, we should find a joy and delight in a state of
privation and suffering, in which we enter into a true sense of our absolute
weakness, feel that we are nothing, and have no reliance but on God alone.
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume III: March. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
Saint Jonas of Hubaham
Also known as
- Jonah of Hubaham
Profile
Monk. Went with Saint
Barachisius, his brother and fellow monk, to Hubaham, Persia, to minister to Chistians
imprisoned for their faith
during the reign of King Sapor II. They were arrested, beaten, tortured, and martyred for this service, and for refusing to worship the sun,
moon, fire and water. Eyewitness descriptions of their trial and execution have survived to today.
Born
- at Beth-Asa, Persia
- martyred 24 December 327 by being beaten with clubs, a stake pushed into his
abdomen, and left in a freezing pond; when he survived the night, his
fingers and toes were cut off, and he was crushed to death in a wine press
- his corpse was cut in two, thrown in a dry
cistern, and guarded to keep other Christians from recovering relics
Saint Barachisius
Also known as
- Berikjesu
Profile
Monk.
Went with Saint
Jonas of Hubaham, his brother and fellow monk,
to Hubaham, Persia,
to minister to Chistians
imprisoned for their faith
during the reign of King
Sapor II. They were arrested, beaten, tortured, and martyred
for this service, and for refusing to worship the sun, moon, fire and water.
Eyewitness descriptions of their trial and execution
have survived to today.
Born
- at Beth-Asa, Persia
- by having hot brimstone and pitch poured down his throat on 24
December 327
Voir aussi :
