Sainte Euphémie de
Chalcédoine
Martyre en
Bithynie (+ v. 305)
Sainte Euphémie est
née à Chalcédoine vers 284, de parents fortunés et
chrétiens. Elle est morte martyre en 305. Elle est qualifiée de « mégalomartyre » (grande martyre).
Vierge et martyre à
Chalcédoine. Arrêtée, elle connut d'abord diverses tortures avant d'être livrée
aux bêtes qui la déchirèrent.
Un internaute nous écrit:
"En Orient, elle a
reçu le titre rare de 'mégalomartyre' (grande martyre). Elle a deux Fêtes
dans l'année: le jour de son martyre, le 16 septembre, et le 11 juillet.
Sainte Euphémie était de
Chalcédoine, et sur son tombeau on édifia une grande Basilique.
C'est cette Basilique qui
fut choisie pour accueillir le IVe Concile œcuménique.
Selon l'historien
Nicéphore, les pères du Concile, après des jours de discussions sans fin,
décidèrent de demander à Dieu de trancher sur la question de la double nature
(homme et Dieu) du Christ.
Chacun des deux camps
déposa dans la tombe d'Euphémie l'exposé de sa doctrine, et les pères se mirent
en Prière.
Quand ils ouvrirent le
tombeau, la thèse orthodoxe se trouvait sur la poitrine de la sainte, et la
thèse hérétique à ses pieds.
C'était le 11 juillet
451.
La deuxième Fête de Sainte
Euphémie commémore donc ce miracle.
Saint
Ambroise parle ainsi d'Euphémie: «Cette illustre vierge, cette
glorieuse Euphémie, conserva la gloire de la virginité et mérita de recevoir la
couronne du martyre.
Priscus son adversaire
est vaincu.
Cette vierge sort intacte
d'une fournaise ardente, les pierres les plus dures reviennent à l'état de
cendre; les bêtes féroces s'adoucissent et se baissent devant elle.
Sa prière lui fait
surmonter toute espèce de supplice.
Percée en dernier lieu
par la pointe du glaive, elle quitte sa chair qui était sa prison pour se
joindre avec liesse aux chœurs Célestes. Que cette vierge sacrée, Seigneur,
protège votre Église; qu'elle prie pour nous qui sommes pécheurs : puisse cette
Vierge pure nourrie dans votre maison vous présenter nos vœux.»"
Au martyrologe romain au
16 septembre: À Chalcédoine en Bithynie, vers 303, Sainte Euphémie, vierge et
martyre.
La tradition rapporte
que, après diverses tortures, elle fut livrée aux bêtes, sous l’empereur
Dioclétien et le proconsul Prisque.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/1861/Sainte-Euphemie-de-Chalcedoine.html
SAINTE EUPHÉMIE*
Euphémie est ainsi nommée
de eu, qui est le bon, et femme, bonne femme, c'est-à-dire honnête, utile et
agréable, car le bon a ces trois qualités. Elle fut utile par sa manière de
vivre, honnête par l’excellence de ses mœurs, et agréable à Dieu par la
contemplation des choses du ciel. Ou bien Euphémie vient de euphonie,
qui veut dire son agréable. Or, on obtient un son agréable en trois manières :
avec la voix, comme dans le chant; en pinçant, comme dans la cithare; avec le
vent, comme dans l’orgue. De même sainte Euphémie rendit des sons
doux à Dieu, avec la voix de ses bonnes oeuvres, avec ses bonnes actions, et
avec le souffle de la dévotion intérieure.
Euphémie, fille d'un
sénateur, voyant les tortures subies par les Chrétiens au temps de Dioclétien,
courut chez le juge Priscus, et se confessant Chrétienne, animait, par
l’exemple de sa constance, les cœurs des hommes eux-mêmes.
Or, quand le juge faisait
massacrer les Chrétiens successivement, il ordonnait que les autres y
assistassent, afin, que la terreur les forçât à immoler aux dieux, en voyant
leurs frères déchirés si cruellement.
Comme il faisait
décapiter avec cruauté les Saints en présence d'Euphémie, celle-ci, qui ne
cessait d'encourager les martyrs à souffrir avec constance, se mit à crier que
le juge lui faisait affront.
Alors Priscus fut réjoui,
dans la pensée qu'Euphémie voulait consentir à sacrifier. Lui ayant donc
demandé quel affront il lui faisait, elle dit:
« Puisque je suis de
noble race, pourquoi donnes-tu la préférence à des inconnus et à des étrangers,
et les fais-tu aller les premiers à J.-C., pour qu'ils parviennent plus tôt à
la gloire qui leur a été promise ? »
Le juge lui répondit :
« Je pensais que tu avais repris ton bon sens et je me réjouissais de ce
que tu t'étais rappelé et ta noblesse et ton sexe. »
Elle fut donc renfermée
eu prison et le lendemain elle fut amenée sans être attachée, avec ceux qui étaient
garrottés.
Elle se plaignit de
nouveau très amèrement, de ce que, malgré les lois des empereurs, on lui eût
fait grâce des liens à elle seule.
Alors elle fut broyée de
soufflets et renfermée en prison. Le juge l’y suivit et voulut lui faire violence,
mais elle lutta contre lui comme un homme, en sorte que, par la permission de
Dieu, une des mains de Priscus se contracta.
Il se crut sous le
pouvoir d'un charme, et il envoya le prévôt de sa maison à Euphémie afin de
voir si, à force de promesses, il ne lui ferait pas donner son consentement.
Mais cet homme trouva la
prison close ; il ne put l’ouvrir avec les clefs, ni la briser à coups de hache
; enfin, saisi par le démon, il put à peine s'échapper, en poussant toutefois
des clameurs et en se déchirant lui-même.
Plus tard on fit sortir
Euphémie et ou la plaça sur une roue dont les rais étaient remplis de charbon,
et le maître des tourments, qui était au milieu de la roue, avait donné à ceux
qui la tiraient tel signal pour que, au bruit qu'il ferait, tous ensemble se
missent à tirer et qu'ainsi à l’aide du feu qui jaillirait, les rais missent en
lambeaux le corps d'Euphémie.
Mais, par une permission
de Dieu, le ferrement qui retenait la roue tomba de ses mains, et fit du bruit;
aussitôt les aides se mettant à tirer, la roue broya le maître des tourments et
fit qu'Euphémie, debout sur la roue, fut conservée sauve et intacte.
Alors les parents de cet
homme, tout désolés, voulurent, en mettant du feu sous la roue, brûler Euphémie
et la roue tout à la fois ; la roue brûla en effet; mais Euphémie, déliée par
un ange, fut aperçue debout sur un lieu élevé.
Appellien dit au juge : «
Le courage des Chrétiens n'est vaincu que par le glaive; aussi je te conseille
de la faire décoller. » On dressa donc des échelles, et comme quelqu'un voulait
lever la main pour saisir la sainte, à l’instant, il fut tout à fait paralysé
et on put à peine le descendre à demi-mort.
Un autre cependant, nommé
Sosthène, monta mais il fut converti aussitôt par Euphémie à laquelle il
demanda pardon : il dégaina donc son épée et cria au juge qu'il aimait mieux se
donner la mort à lui-même que de toucher une personne défendue par les anges.
Enfin elle fut descendue
et le juge dit à son chancelier de rassembler tous les jeunes libertins afin
qu'ils fissent d'elle à leur volonté jusqu'à ce qu'elle défaillît d'épuisement.
Mais celui qui entra où
elle était, voyant beaucoup de vierges de grand éclat et priant autour d'elle,
se fit aussitôt Chrétien.
Alors le président fit
suspendre la vierge par les cheveux, mais comme elle n'en restait pas moins
inébranlable, il la fit renfermer en prison, défendant de lui donner de la
nourriture, afin que, au bout de trois jours, elle fût écrasée comme une olive
entré quatre grandes pierres.
Mais Euphémie fut nourrie
par un ange, et le septième jour ayant été placée entre des pierres fort dures,
à sa prière ces pierres-là même furent réduites en une cendre menue.
En conséquence le
président, honteux d'être vaincu par une jeune fille, la fit jeter dans une
fosse, où se trouvaient trois bêtes assez féroces pour dévorer un homme entier.
Mais elles accoururent
auprès de la vierge pour la caresser, et, disposèrent ensemble leur queue de
manière à lui servir de siège, et confondirent mieux encore le juge témoin de
ce fait.
Le président faillit en
mourir d'angoisse; mais le bourreau étant entré pour venger l’affront de son
maître, enfonça une épée dans le côté d'Euphémie et en fit une martyre de J.-C.
Pour récompenser le
bourreau, le juge le revêtit d'un Habit de soie, lui mit au cou un collier
d'or, mais en sortant, il fut saisi par un lion qui le dévora tout entier.
Ce fut à peine si on
retrouva de lui quelques ossements et des lambeaux de vêtement ainsi que le collier
d'or.
Le juge Priscus se dévora
lui-même et fut trouvé mort.
Or, Sainte Euphémie fut
enterrée avec honneur à Chalcédoine ; et l’on dut à ses mérites la conversion
de tous les Juifs et des Gentils de cette ville.
Elle souffrit vers l’an
du Seigneur 280.
Saint Ambroise parle
ainsi de cette vierge dans sa préface : « Cette illustre vierge, cette
glorieuse Euphémie, conserva la gloire de la virginité et mérita de recevoir la
couronne du martyre.
Priscus son adversaire
est vaincu. Cette vierge sort intacte d'une fournaise ardente, les pierres les
plus dures reviennent à l’état de cendre ; les bêtes féroces s'adoucissent, et
se baissent devant elle : sa Prière lui fait surmonter toute espèce de supplice.
Percée en dernier lieu
par la pointe du glaive, elle quitte sa chair qui était sa prison pour se
joindre avec liesse aux chœurs Célestes.
Que cette vierge sacrée,
Seigneur, protège votre Église; qu'elle prie pour nous qui sommes pécheurs :
puisse cette Vierge pure nourrie dans votre maison vous présenter nos
vœux. »
* Bréviaire.
La Légende dorée de
Jacques de Voragine nouvellement traduite en français avec introduction,
notices, notes et recherches sur les sources par l'abbé J.-B. M. Roze, chanoine
honoraire de la Cathédrale d'Amiens, Édouard Rouveyre, éditeur, 76, rue de
Seine, 76, Paris mdcccci
SOURCE : http://www.abbaye-saint-benoit.ch/voragine/tome03/140.htm
Sainte Euphémie est la
patronne de la ville de Rovinj en Croatie, a l’époque de Dioclétien elle fut
torturée et jetée au lion, ses reliques furent plus tard envoyées
a Constantinople, et autour de l’an 800 ces mêmes reliques auraient
traversées la Méditerranée dans un sarcophage de marbre et se
seraient échouées à Rovinj.
Il est à présent exposé à
l’intérieur de la Cathédrale.
La
Cathédrale Ste Euphémie se trouve au point le plus haut de la presqu’ile.
Euphémie de Calcédoine
VIERGE, MARTYRE, SAINTE
† CA. 307
La ville de
Calcédoine fut le théâtre des glorieux combats de sainte Euphémie, qui souffrit
vers l'an 307, dans la persécution que continuèrent les successeurs de
Dioclétien. Ayant embrassé l'état de virginité, elle annonça par la couleur
modeste de ses habillements, qu'elle renonçait aux plaisirs et aux amusements
du monde. Les exercices de la piété, et les pratiques de la pénitence,
faisaient son unique occupation. Comme l'amour de Dieu régnait dans son cœur,
elle ne vivait que pour lui, et tendait tous les jours à la perfection avec une
nouvelle ardeur. Tout ce qui ne la portait pas à Dieu, lui paraissait
méprisable.
Ayant été arrêtée, elle
fut cruellement tourmentée par l'ordre du magistrat, nommé Priscus. L'histoire
de ses souffrances fut représentée sur un tableau dont saint Astère, évêque
d'Amasée dans le Pont, nous a laissé une description exacte, et qui se gardait
autrefois dans la grande église de Calcédoine. Un soldat lui tirant la tête en
arrière, un autre lui cassait les dents, en sorte que le sang qui lui sortait
de la bouche couvrait son visage, ses cheveux et ses vêtements. Après lui avoir
fait souffrir diverses autres tortures, on la conduisit en prison, où la prière
fit ses délices et sa consolation. A la fin on la condamna à être brûlée vive. Elle
monta d'elle-même sur le bûcher avec un courage et une sérénité qui montraient
la joie qu'elle ressentait de se voir sur le point d'entrer dans la gloire de
Jésus.
L'Église grecque l'honore
avec la même dévotion que les plus célèbres martyrs, et sa fête est
d'obligation dans presque tout l'Orient. Il y avait anciennement à
Constantinople quatre églises dédiées sous son invocation. Celle qui portait
son nom à Calcédoine, était fort célèbre ; et ce fut là que se tint
le quatrième concile général qui proscrivit les erreurs d'Eutychès en 451. Les
Pères de ce concile attribuèrent principalement à l'intercession de la Sainte,
l'heureuse issue de l'affaire pour laquelle ils s'étaient assemblés.
L'historien Evagre rapporte, que les Empereurs, les patriarches, et les fidèles
de tout état couraient en foule à Calcédoine, pour participer aux grâces
extraordinaires que sainte Euphémie obtenait de Dieu.
On transporta depuis ses
reliques dans l'église de Sainte-Sophie à Constantinople, et elles y restèrent
jusqu'au temps de l'impie Constantin Copronyme, qui voulut les jeter dans la
mer. Mais on trouva le moyen de les conserver, comme nous l'apprenons de
Constantin, évêque de Tio, dans la Paphlagonie, qui a fait un discours sur ce
sujet. Elles sont présentement à Syllebrie ou Syllivri, ville qui est le siège
d'un métropolitain, et qui est située sur le rivage de la Propontide, entre
Constantinople et Andrinople. Mais il y en a une portion dans l'église de la
maison de Sorbonne de Paris, et ce précieux trésor est un présent d'un
grand-maître de Rhodes ou de Malte.
On voyait à Rome, du
temps de saint Grégoire-le-Grand, une église qui portait le nom de sainte
Euphémie. Il paraît que c'est la même que celle qui fut réparée par le Pape
Urbain VIII, et qui subsiste encore aujourd'hui. (Voyez saint Paulin, saint
Pierre Chrysologue, et surtout le discours de saint Astère, qui est cité par le
septième concile général. Nous n'avons fait aucun usage des actes de la Sainte,
parce qu'ils ne méritent aucune croyance.)
Les plus célèbres martyrologes
de l'Occident joignent à sainte Euphémie, Sainte Luce et Saint Géminien,
qui souffrirent sous Déoclétien. On ne sait rien ni de leur vie, ni des
circonstances de leur martyre.
SOURCE : http://nouvl.evangelisation.free.fr/euphemie_de_calcedoine.htm
Le 11 Juillet, nous
célébrons la mémoire de la Sainte et grande Martyre EUPHÉMIE, qui a confirmé la
confession de foi des 630 Pères Théophores réunis à Chalcédoine pour le
Quatrième Concile Œcuménique (1).
Lors du IVe saint Concile
Œcuménique, réuni par les pieux empereurs Marcien et Pulchérie (2) à
Chalcédoine, dans la vaste Basilique de Sainte Euphémie (3), les 630 Pères
entreprirent de réfuter les opinions hérétiques de l'Archimandrite Eutychès,
soutenu par l'Archevêque d'Alexandrie Dioscore.
Afin de trancher leur
différent par une décision venant de Dieu, le Patriarche Saint Anatole (4)
suggéra que les deux partis rédigent un tome contenant leur profession de Foi
respective, et que les deux documents soient déposés dans la châsse de Sainte
Euphémie.
Les deux livres, dans
lesquels étaient écrites les définitions de la Foi concernant la Personne du
Christ, furent donc placés sur la poitrine de la Sainte et, après avoir scellé
la châsse, les Pères se mirent en Prière.
Au bout de huit jours,
tous se rendirent au martyrium et, ouvrant la châsse, ils découvrirent avec
émerveillement que la Sainte étreignait dans ses bras le tome orthodoxe, comme
si elle voulait le faire entrer dans son cœur, tandis que le tome des
hérétiques gisait à ses pieds (5).
Devant cette
démonstration éclatante de la vérité, les Orthodoxes rendirent grâces à Dieu et
les hérétiques, hués par la foule des fidèles, furent couverts de honte.
On rapporte par ailleurs
bien d'autres miracles accomplis par les Reliques de Sainte Euphémie.
Lors d'une invasion
perse, les barbares, ayant envahi Chalcédoine, essayèrent de détruire par le
feu les précieuses Reliques.
Mais elles restèrent
intactes et du sang frais coula par un des trous qu'ils avaient faits dans la
châsse.
Par la suite ce miracle
se renouvelait de temps en temps, procurant de nombreuses guérisons aux fidèles
qui venaient recueillir le sang de Sainte Euphémie. Mais, plus fréquemment, son
tombeau exhalait un suave parfum, en témoignage de la faveur acquise par la
Sainte auprès de Dieu.
Pour protéger ces
précieuses Reliques de toute nouvelle profanation, on les transféra à
Constantinople, où elles furent déposées dans l'église de Sainte-Euphémie, près
de l'Hippodrome.
Jetées à la mer au temps
de la persécution de Constantin Copronyme, tandis que l'église était
transformée en magasin d'armement, elles échouèrent sur le littoral de Lemnos
et furent recueillies par deux pêcheurs.
Retrouvées sous le règne
de l'impératrice Irène, on les transféra solennellement dans la capitale (796),
où elles continuèrent d'accomplir des miracles. Après avoir subi bien d'autres
vicissitudes, elles sont aujourd'hui vénérées dans l'église du Patriarcat
Œcuménique, au Phanar.
1). Cf. le résumé de sa
Passion, le jour de sa mémoire principale, 16 septembre
2). Cf. notice du IVe
Concile, au 13 juillet, et celles des Sts Marcien et Pulchérie (17 fév.), et de
St Anatole (3 juil.).
3). Cette basilique avait
été édifiée au-dessus du tombeau de la Sainte, à environ un mille de la ville.
Son corps était déposé dans une châsse en argent, à l'intérieur d'un bâtiment
situé sur le côté nord-est de la basilique, où l'on ne célébrait des offices
que certains jours.
4). Seules quelques
versions attribuent l'initiative à St Anatole.
5). Dans une version plus
ancienne du miracle, on rapporte que lorsque les Pères déposèrent les deux
documents dans la châsse, la Sainte étendit la main, comme si elle était
vivante, prit le tome orthodoxe, le baisa, puis le rendit aux Pères.
Dans une lettre adressée
au Pape Saint Léon Ier, les Pères du Conciles écrivaient: "(La Sainte
Martyr Euphémie) recevant de nous la définition dogmatique, la présenta à son
Epoux par l'intermédiaire de l'empereur et de l'impératrice, comme sa propre
confession de Foi, et elle confirma de la main et de la langue le décret signé
par tous".
SOURCE : http://calendrier.egliseorthodoxe.com/sts/stsjuillet/juillet11.html
_16_07_2019_46.jpg)
Santa Eufemia, Cappella
Palatina, Palermo
Sainte et Grande Martyre Euphémie de Chalcédoine
29/09-16/09
Sainte Euphémie vécut sous
le règne de Dioclétien (entre 284 et 305). Elle naquit à Chalcédoine de parents
riches et pieux, qui l'éduquèrent dans l'amour du Christ. A cette époque, un
certain Priscus, virulent sectateur d'Arès, devint proconsul pour l'Asie. Pour
la fête de son dieu, il ordonna sous peine de mort que tous les habitants de la
région viennent à Chalcédoine pour le célébrer. Tous les Chrétiens s'enfuirent
alors par petits groupes dans des maisons isolées ou dans les déserts, afin
d'échapper au tyran et de sauvegarder leur foi.
Sainte Euphémie s'était
cachée elle-aussi, avec 49 autres Chrétiens, parmi lesquels elle brillait par
sa vertu et sa sagesse comme un astre étincelant. Ils furent pourtant
rapidement découverts et emmenés devant le proconsul, qui essaya d'abord de les
convaincre en flattant leur jeunesse et leur sagesse. Les Saints lui
répondirent: «Ne perds pas ton temps et tes paroles avec nous, ô gouverneur,
car nous considérons comme la plus grande honte, étant des êtres raisonnables,
d'adorer tes dieux absurdes et insensibles, et d'abandonner le seul vrai Dieu
qui a fait le ciel et la terre. Et sache que tes menaces de torturés ne nous
font pas peur. Elles seront pour nous légères et te montreront la puissance de
notre Dieu». A ces mots, la colère du proconsul s'enflamma et il fit torturer
Euphémie et ses compagnons sans arrêt pendant vingt jours. A l'issue de cette
période, comme il voyait que la fermeté de leur foi n'avait été en rien
ébranlée, il fit comparaître Euphémie, en qui il avait remarquée la tête du
groupe. Il lui fit broyer les membres par des roues de fer; mais, ayant invoqué
le secours de Dieu, la Sainte se retrouva bientôt indemne de tout mal. Ensuite,
il fit allumer une fournaise ardente, dont les flammes montaient à plus de 45
pieds de hauteur, et y fit jeter Euphémie. Là encore, Dieu vint à son secours
et envoya un Ange qui écarta d'elle les flammes. A la vue de ce miracle, ses
bourreaux se convertirent au Christ et moururent Martyrs quelques jours plus
tard sous les dents des fauves. Euphémie fut encore livrée à bien d'autres
tourments, dont Dieu la délivra à chaque fois, afin de montrer combien la Grâce
est plus forte que toutes les tortures inventées par la malice des hommes.
Enfin, ayant été jetée au fauves, la Sainte rendit son âme à Dieu sous la
simple morsure d'un ours. Ses parents recueillirent sa sainte dépouille et
l'ensevelirent à proximité de la ville. Lorsque la persécution de Dioclétien
prit fin, les Chrétiens déposèrent les Reliques de la Sainte dans un sarcophage
d'or à l'intérieur d'une église qui lui était dédiée. Le jour de sa fête,
coulait régulièrement de son tombeau un flot de sang frais, qui dégageait une
céleste odeur. C'est également dans ce tombeau que s'accomplit le miracle du
rejet du tome des hérétiques lors du concile de Chalcédoine (451).
Autre mémoire : le 24/07
- 11/07
Lors du IVe saint Concile
Oecuménique, réuni par les pieux empereurs Marcien et Pulchérie à Chalcédoine,
dans la vaste basilique de Sainte Euphémie, les 630 Pères entreprirent de
réfuter les opinions hérétiques de l'Archimandrite Eutychès, soutenu par
l'Archevêque d'Alexandrie Dioscore. Afin de trancher leur différent par une
décision venant de Dieu, le Patriarche Saint Anatole suggéra que les deux
partis rédigent un tome contenant leur profession de foi respective, et que les
deux documents soient déposés dans la châsse de Sainte Euphémie. Les deux
livres, dans lesquels étaient écrites les définitions de la foi concernant la
Personne du Christ, furent donc placés sur la poitrine de la Sainte et, après
avoir scellé la châsse, les Pères se mirent en prière. Au bout de huit jours,
tous se rendirent au martyrium et, ouvrant la châsse, ils découvrirent avec
émerveillement que la Sainte étreignait dans ses bras le tome orthodoxe, comme
si elle voulait le faire entrer dans son coeur, tandis que le tome
des hérétiques gisait à ses pieds. Devant cette démonstration éclatante de la
vérité, les Orthodoxes rendirent grâces à Dieu et les hérétiques, hués par la
foule des fidèles, furent couverts de honte.
On rapporte par ailleurs
bien d'autres miracles accomplis par les Reliques de Sainte Euphémie. Lors
d'une invasion perse, les barbares, ayant envahi Chalcédoine, essayèrent de
détruire par le feu les précieuses Reliques. Mais elles restèrent intactes et
du sang frais coula par un des trous qu'ils avaient faits dans la châsse. Par
la suite ce miracle se renouvelait de temps en temps, procurant de nombreuses
guérisons aux fidèles qui venaient recueillir le sang de Sainte Euphémie. Mais,
plus fréquemment, son tombeau exhalait un suave parfum, en témoignage de la
faveur acquise par la Sainte auprès de Dieu.
Pour protéger ces
précieuses Reliques de toute nouvelle profanation, on les transféra à
Constantinople, où elles furent déposées dans l'église de
Sainte-Euphémie, près de l'Hippodrome. Jetées à la mer au temps de la
persécution de Constantin Copronyme, tandis que l'église était transformée en
magasin d'armement, elles échouèrent sur le littoral de Lemnos et furent
recueillies par deux pêcheurs. Retrouvées sous le règne de l'impératrice Irène,
on les transféra solennellement dans la capitale (796), où elles continuèrent
d'accomplir des miracles. Après avoir subi bien d'autres vicissitudes, elles
sont aujourd'hui vénérées dans l'église du Patriarcat Oecuménique, au
Phanar.
SOURCE : http://www.histoire-russie.fr/icone/saints_fetes/textes/euphemie_chalcedoine.html
_(14750412786).jpg)
Euphémie, la sainte qui
protège des tremblements de terre et des hérésies
Anne Bernet - publié
le 10/07/23
Sa mort dans l’arène
provoqua un séisme exceptionnel, qui lui valut d’être invoquée par les
Chalcédoniens pour échapper aux tremblements de terre. Depuis son tombeau,
c’est elle aussi qui épargna aux pères conciliaires de Chalcédoine de basculer
dans l’hérésie. Elle est fêtée le 11 juillet.
Quelques saints
bénéficient du privilège insigne de posséder au calendrier plusieurs fêtes,
souvent, outre celle correspondant au jour de leur entrée dans la Vie
éternelle, celle de la translation de leurs reliques. La plupart de ces
célébrations, en Occident du moins, sont tombées en désuétude. Mais, si sainte
Euphémie est fêtée le 16 septembre, elle l’est aussi, notamment en Orient, de
façon beaucoup plus solennelle, le 11 juillet, pour commémorer le grand miracle
qu’elle fit à cette date en 451, durant le concile de Chalcédoine en faveur de
la foi catholique.
Les autorités
renchérissent dans la cruauté
Nous sommes en 305, à
Chalcédoine, dans la Turquie actuelle, l’une des très grandes villes d’Asie
Mineure. Depuis plusieurs générations déjà, à Chalcédoine comme dans la plupart
des grandes cités d’Orient, la majorité de la population est désormais
chrétienne, une situation dont tout le monde ou presque s’accommode, y compris
le pouvoir impérial, l’empereur Dioclétien étant, en la matière, si tolérant
qu’il a laissé sa femme et sa fille devenir catéchumènes. Cette tolérance a
volé soudain en éclats en 304, peu avant l’époque où le souverain, au terme
d’un mandat de vingt ans, doit abdiquer, ainsi que son co-empereur, en faveur
de leurs successeurs désignés, Constance et Galère. Un arrangement dont Galère,
désireux de garder l’intégralité du pouvoir pour lui, ne veut plus. Sachant que
son rival, Constance, a longtemps vécu maritalement avec une chrétienne, dont
il a eu plusieurs enfants, et dont l’aîné, Constantin, est son héritier
désigné, Galère a eu l’idée de discréditer son compétiteur en l’accusant de
protéger une « secte » toujours légalement interdite et contre
laquelle, après des mois d’efforts, de calomnies, de complots, il a enfin
réussi à relancer la persécution.
Les premiers mois de 304,
les autorités impériales ont mis peu de zèle à poursuivre les chrétiens ;
d’abord parce qu’ils sont très nombreux, et désormais influents, ensuite parce
que, dans le passé, de semblables flambées de violences se sont déjà produites
et n’ont guère duré. Il suffit, en général, d’attendre que la fièvre retombe,
en faisant un minimum de victimes. Seulement, cette fois, la persécution,
« universelle » et très bien orchestrée par les ennemis du
christianisme, n’a pas cessé et n’a même fait que s’aggraver. Quand elles l’ont
compris, les autorités, pour ne pas se mettre l’empereur à dos, ont choisi de
renchérir dans la brutalité et la cruauté envers les disciples d’une religion
que l’on veut éradiquer.
Acharnement sur les
pauvres
Priscus, le gouverneur de
Chalcédoine, en cet été 305, s’acharne à rattraper le temps perdu en organisant
des rafles dans les milieux chrétiens et en contraignant les fidèles arrêtés,
qui s’entassent dans les prisons, à assister au jugement de leurs
coreligionnaires, toujours accompagnés de séances de tortures préalables, afin
de les pousser à abjurer. Toutefois, dans un ultime réflexe de prudence,
Priscus, qui veut ménager la chèvre et le chou, n’a pas encore osé s’en prendre
aux chrétiens de haute naissance, qui sont pourtant nombreux en ville, et ne
s’acharne que sur les pauvres, les humbles, les miséreux.
En cette mi-septembre, ce
sont justement des prévenus sortis de ce qu’il tient pour la lie de la société
qui comparaissent devant lui, d’avance voués à une mort cruelle. Mais, alors
qu’il vient d’ordonner que ces coupables soient lacérés avec les griffes de
fer, supplice atroce, voici qu’une jeune fille sort des rangs du public, se
présente à la barre, s’affirmant chrétienne, avant d’ajouter, sur un ton
hautain à l’intention du magistrat :
Comment oses-tu donner le
pas sur moi, qui suis de si haute naissance, à des moins que rien que tu
envoies avant moi rejoindre le Seigneur ?
Des milliers de morts
Cette jeune fille, tout
Chalcédoine la connaît. Elle appartient à une des plus riches et plus nobles
familles de la région, chrétienne, comme chacun sait, depuis des générations.
Âgée de 19 ans, elle se prénomme Euphémie, ce qui, en grec, signifie
« bien disante ». Des interventions de ce genre, qui voient, en
pleine audience, des fidèles, soulevés par l’exemple de leurs frères, courir au
martyre, l’époque en compte de plus en plus. En janvier, à Rome, une
adolescente de 12 ans, Agnès, en a fait exactement autant et répondu avec une
arrogance qui n’était pas de son âge, à un juge désireux de l’épargner et qui
s’est vu contraint de la condamner malgré lui. Priscus ne peut faire celui qui
n’a pas entendu et se voit contraint de faire arrêter Euphémie, puis, comme
elle refuse, même sous la torture, d’abjurer, il se voit contraint de l’envoyer
au bourreau.
À l’instant même où périt
Euphémie, un séisme d’une magnitude exceptionnelle frappe Chalcédoine et ses
environs.
Vers midi, l’heure des
« meridiae », les mises à mort horribles qui servent d’interlude
entre les combats de bêtes et ceux des gladiateurs, réservées à un public
averti amateur de sadisme et d’émotions fortes, la tête de la jeune fille roule
dans le sable de l’amphithéâtre. Or, à l’instant même où périt Euphémie, un
séisme d’une magnitude exceptionnelle frappe Chalcédoine et ses environs,
détruisant une grande partie de la ville, monuments compris et causant des
milliers de morts.
Pour conjurer les séismes
Il n’en faut pas davantage,
même si les tremblements de terre sont fréquents dans la région, pour que les
sinistrés établissent un lien de cause à effet entre le martyre de la vierge
chrétienne et la secousse sismique. Désormais, comme les Siciliens invoquent
une autre martyre, Agathe, pour arrêter les irruptions volcaniques, les
Chalcédoniens invoqueront Euphémie pour échapper aux séismes, avant que le
culte s’étende à d’autres régions.
Ce n’est pourtant pas
pour cette raison que sainte Euphémie est célébrée le 11 juillet mais pour le
rôle qu’elle tiendra, cent cinquante ans après sa mort, dans la conclusion du
concile œcuménique qui se tient en 451 dans sa ville. Une fois de plus, les
tenants de la saine doctrine catholique se heurtent à divers courants déviants
qui voudraient faire réviser les articles du Credo à leur manière. Faute de
pouvoir s’entendre, les tenants des deux thèses décident d’en appeler au
jugement de Dieu, ou plutôt à celui de sainte Euphémie et, le 10 juillet,
chacun ayant rédigé sa version du Credo, on va déposer les deux documents sur
le tombeau d’Euphémie, dans la basilique qui porte son nom.
La version hérétique gît
au sol
Lorsque l’on revient le
lendemain, la version hérétique gît au sol, dans la poussière, loin de la
tombe, mais, dans la main de la martyre, brillant comme une étoile, se trouve,
bien visible, la profession de foi catholique pour laquelle Euphémie a choisi
de mourir… En 620, les reliques d’Euphémie, pour les soustraire à l’invasion
perse, ont été transportées à Constantinople. Elles sont toujours vénérées dans
l’église Saint-Georges du Patriarcat. D’autres, cependant, sont exposées en
Italie, dans l’église Saint-Apollinaire le Neuf de Ravenne.
Lire aussi :Épiphane de Salamine, l’ombrageux chasseur d’hérésies
Lire aussi :Lucifer de Cagliari, un champion de la foi handicapé par son
prénom
Andrea Mantegna (1431–1506), Saint
Euphemia, 1497, tempera on canvas, 171 x 78, National Museum of Capodimonte
11 July (celebrating
her miracle work)
Profile
Born to a wealthy,
aristocratic, and pious family; the daughter of Philophorm and Theodosia, Christians in
a pagan world.
Consecrated virgin who used her fortune to aid the poor.
Ordered to sacrifice to a statue of Ares, she refused. She was imprisoned and tortured,
but repeatedly was miraculously healed.
When her example had strengthened her companions and converted all
of the pagans who
would listen, include Saint Sosthenes and Victor,
she died. Martyr.
Born
c.290 at
Chalcedon, Asia
Minor
tortured,
then thrown
to wild beasts c.305 at
Chalcedon, Asia
Minor
interred in
Chalcedon, and a church built over her remains
relics were
brought to the Council
of Chalcedon in 451;
many miraculous healings occurred,
orthodox Christianity was
defended, and the Monophysite heresy suppressed
relics translated
to the Saint George Church in the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Constantinople c.620 when
Chalcedon was attacked by the Persians
relics thrown
into the sea in the late 8th
century by iconoclasts
relics recovered
by pious sailors and
returned to Constantinople in 796
Rovinj, Croatia,
claims to have miraculously received
at least part of her relics
with a lion
with a bear
with snakes
stabbed with a sword
Additional
Information
Acts
of the Early Martyrs, by Father James
A M Fastré, S.J.
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
Antiochian Orthodox
Christian Archdiocese
images
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
Martirologio Romano, 2005 edition
websites
in nederlandse
nettsteder
i norsk
Readings
We are people endowed
with reason, for whom it would be the greatest disgrace to abandon the one true
God, the Maker of heaven and earth, in order to worship dumb, senseless idols.
We are not afraid of torments you threaten us with. They will be easy for us to
bear and will show the power of our God. – Saint Euphemia
to Proconsul Priscius when ordered to sacrifice to a statue
MLA
Citation
“Saint Euphemia of
Chalcedon“. CatholicSaints.Info. 25 July 2022. Web. 10 December 2023.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-euphemia-of-chalcedon/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-euphemia-of-chalcedon/
Saint
Euphemia. Lithgraph by Dor.., 1862.
St. Euphemia, Virgin and
Martyr
THE CITY of Chalcedon was
the theatre of her glorious martyrdom; she suffered in the persecution
continued by the successors of Dioclesian, about the year 307. The eminent
sanctity of this holy virgin, loaded with the fruits of all Christian virtues,
excited the rage of the devil, and of his instruments, the persecutors; but all
the efforts of their malice only rendered her virtue the more triumphant and
glorious. Having embraced the holy state of virginity, she, by the black or
dark-coloured garments which she wore, declared to all men her steady purpose
of taking no share in the earthly pleasures and amusements which fill the
hearts, set an edge on the passions, and take up the most precious part of the
time of worldlings. The exercises of penance and religion were the serious
occupations to which she totally devoted herself; and as the love of God
reigned in her heart, it was her constant study to walk always before him, to
labour in all her actions to please him, and, by the humility of her heart and
whole deportment, by the mortification of her senses, by the constancy and
fervour of her devotion, by the heavenliness of her conversation, and activity
of her zeal and charity, to make continually higher advances towards heaven.
Whatever was not God appeared to her empty and contemptible; she found no
pleasure or delight but in what tended to unite her heart more and more to him
here by love; and she thirsted after his presence and fruition in the kingdom
of his glory, panting, and longing to be dismissed from the pilgrimage of this
world, and from the corruptible tabernacle of the body. God was pleased to hear
her sighs, and crown her humble desires. She was apprehended by the
persecutors, and cruelly tortured by the command of an inhuman judge named
Priscus. The torments she underwent were represented in the most moving manner,
in a famous picture kept in the great church at Chalcedon, accurately described
by St. Asterius. Whilst one soldier pulled her head back, another with a mallet
beat out all her teeth, and bruised her mouth, so that her beautiful tender
face, her hair and her clothes were covered with blood. After having suffered
many other torments, she was laid in a dungeon, where prayer was her whole
comfort, joy, and strength. Being at length condemned to be burnt alive, she
ascended the pile with such an admirable cheerfulness in her countenance as
bespoke the interior sweet joy of her soul going to eternal life. Thus she
finished her course.
She is honoured as one of
the chief martyrs of the Grecian church, and her festival is an holyday over
almost all the east. Four churches in Constantinople formerly bore her name.
One at Chalcedon was exceedingly spacious and famous, in which the fourth
general council condemned Eutyches in 451. The fathers in it acknowledged the
church much indebted to the intercession of this holy virgin for the happy
issue of that affair. 1 Evagrius,
the historian, testifies 2 that
emperors, patriarchs, and all ranks of people resorted to Chalcedon to be made
partakers of the blessings which God abundantly conferred on men through her
patronage, and that manifest miracles were there wrought. 3 These
relics were translated into the great church of Saint Sophia at Constantinople;
and, above all other such holy treasures, excited the rage of Constantine
Copronymus, as Theophanes, Zonaras, and Cedrenus relate. In what manner they
were then concealed, and afterwards recovered, is recorded by Constantine,
bishop of Tio, in Paphlagonia, in an oration on that subject. 4 The
sacred remains of Saint Euphemia are now preserved at Syllebria, a
metropolitical see, on the Propontic shore between Constantinople and
Adrianople, as we are informed by Prince Cantemir 5 but
a portion is possessed by the church of the Sorbonne at Paris, which was a
present made by a great master of Rhodes. Saint Euphemia had a church at Rome
in the time of St. Gregory the Great, probably the same that is now standing,
and was repaired by Urban VIII. On St. Euphemia see Saint Paulinas, Saint Peter
Chrysologus, and chiefly St. Asterius in his discourse quoted by the seventh
general council. Her acts have not been here made use of. See Stilting, t. 5,
Sept. p. 252.
Note 1. Conc. t. 4,
p. 325. [back]
Note 2. L. 2, c.
3. [back]
Note 3. See Baronius
ad an. 451, n. 54, an. 594, n. 101, et Not. in Martyr. Rom. 16.
Sept. [back]
Note 4. Ap.
Metaphrast. 11 Julii, et Surium, t. 4. [back]
Note 5. Hist. of the
Othman Empire, b. 3, c. 1. [back]
Rev. Alban
Butler (1711–73). Volume IX: September. The Lives of the
Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/9/163.html
_and_Saint_John_the_Evangelis_Wellcome_V0033203.jpg)
Saint
Mary (the Blessed Virgin) and Saint John the Evangelist, Saint Nicholas of
Tolentino with Saint Euphemia. Engraving by G. Asioli after F. Rosaspina after
S. Cantarini.
Golden Legend –
Life of Saint Eufemia
Here
followeth the Life of Saint Eufemia, and first of the interpretation of her
name.
Eufemia is said of eu,
that is good, and of femme that is a woman, that is to wit a
profitable, honest and delectable, for in this treble manner she is said good.
She was profitable to others by conversation, honest by ordinance of manners,
and delectable to God. Or Eufemia is said of euphoria as sweetness of sound.
Sweet sound is made in three manners, that is to wit, by voice, as in singing,
by touching, as in a harp, and by blowing as in pipes and organs. Thus was the
blessed sweet sound to God in voice of predication, in touching of good works,
and in blowing of devotion.
Of Saint Eufemia.
Eufemia was daughter of a
senator, and saw christian men in the time of Diocletian so sore tormented and
all to-rent by divers torments, that she came to the judge and confessed her to
be christian. And she comforted by example the courages of other men, and by
her constancy. And when the judge slew the christian men, the one tofore another,
and made others to be present because they should be afeard of that they saw
the others so cruelly tormented and broken, and that they should sacrifice for
dread and fear, and when Eufemia saw even thus tofore her the holy saints, she
was the more constant by the steadfastness of the martyrs, and spoke to the
judge, and said that she suffered wrong of him. Then the judge was glad,
weening that she would have consented to do sacrifice, and when he demanded of
her what wrong he had done to her, she said to him: For sith I am of noble lineage, why puttest
thou tofore me the strangers and unknown, and makest them go to Christ tofore
me? For it were my pleasure to go thither by martyrdom tofore them. And the
judge said to her: I had supposed thou wouldst have returned in thy thought,
and I was glad that thou haddest remembered thy noblesse. And then she was
inclosed in the prison, and the day following, without bonds, was brought
tofore the judge. And then she complained right grievously why against the laws
of the emperors she was alone spared for to be out of bonds. And then she was
long beaten with fists, and after, sent again to prison, and the judge followed
her, and would have taken her by force for to have accomplished his foul lust,
but she defended her forcibly, and the virtue divine made the hands of the
Judge to be lame. And then the judge weened to have been enchanted, and sent to
her the provost of his house for to promise to her many things for to make her
consent to him, but he might never open the prison which was shut, neither with
key ne with axes, till he was ravished with a devil, crying and treating
himself, that unnethe he escaped. And then she
was drawn out and set upon a wheel full of burning coals. And the artillour,
that was master of the torment, had given a token to them to turn it, that when
he should make a sound, that they all should turn it, and the fire should
spring out and all to-break and rend the body of the virgin; but by the
ordinance of God the iron that the artillour and master had in his hand, fell
to the earth, and made the sound. And they turned hastily so that the wheel
burnt the master of the work and kept Enfemia without hurt, sitting upon the
wheel. And the parents of the artillour wept and put the fire under the wheel
and would have burnt Eufemia with the wheel, but the wheel was burnt, and
Eufemia was unbounden by the angel of God, and was seen to stand all whole,
unhurt, in a high place. And then Apulius said to the judge: The virtue of
christian people may not be overcome but by iron, therefore I counsel thee to
do smite off her head. Then they set up ladders, and as one would have set hand
on her, he was anon smitten with a palsy, and was borne thence half dead. And
another named Sosthenes went up on high, but anon he was changed in his courage
and repented him and required her humbly pardon, and when he had his sword
drawn he cried to the judge that he had liefer slay himself than touch her whom
the angels defended. At the last, when she was taken thence, the judge said to
his chancellor that he should send to her all the young men that were jolly,
for to enforce and to make her do their will till she should fail and die. And
then he entered in and saw with her many fair virgins praying with her, and she
made him to be christened with her admonishments. And then the provost did do
take the virgin by the hair and hung her thereby, and she ever abode constant
and immovable. And then he did do shut her in prison without meat seven days,
and pressed her there between four great stones as who should press olives, but
she was every day fed with an angel. And when she was between those two hard
stones she made her prayers, and the stones were converted into right soft
ashes. Then the provost was ashamed for to be vanquished of a maid; and then he
made her to be thrown into a pit whereas cruel beasts were, which devoured
every man that came therein and swallowed them in. And anon they ran to this
holy virgin in fawning her, and joined their tails together, and made of them a
chair for her to sit on. And when the judge saw that, he was much confounded,
so that almost he died for anguish and sorrow. Then the butcher came for to
avenge the injury of his lord and smote his sword into her side, and all
to-hewed her and made her there the martyr of
Jesu Christ our Lord. And the judge clad him with clothes of silk, and hung on
him ouches and brooches of gold, but when he should have issued out of the pit,
he was ravished of the beasts, and all devoured anon. And then his people
sought him long, and unnethe found they a little of his
bones with his clothes of silk and his ouches of gold. And then the judge ate
himself for madness, and so was found dead wretchedly. And Eusemia was buried
in Chalcedonia, and by her merits all the Jews and paynims of Chalcedonia
believed in Jesu Christ. And she suffered death about the year of our Lord two
hundred and eighty. And Saint Ambrose saith of this virgin thus: The holy
virgin, triumphant in virginity, retaining the mitre, deserved to be clad with
the crown, by whose merits the wicked enemy is vanquished, and Priscus, her adversary
and judge, is overcome. The virgin is saved from the furnace of fire, hard
stones be converted into powder, wild beasts be made meek and tame, and incline
down their necks, and all manner of pains and torments by her orations and
prayers be overcome. And at the last, smitten with a sword, she left the
cloister of her flesh, and is joined to the celestial company, glad and joyous.
And, blessed Lord, this blessed virgin commendeth to thee thy church, and, good
Lord, let her pray to thee for us sinners, and this virgin, without corruption
flourishing, get unto us that our desires may be granted of thee.
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/golden-legend-life-of-saint-eufemia/
The
Acts of the Early Martyrs – Saint Euphemia
The martyrdom of the
Virgin Euphemia is one of the most celebrated in the annals of the Church,
since her glorious struggle has called forth not only a tribute of praise from
the historians, but has also been honored by an admirable eulogy which merited the
applause of the Fathers assembled in a general Council.
It was in the reign of
Diocletian that the Proconsul Priscus, who resided at the time in Chalcedon,
was instigated by his friend Apelian to put in force the imperial edict against
the Christians. Apelian, by profession a sophist, was a vile and meddlesome
person, and a fanatical worshipper of Mars, On this account he bore a
relentless hatred against the Christians, whose teachings and practices he knew
to be a strong and constant protest against the folly and wickedness of
idol-worship. To gratify the vindictive feelings which rankled in his breast,
he went to the Proconsul, and, by many cunning and insidious reasonings,
persuaded him to issue a proclamation, whereby all the inhabitants of the city were
commanded to come together on a certain day, and offer sacrifice in the temple
of Mars. The most severe punishments were threatened against every person who
should presume to disobey this order.
On the day appointed,
Apelian busied himself with finding out, and reporting to the Proconsul, every
citizen who kept away from the idolatrous ceremony – well knowing that the
Christians would give no heed to the unjust and absurd command of Priscus. In
this manner he came to a dwelling in which many of the Faithful had met
together that they might atone, as far as they were able, by fervent prayer and
supplication, for the insult offered that day to the true God by their
fellow-citizens. Among the Christians thus assembled was Euphemia, a young
virgin of noble birth – whose father, the Senator Philophron, was a man highly
esteemed by all the people, and whose mother, the lady Theodora, was known as
the true friend of the poor and distressed, whose sufferings she was ever ready
to alleviate. Filled with joy at the discovery he had made, the base informer
immediately hastened to the Proconsul, and said:
“There are some persons,
who, to evade compliance with the imperial edict and the order of your
Excellency, have shut themselves up in a certain house. If they are permitted
to do this without being molested, the effect will be very bad indeed. You are
doubtless aware, that there are several others who seem by no means inclined to
yield a ready obedience to your command. The honor of our great god and your
own dignity demand that these persons be made to unite with us in worshipping
Mars, or that so glaring an act of resistance to your authority be not suffered
to go unpunished.”
“We must teach those
persons that they cannot make light of our commands with impunity,” said
Priscus, “and that they shall be held toa strict account for every
transgression.”
And forthwith sending for
a band of soldiers, he ordered them to arrest and bring before his tribunal
every individual that should be found in the house designated by his friend
Apelian.
When the prisoners
appeared before the Proconsul, he was so struck with the dignity and modesty of
their bearing, that he seemed at a loss how to address them; for, from the
account of his friend the sophist, he had naturally enough concluded that they
who durst disregard his orders, must be a class of men whose insolent audacity
would defy his own power as well as that of his imperial master. Seeing that
the greater number of them were women belonging to the most respectable
families of the city, he spoke to them in a manner which was meant to be kind,
saying:
“It is our advice that,
without making any difficulty, you should at once submit to the command of our
sovereign, and prepare yourselves to offer sacrifice to our great god Mars.”
Euphemia, strong in the
justice of the cause for which she stood arraigned, modestly yet firmly
addressing the Proconsul, replied in the name of all her companions:
“Be it known to you, Oh
Priscus, that we are the servants of Christ, our Lord, the eternal King, who
ruleth in the heavens. He it is who hath laid the foundations of the earth; He
hath stretched out the heavens as a curtain; He hath created all things. Him we
serve, and to Him we are ready to offer ourselves as a pleasing sacrifice.”
“I am astonished at what
I hear,” said Priscus, “and the more so when I consider what must be the
consequence of your resolution. Can it be possible that persons of your good
sense, of your training and position in society, should be willing to throw
themselves away? No, no; when you reflect awhile, I doubt not, you will declare
yourselves ready to obey the emperor, and to take my advice. Besides, you
should not forget that, by agreeing to offer sacrifice with us, you become our
friends, and are entitled to all the favors and privileges which we have it in
our power to bestow.”
These words of the
Proconsul, instead of causing them to waver in their resolution, animated them
only the more in their desire of making a generous confession of their Faith.
The example given by Euphemia, her courageous bearing in the presence of the
haughty magistrate – who possessed over them the power of life and death –
caused them to look upon her as the proper interpreter of their sentiments.
Understanding the desire of her companions, she, with modest reserve yet
without timidity, said to Priscus:
“Your Excellency must
know, as I said just now, that we are servants of the true God, and that we
endeavor to walk without blame in the way of salvation which He has taught us.
By so doing, we are persuaded that we can secure for ourselves the fulfilment
of the promise which He has made: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant,
because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many
things.’ And you yourself know full well that all they to whom an official
dignity has been entrusted, use their utmost endeavors to merit the approbation
of him who has conferred it upon them, that thus they may prepare the way to
obtain still greater dignities and emoluments. If they, therefore, who are
mortal men, and serve them who are but mortals like themselves, seek thereby
after honors which are vain and perishable, with how much more zeal ought we
strive to prove ourselves faithful to the immortal and eternal King, that thus
we may obtain the promised inheritance of honors and possessions, which are
real and imperishable, and shall endure forevermore? Do then, with us whatever
you like. We are ready even to suffer death, that we may come the sooner to the
enjoyment of those supernal treasures laid up for us with God, the Lord and
Master of the universe.”
When Priscus heard this,
and saw that all her companions approved of the words spoken by Euphemia, he
became very angry, and at once made up his mind to change the manner of dealing
with the servants of Christ. After he had commanded them once more to offer
sacrifice to Mars, finding that they all resolutely refused to comply with his
order, he gave them in charge to some of his men, whom he instructed to take
them to prison. Not satisfied with this, he insisted that all of them should
daily be put to the torture, unless they agreed to yield to his authority by
sacrificing to the idol. During nineteen consecutive days each of them was
daily put upon the rack, and made to undergo the most excruciating torments.
Yet none of them ever showed the least sign of denying the Faith or yielding to
the unjust command of the Proconsul. This generous perseverance in their firm
resolve of suffering and dying for their Religion the blessed Confessors attributed
to a special grace obtained for them by the noble example and powerful
intercession of Euphemia.
Each day, after
undergoing their tortures, they assembled around her, and glorifying God for
the happy issue of their struggle, they expressed to her the grateful feelings
of their hearts, saying:
“Beloved servant of
Christ, our Lord, who art again adorned with the bloody mark of an heroic
confession of thy Faith, mayest thou continue to be strong in body and wise in
mind, until thou comest into the possession of the glorious prize promised to
the wise Virgins, who had their lamps trimmed and were awaiting the coming of
their heavenly Bridegroom.”
Thus strengthened from on
high by the grace of the Holy Spirit, they animated one another to fight the
good fight, and forget the things of earth – which indeed it was not so hard to
do, since none of their friends and relations were permitted to hold the least
communication with them, or supply them with the comforts or even the
necessaries of life.
On the twentieth day, the
Proconsul, after consulting with his friend Apelian – to whose opinion he was
wont to defer in every matter of importance – summoned the prisoners again
before his tribunal. When they stood in his presence, he looked at them for a
while with softened countenance, and then said:
“Tell me, my good people,
now that you have had some experience of the manner in which we treat persons
who refuse to do our bidding, have you changed your first resolution, and are
you ready to offer sacrifice to our mighty god Mars?”
Without hesitation, the
blessed Euphemia immediately replied in the name of all:
“How long, Oh Proconsul,
do you deceive yourself? Why do you not remove the veil of error which darkens
your understanding, and acknowledge the One true God, who created you?”
“Here is my answer,” said
Priscus; and turning to his men, he added: “Give every one of them a blow on
the face with the palms of your hands, saying: Obey by sacrificing to Mars.”
The executioners
forthwith did as they were commanded. The generous Confessors so readily bore
this unmerited treatment that their countenances appeared radiant with joy; for
they remembered that, for their sake, their Divine Master had undergone a
similar punishment. Apelian – who understood at once from what he saw, that it
would be impossible to-make them deny their faith, and that his expected
triumph would end in a disgraceful discomfiture – with his wonted cunning
resolved to prevent this result. Wherefore, without making known his real
purpose, he said to Priscus:
“Your Excellency is aware
that the Emperor prides himself in the skill he has of dealing successfully
with this kind of persons; if, therefore, you should deem it proper to send so
great a number of them to Nicomedia, that he may dispose of them according to
his judgment, he will think it no ordinary expression of your regard for his
superior wisdom. And, if I might be permitted to suggest my opinion, I would
say: Scourge them first merely, on account of their insolent behavior in your
august presence; then keep them in prison until you find it convenient to send
them to the Emperor.”
This counsel of the wily
sophist was at once approved by the Proconsul and his assessors. Whereupon, the
Martyrs were sent back not to their former prisons, but to a deeper and more
loathsome dungeon under the same.
As they were fifty in
number, this dark and narrow abode was of itself sufficient to inspire them
with horror; nevertheless, they uttered not a word of complaint, but showed
themselves pleased and cheerful. A great trial, however, awaited them.
The extraordinary beauty
of Euphemia had fascinated Priscus. No sooner had he sent away the prisoners
than he resolved to gain her over at any cost. Wherefore, he ordered some of
his men to take her out of the dungeon and bring her secretly before him.
Judging of others by his own imbecility, he thought it impossible that any one
should be able to resist the allurements which his station enabled him to
offer. When the servant of God heard the summons, she knew right well what sort
of temptation the evil one had prepared for her; but knowing also whence her
strength was to come, she raised her eyes to heaven and said:
“Help me, Oh Lord, my
Saviour! for in Thee I trust. Let not this day the confidence of Thy handmaid
be disappointed.”
As she stood again before
the Proconsul, he tried to appear as gracious as he was able, and said to her:
“Do not disgrace thyself,
Euphemia; do not render thyself unworthy of the honor and esteem which
deservedly belong to thy family and kindred. Forget what thou hast said
heretofore; it is not unbecoming in a woman to change her mind. Say now that
thou hast thought better of thy foolish resolution, and that, like a true
member of a noble family, thou art willing to renounce all this folly, and
ready to join us in offering sacrifice to one of the great gods of the Empire.”
But the high-spirited
lady, indignant at what she heard, fearlessly replied:
“We Christians care very
little for the things which give comfort or honor to our corruptible bodies;
but we strive, by our perseverance in welldoing, to obtain that higher crown
which is the reward of virtue. As the daughter of heroes who have joyfully laid
down their lives for the truth, I am ready to follow their example, that, like
them, I may inherit the glorious promises made to the champions of our Faith.”
This unexpected answer
suddenly changed the fascinated Priscus into a furious wild beast. Instantly he
ordered his men to seize the martyr and stretch her upon the wheel, that, with
all her limbs torn and broken, she might die a miserable death. As they placed
her upon the instrument of torture, Euphemia made the sign of the Cross upon
her breast, and said:
“Oh senseless impiety!
what streams of blood are shed by Priscus, that enemy of all truth! But no wonder
if by his wicked arts he persecutes the just: he only does the work inspired
him by his father, the devil.”
Then addressing the
Proconsul, she added: Deceitful enemy of all that is good, the engine of your
cruelty cannot reach my soul. And, as Christ our Lord is my Helper, I trust
that, by enduring still greater torments, I may be enabled to give to others an
example of fortitude.”
When the executioners
turned the wheel and tore her fearfully, she exclaimed: “Oh Lord, the light of
truth and the joy of all, who art merciful to them that call upon Thee, look
upon me, Thy lowly and unworthy handmaid; save me from the power of the evil
one, and from the threats of the wicked Priscus.”
No sooner had she uttered
this prayer than the dreadful instrument of torture burst asunder.
This accident, as they
considered it, took the executioners by surprise. But when they looked at the
Martyr, and saw that not a limb was broken, and that she bore not even a mark
of the torture, they were struck with awe. Knowing that nothing merely human
could have produced so wonderful an effect, they suddenly withdrew and stood
off at a distance – not a little afraid lest some new order from the Proconsul
might expose them to certain death.
Priscus, however, blinded
by the spirit of hatred and revenge, was unwilling to acknowledge the
intervention of a Superior Power in what he had just witnessed. Intent upon the
object of putting to death the maiden who had spurned his offers, he cried out,
in a voice trembling with rage:
“By the fortune of the
Emperor and the favor of the gods, I swear that, if thou sacrifice not
instantly to Mars, I will have thee cast into the fire. Then thou shalt see,
that He whom thou worshippest is not so ready to help thee as thou seemest to
imagine.”
“Do you threaten me with
fire, which burns but for a moment and is then extinguished?” answered
Euphemia. “I am not so weak-minded and cowardly as to be frightened by threats
of that kind. Taught by the example of the blessed heroes who fought and died
for Christ, my Redeemer, I too am able to trample under foot the arbitrary
power of tyrants.”
The Proconsul, now
furious, commanded some of his attendants to heat a furnace seven-fold, and to
cast her into the flames. Whilst the men were preparing the furnace, the servant
of God, lifting her eyes to heaven, prayed in a loud voice:
“Blessed art Thou, Oh
Lord our God, who dwellest in the highest, Thou whom the angels and all the
powers of heaven praise and exalt unceasingly. Thy weak and lowly handmaid
calls upon Thee, who regardest the humble: strengthen me this hour with the
power of Thy Holy Spirit, and show to the wicked enemy of Christ that Thou art
the God who didst send Thine angel to the three youths, and didst drive the
flame of the fire out of the furnace. Hear my prayer, Oh Lord; send me Thine
aid, and deliver me from the mouth of the lion – from the threats of Thine
enemy; and may Thy dread and glorious Name be praised forever. Amen.”
When the blazing furnace
was ready to receive the Martyr, and the attendants were about to throw her
into it, one of them, called Sosthenes, drawing his sword from his belt and
advancing towards the Proconsul, cried out:
“Your Excellency may
command me to use this sword against myself, but I will not stretch forth my
hands against that holy young lady. I see before me a whole army clad in
glittering armor in readiness to receive her.”
At the same time another,
named Victor, whose eyes were also opened to the light of truth, untying his
military belt, said to Priscus:
“I beg your Excellency,
do not force me to attempt what is impossible for me. It would be a crime were
I to touch that servant of God. I see by the side of the furnace a great number
of men who, while awaiting her, are scattering the flames on all sides so that
she may receive no hurt.”
The Proconsul, without
heeding what was said, instantly ordered the two soldiers to be held in
custody, and called for others to take their places. But this was not easily
effected; because all present seemed to share to some extent the feelings of
their comrades, He was, however, relieved from his perplexity by two persons,
one Caesar and the other Varius by name. These fellows, on the promise of a
liberal reward, agreed to execute his command. Laying hold on the blessed
Martyr, they cast her into the blazing furnace. But the angels of God received
her into their midst, and scattering the flames on every side, kept her
unharmed, – whereas Caesar, one of the two wretches, paid for his officiousness
with his life.
Euphemia, in the sight of
all the multitude, stood in the furnace as if it were a cool and refreshing
abode, and lifting up her hands towards heaven, prayed in a loud and clear
voice:
“Blessed art Thou, Oh God
of our fathers, who didst hear the petition of Thy handmaid when she called
upon Thee. Blessed art Thou, who, by Thy Holy Spirit, didst shut the lion’s
mouth and keep from me the snares of the infernal dragon. Grant that, after
fighting in a manner worthy of Thee, I may at last receive the reward of
eternal life; and not only for me do I ask this favor, but also for the two
soldiers who, enlightened by Thy holy grace, are ready to bear testimony to the
truth.”
When she had finished
this prayer, she came out of the furnace without having suffered the least
injury from the flames.
Priscus thereupon, not
knowing what else he could do, said to his attendants:
“Take her again to
prison, and keep her there until tomorrow: by that time we shall have
considered what is to be done with her.”
As she was led away,
praising God for the wonderful favor she had received from Him that day, the
two soldiers, Sosthenes and Victor, unable to contain their joy at this
glorious triumph of the Faith, whereof they had been eye-witnesses, exclaimed:
“Blessed art Thou
forever, Oh Lord, who gavest strength to Thy servant that she might offer
herself as a pleasing sacrifice to Thee, after the example of her fathers, who
with an eager desire laid down their lives to give glory to Thy Holy Name!”
The Proconsul hearing
this, cried out to them:
“Think not that we have
already forgotten you. It is now your turn. Prove to us that your disobedience
did not arise from any disloyalty to our Sovereign, nor to the gods of the
Empire, by at once offering sacrifice to Mars.”
But the two soldiers, far
from complying with this order, boldly replied:
“We, sir, like yourself,
deceived by the dark fiend whom you worship, had lost all hope of happiness
hereafter, because we knew that we were enemies of the true God. But the sight
of the wonders He has worked through His blessed servant. Euphemia has
dispelled darkness from our minds: we believe in Him, and we hope that, in His
mercy, He will not refuse to receive us among His servants. As He has freed us
from the chains of the enemy of the truth, we trust He will enable us to
persevere in the confession of our faith in Him. Punish us, therefore, in
whatever manner you may think proper; and understand well, that we obey not
your impious commands, nor those of your Emperors; and that we despise all the
demons whom you call gods, and particularly the impure Mars.”
This stirred up the wrath
of the Proconsul. Without delay he commanded that they should be taken to the
amphitheatre, and exposed to the wild beasts. When they stood in the arena,
they lifted up their voices to God and said:
“Almighty Father, who art
great and exceedingly to be feared, who by Thy Word hast created all things;
who didst dispel darkness and give light to the world; who tookest away the
power of the enemy of mankind and the sorrows of death; deliver us this day
from the grasp of the evil-doer, and grant that, cleansed from our sins, we may
inherit the possessions promised td them that faithfully serve Thee.”
As they prayed in this
manner, a voice was heard from heaven, saying: “Fear not; your prayer is
heard.”
Immediately after this,
two bears and a lion were let loose upon them; but the beasts were unwilling to
do them any harm. This so annoyed Priscus that he gave orders that they should
be burnt alive. Whilst the men were preparing to execute this command, the two
Martyrs remained kneeling side by side in the arena, and commended their souls
to God by fervent prayer. When all was ready, the executioners were about to
seize their victims, but, to their great astonishment, they found that both had
already expired. The Proconsul was greatly disappointed, and without giving any
further orders, suddenly returned to the pretorium.
This left the Christians
at liberty to carry off the bodies of the two Martyrs, and to bury them in a
proper manner.
Early the next morning,
Euphemia was again summoned before Priscus. As she left the prison she was so
overjoyed that, raising her voice, she sang with rapture:
“I will sing to Thee, Oh
Lord, a new canticle in the land of the stranger: I will glorify Thee to the
utmost of my strength. I praise Thee, Oh Lord God, among the nations; a hymn to
Thy Holy Name. Hear my prayer, Oh God my Father, and grant that this day I may
find rest in Thy dwellings.”
When she stood before the
Proconsul, he said to her:
“How long wilt thou turn
a deaf ear to our advice, and seek thy own destruction? If thou do but consent
to worship our mighty god, he will become favorable to thee in every way.
Wherefore, show thyself less haughty and more yielding, by offering sacrifice,
and we promise to confer on thee every favor thou canst desire.”
“I should deserve to be
called wicked and foolish indeed,” she replied, “were I to offer sacrifice to
deaf and dumb idols, or to evil spirits that mimic the power of the Deity. And
you, who are an enemy of the truth and devoted to the powers of darkness,
should be ashamed of the means you employ to draw from the path of virtue them
that are walking in the light, that you may drag them with yourself into
everlasting destruction. As for myself, I will on no account listen to your
promises, nor can I be frightened by your threats; for Christ, my Saviour, is
my strength. So long as He upholds me, I dread none of the torments you have it
in your power to inflict upon me.”
Priscus, hardly knowing
in what manner to satisfy his feelings of resentment, ordered his men to dig a
deep pit, after the manner of those which are made for catching wild beasts.
The bottom of this was paved with stones, filled with sharp-pointed iron
spears, A very thin covering of earth spread over it, completely concealed the
snare from the sight of of every one who was not acquainted with the exact
location. The blessed Euphemia, wholly unaware of the cruel trial to which she
was exposed, was made to walk repeatedly over the place, but, protected from on
high, not the least harm befell her. The Proconsul and his assessors wondered
exceedingly, and began to suspect that some deception had been practised in the
construction of the pitfall, when some of the executioners, who had
superintended the work, suddenly dropped through the slight covering of earth,
and miserably perished at the bottom of the pit, thus verifying to the letter
the saying of the Psalmist: “They are sunk down in the pit that they made: in
the very snare which they hid hath their own foot been taken.”
The Martyr, seeing what
had happened, and understanding how she had been protected by a special
providence, exclaimed:
“Oh God, who knowest the
secrets of all hearts, who didst send Thine only begotten Son to loosen the
sorrows of death and to bind the chief and leader of wickedness, help me in
this my struggle for the glory of Thy Holy Name. Listen to the voice of
supplication poured forth in my behalf by the saints who, for Thy sake, are
detained in prison. Be not mindful of my sins and unworthiness; but,
remembering Thy mercy and Thy readiness in helping them that call upon Thee,
save me in this hour of my distress, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Thy only
Son, our Lord.”
Priscus, seeing that the
plan from which he had expected such wonders had failed altogether, again
called the servant of God before him, and addressed her with flattering words:
“Thou knowest, Oh
Euphemia, that though born of a noble and most excellent family, thou hast
suffered thyself to be misled, and that thou still continuest in wrongful ways,
even so far as to oppose us, who hold the place of the Emperor himself. Now,
then, like an honorable and virtuous lady, forget the harm we have done thee,
and listening to our advice, without further objection, offer sacrifice to our
great god, that thus thou mayst avoid the crime of bringing disgrace upon thy
family.”
The Martyr, fully aware
of the insincerity of the designing Proconsul, boldly made answer, saying:
“You tyrant, why are you
still full of bitterness and deceit? Your words, though fairly put together,
are like gall and wormwood, because they are the utterances of the wolf in
sheep’s clothing. I am not yet so insane as to give my dearest treasure for the
sake of pleasing the devil. Deceive not yourself, sir, nor flatter yourself
with the thought that you are able to persuade me to sacrifice to impure
demons, whom you call gods. For how could I stoop so low as to give divine
honor to imaginary beings, that never had real life or sense? Hence, understand
well, once for all, that I care not for your foolish advice, and that I am
ready to suffer all you may attempt against me, rather than forego the hope of
receiving the reward promised to them that fight manfully for the truth as it
is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
This so incensed Priscus
that he commanded her instantly to be beaten with rods. This, however, did not
subdue the courageous spirit of the Martyr. For while she was treated so
cruelly, she boldly addressed the Proconsul, saying:
“In spite of your desire
to hurt me, these rods seem not at all to touch me. If you have no other
torments to inflict upon me, you might as well confess that your will is
stronger than your power, and that the wickedness of the tyrant is unable to
overcome the fortitude of his victim.”
Then, at the suggestion
of his friend Apelian, Priscus gave orders that her body should be sawed to
pieces and cast into the fire, so that her very ashes might be scattered to the
winds. But, notwithstanding the repeated attempts made by the executioners, the
teeth of the saw would turn round whenever they touched the body of the Saint.
Thus this punishment failing in its effects, it was resolved that she should be
exposed to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre.
As she stood in the
arena, she lifted up her eyes toward heaven, and said:
“Oh Lord, who hearest
them that call upon Thee, may the offering I make be pleasing to Thee. And,
even as Thou didst accept the sacrifice of Thy servant Abraham, receive this
day the lowliness of my spirit.”
Saying this, she blessed
herself with the sign of the Cross, and called again upon the name of the Lord.
Several of the wild beasts were then let loose against her; but, instead of
touching her, they quietly lay down at her feet, to the great annoyance of the
Proconsul. For some time the Martyr thus remained standing absorbed in prayer,
until one of the animals bit her in the side – yet so slightly as scarcely to
leave a visible wound. At the same moment a voice was heard from on high:
“Euphemia, thou hast
fought a good fight; thou hast finished thy course, thou hast kept the faith.
Come hither and receive the prize.”
“Lord God, help Thy
servants,” exclaimed the Saint; let not thine enemies triumph forever.” And
kneeling down, she yielded up her noble spirit.
Her parents, Philophron
and Theodora, took away her precious remains and deposited them in a new and
elegant sepulchre, about a mile from Chalcedon – where afterwards a celebrated
basilica was built, under the name and invocation of the Saint. Her companions
were sent by the Proconsul to the Emperor at Nicomedia, with the recommendation
that they should not be too severely dealt with, for the avenging hand of God
was already heavy upon him.
Saint Euphemia suffered
on the sixteenth of September, A. D. 304.
MLA
Citation
Father James A M Fastré,
S.J. “Saint Euphemia”. The Acts of the Early
Martyrs, 1871. CatholicSaints.Info.
25 July 2022. Web. 14 December 2023.
<https://catholicsaints.info/the-acts-of-the-early-martyrs-saint-euphemia/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/the-acts-of-the-early-martyrs-saint-euphemia/
Reliquaire
de Sainte Euphemie, Église de Hagios Georgios (Patriarchate), Istanboul,
Turquie
St. Euphemia the
All-Praised
Commemorated on September
16
The Holy Great Martyr
Euphemia the All-Praised was the daughter of Senator Philophronos and
Theodosia, both of whom were Christians. She suffered for Christ in 304 in the
city of Chalcedon, on the banks of the Bosphorus opposite Constantinople.
Chalcedon Governor
Priscus circulated an order to all the inhabitants of Chalcedon and its
surroundings to appear at a pagan festival to worship and offer sacrifice to an
idol of Ares, threatening grave torments for anyone who failed to appear.
During this festival, forty-nine Christians hid in a house where they secretly
attended services praising the One True God.
The young maiden,
Euphemia, was also among those praying there. Soon the hiding place of the
Christians was discovered, and they were brought before Priscus to answer for
themselves. For nineteen days, the martyrs were subjected to various tortures
and torments, but none of them wavered in their faith nor consented to offer
sacrifice to the idol. Governor Priscus, beside himself with rage and not
knowing any other way of forcing the Christians to abandon their faith, sent
them for trial to the Emperor Diocletian. Priscus kept the youngest, Euphemia,
hoping that she would renounce her faith if she were all alone.
St. Euphemia, separated
from her brethren in faith, fervently prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ that He
strengthen her in her impending ordeal. At first, Priscus urged her to recant,
promising her earthly blessings, but then he gave the order to torture her. St.
Euphemia was tied to a wheel with sharp knives. She prayed aloud, and the wheel
stopped by itself. An angel of the Lord came down from Heaven and removed
Euphemia from the wheel and healed her wounds. She gave thanks unto the Lord
with gladness.
Not perceiving the
miracle that had occurred, Priscus ordered soldiers to take Euphemia to a
red-hot oven. The soldiers, seeing two fearsome angels in the midst of the
flames, refused to carry out the order and became believers in God. Boldly
proclaiming that they too were Christians, these solders, Victor and Sosthenes,
bravely went to their martyrdom. During their execution, they cried out for
mercy to God, asking that the Lord receive them into the Heavenly Kingdom. A
heavenly voice answered their cries, and they entered into eternal life.
St. Euphemia was cast
into the fire by other soldiers, but, with the help of God, she emerged
unharmed. Ascribing this to sorcery, Governor Priscus gave orders to dig a pit,
and filling it with knives, he had it covered over with earth and grass, so
that Euphemia would not notice the preparation for her execution. St. Euphemia
remained safe, easily passing over the pit.
Finally, she was
sentenced to be devoured by wild beasts at the circus. Before her execution,
St. Euphemia implored that the Lord deem her worthy to die a violent death. But
none of the beasts, having been set loose in the arena, attacked her. Finally,
one of the she-bears gave her a small wound on the leg, and immediately the
Holy Great Martyr Euphemia died. Immediately following her martyrdom, an
earthquake occurred, and the guards and the spectators ran in terror. St.
Euphemia’s parents were able to take her body and reverently buried it not far
from Chalcedon.
Later, a majestic church
was built over the grave of Great Martyr Euphemia. The Fourth Ecumenical
Council held its meetings there in 451 where Great Martyr Euphemia confirmed
the Orthodox confession in a miraculous manner and exposed the Monophysite
heresy. (Details of this miracle may be found on July 11.)
With the taking of
Chalcedon by the Persians in 617, the relics of Euphemia were transferred to
Constantinople. During the Iconoclast heresy, the reliquary with her relics was
thrown into the sea. However, pious sailors recovered them, and the relics were
afterwards taken to the Island of Lemnos. In 796, they were returned to
Constantinople.
Troparion (Tone 4) –
Your lamb Euphemia calls
out to You, O Jesus, in a loud voice:
“I love You, my
Bridegroom, and in seeking You I endure suffering.
In baptism I was
crucified so that I might reign in You,
and I died so that I might
live with You.
Accept me as a pure
sacrifice,
for I have offered myself
in love.”
Through her prayers save
our souls, since You are merciful!
Kontakion (Tone 4) –
“As You were voluntarily
raised...”
You completed your
struggle well, all-praised Euphemia;
even after death, you
pour out healing on us for our sanctification.
We stand beside your
venerable relics
to honor your holy
falling asleep,
that in faith we may be
delivered from the weaknesses of our nature
and to obtain the grace
of your miracles.
By permission of the
Orthodox Church in America (www.oca.org)
SOURCE : http://www.antiochian.org/node/16741
Sarcophage
de Sainte Euphemia à la Basilique de Sainte Euphemia à Rovinj, Croatie
Greatmartyr Euphemia the
All-praised
Commemorated on July
11
The Miracle of Saint
Euphemia the All-Praised: The holy Great Martyr Euphemia (September 16)
suffered martyrdom in the city of Chalcedon in the year 304, during the time of
the persecution against Christians by the emperor Diocletian (284-305). One and
a half centuries later, at a time when the Christian Church had become
victorious within the Roman Empire, God deigned that Euphemia the All-Praised
should again be a witness and confessor of the purity of the Orthodox teaching.
In the year 451 in the
city of Chalcedon, in the very church where the glorified relics of the holy
Great Martyr Euphemia rested, the sessions of the Fourth Ecumenical Council
(July 16) took place. The Council was convened for determining the precise
dogmatic formulae of the Orthodox Church concerning the nature of the God-Man
Jesus Christ. This was necessary because of the widespread heresy of the
Monophysites [“mono-physis” meaning “one nature”], who opposed the Orthodox teaching
of the two natures in Jesus Christ, the Divine and the Human natures (in one
Divine Person). The Monophysites falsely affirmed that in Christ was only one
nature, the Divine [i.e. that Jesus is God but not man, by nature], causing
discord and unrest within the Church. At the Council were present 630
representatives from all the local Christian Churches. On the Orthodox side
Anatolius, Patriarch of Constantinople (July 3), Juvenal, Patriarch of
Jerusalem (July 2), and representatives of St Leo, Pope of Rome (February 18)
participated in the conciliar deliberations. The Monophysites were present in
large numbers, headed by Dioscorus, the Patriarch of Alexandria, and the
Constantinople archimandrite Eutychius.
After prolonged
discussions the two sides could not come to a decisive agreement.
The holy Patriarch
Anatolius of Constantinople proposed that the Council submit the decision of
the Church dispute to the Holy Spirit, through His undoubted bearer St Euphemia
the All-Praised, whose wonderworking relics had been discovered during the
Council’s discussions. The Orthodox hierarchs and their opponents wrote down
their confessions of faith on separate scrolls and sealed them with their
seals. They opened the tomb of the holy Great Martyr Euphemia and placed both
scrolls upon her bosom. Then, in the presence of the emperor Marcian (450-457),
the participants of the Council sealed the tomb, putting on it the imperial
seal and setting a guard to watch over it for three days. During these days
both sides imposed upon themselves strict fast and made intense prayer. After
three days the patriarch and the emperor in the presence of the Council opened
the tomb with its relics: the scroll with the Orthodox confession was held by
St Euphemia in her right hand, and the scroll of the heretics lay at her feet.
St Euphemia, as though alive, raised her hand and gave the scroll to the
patriarch. After this miracle many of the hesitant accepted the Orthodox
confession, while those remaining obstinant in the heresy were consigned to the
Council’s condemnation and excommunication.
After an invasion by the
Persians during the seventh century, the relics of St Euphemia were transferred
from Chalcedon to Constantinople, into a newly built church dedicated to her.
Many years later, during the period of the Iconoclast heresy, the reliquary
with the relics of the saint was cast into the sea by order of the Iconoclast
emperor Leo the Isaurian (716-741). The reliquary was rescued from the sea by
the ship-owning brothers Sergius and Sergonos, who gave it over to the local
bishop. The holy bishop ordered that the relics be preserved in secret, beneath
a crypt, since the Iconoclast heresy was continuing to rage. A small church was
built over the relics, and over the reliquary was put a board with an
inscription stating whose relics rested within. When the Iconoclast heresy was
finally condemned at the holy Seventh Ecumenical Council (in the year 787),
during the time of St Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople (784-806) and the
emperor Constantine VI (780-797) and his mother St Irene (797-802), the relics
of the holy Great Martyr Euphemia were once again solemnly transferred to
Constantinople.
SOURCE : http://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/07/11/102002-greatmartyr-euphemia-the-all-praised
Sacro
Monte of Ossuccio, the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso, an altar
with a fresco representing Mary with Child and St. Euphemia from Chalcedon
Letter 101
From Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople,
to Leo.
III. He describes the
circumstances under which the doctrine of the Incarnation had been formulated
by the Synod.
But since after
passing judgment upon him we had to come to an agreement with prayers and
tears upon a definition of the right Faith; for that was the
chief reason for the Emperor's summoning the holy Synod,
at which your holiness was
present in the spirit with us, and wrought with us by
the God-fearing men who were sent from you; we, having the
protection of the most holy and
beautiful martyr Euphemia,
have all given ourselves to this important matter with
all deliberateness. And as the occasion demanded that all the
assembled holy bishops should
publish a unanimous decision for clearness and for an explicit statement of
the Faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ the Lord God who is found
and revealed even to those who seek Him not, yes, even to those who
ask not for Him Isaiah 65:1,
in spite of some attempts to resist at first, nevertheless showed us
His Truth, and ordained that it should be written down and
proclaimed by all unanimously and without gainsaying, which
thus confirmed the souls of
the strong, and invited into the way of Truth all who
were swerving therefrom. And, indeed, after unanimously setting our
names to this document, we who have assembled in
this ecumenical Synod in the name of the Faith of the
same most holy and
triumphant martyr, Euphemia,
and of our most religious and Christ-loving Emperor Marcian, and
our most religious and in all things most faithful daughter
the Empress Pulcheria Augusta, with prayer and joy and happiness,
having laid on the holy altar the definition written
in accordance with your holy epistle for
the confirmation of our Father.' Faith, presented it to
their pious care;
for thus they had asked to receive it, and, having received it, they glorified with
us their Master Christ, who had driven away all the mist of heresy and
had graciously made clear the word of Truth. And in this way was
simultaneously established the peace of the Church and
the agreement of the priests concerning
the pure Faith by the Saviour's mercy.
Source. Translated
by Charles Lett Feltoe. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second
Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry
Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing
Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin
Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604101.htm>.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604101.htm
.jpg)
Statua
di Sant'Eufemia, Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta di Irsina (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statua_di_Sant%27Eufemia_(_Concattedrale_di_Santa_Maria_Assunta_di_Irsina).jpg)
Santa Eufemia di
Calcedonia Martire
Patronato: Rovigno
d'Istria
Etimologia: Eufemia
= che parla bene, acclamata, dal greco
Emblema: Palma
Martirologio
Romano: A Calcedonia in Bitinia, nell’odierna Turchia, santa Eufemia,
vergine e martire, che sotto l’imperatore Diocleziano e il proconsole Prisco,
superati per Cristo molti supplizi, giunse con strenuo combattimento alla
corona di gloria.
E’ la celebre martire di Calcedonia nella cui basilica ebbe luogo nel 451-52 quello che fu detto il Grande Concilio. La data esatta del suo martirio ci è testimoniata dai Fasti Vindobonenses priores: "Diocletiano VII et Maximiano V. His cons. ecclesiae demolitae sunt et libri dominici combusti sunt et passa est sancta Eufemia XVI kal. octobris".
Dunque, Eufemia consumò il suo martirio il 16 settembre del 303. Prima di chiederci che altro si sa di lei, occorre precisare, per una giusta valutazione critica delle fonti e dei dati che ne risultano, che il concilio di Calcedonia ebbe grande influenza sulla diffusione del suo culto e di notizie sulla santa: è da allora soprattutto che la sua festa viene ad estendersi gradualmente in tutta la cattolicità, e chiese a lei dedicate sorgono dovunque; è in quello stesso periodo di tempo che viene scritta la passio (BHG, I, p. 188, n. 619), da cui dipenderà poi quasi tutta la letteratura agiografica che in età posteriore si è occupata della santa; ed è ancora in relazione al concilio celebrato nel suo Martyrion che nasce la festa dell'11 luglio, di s. Eufemia protettrice dell'ortodossia. Questa festa è conosciuta in Occidente dal Martirologio Geronimiano e dal Calendario marmoreo di Napoli, ed in Oriente è accolta pressoché in tutti i calendari. Il Sinassario Costantinopolitano racconta anche i particolari del miracolo ricordato in questa festa: le due professioni di fede, quella ortodossa e quella eutichiana, erandl state collocate dentro la tomba sul petto della santa, ma dopo alcuni giorni, riapertasi l'urna che era stata debitamente sigillata, si trovò il testo ereticale posto ai piedi della martire, e quello ortodosso stretto fra le sue mani.
Non mancano tuttavia testi anteriori al concilio, i quali naturalmente potranno godere di un maggior credito, non solo perché più antichi, ma anche per essere immuni da quell'ondata di entusiastica devozione che il trionfo dell'ortodossia di Calcedonia dovette riflettere sulla santa.
Asterio, vescovo di Amasea tra il 380 ed il 410, nella sua undecima omelia ci assicura dell'esistenza di un culto alla santa: i cristiani suoi concittadini le hanno eretto un monumento sepolcrale, ne celebrano ogni anno la festa con grande concorso di popolo, e i sacri ministri, in tale occasione, raccontano nelle loro omelie i particolari del suo martirio. Quest'ultima nota ci sembra indicare la fonte prima di ogni trattazione agiografica su Eufemia: le omelie festive. Inoltre, Asterio ci offre, benché indirettamente, notizie su come avvenne il martirio della santa. Infatti, il forbito oratore pontico racconta di aver ammirato alcune splendide pitture poste nel porticato (cioè nel nartece) di una chiesa (peraltro non precisata, ma non certo quella dedicata alla martire in Calcedonia), le quali raffiguravano scene del suo martirio. In una di esse viene rappresentato il processo: il giudice, circondato da sgherri e da segretari, guarda con volto truce la vergine ammantata del pallio filosofale, ma il cui aspetto fa trasparire la purezza e il coraggio dell'animo. In una seconda, Eufemia appare mentre è torturata: un carnefice le tiene il capo rovesciato all'indietro, mentre un altro le spezza e le strappa i denti; poi si vede la vergine gettata in prigione ed assorta in preghiera: sul suo capo risplende il santo segno della croce; un'ultima scena, infine, ritrae la santa mentre, con le braccia levate al cielo e ilare in volto, consuma sul rogo il suo martirio.
Reliquie della santa sono conservate nel Duomo di Rovigno d'Istria (Croazia) e nella Basilica di Sant’Eufemia a Piacenza.
Autore: Giovanni Lucchesi
SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/70350
Altar
of Saint Euphemia in Basilica Saint Euphemia in Rovinj, Croatia
Den hellige Eufemia av
Kalkedon (~288-~303)
Minnedag: 16.
september
Skytshelgen for Alba
Adriatica i Italia og Rovinj i Kroatia; for godt vær
Den hellige Eufemia (lat:
Euphemia; gr: Ευφημία; Eufemija) ble født rundt 288 i Kalkedon (Χαλκηδων) ved
Bosporos i Bitynia i Lilleasia, i dag bydelen Kadiköy i Istanbul på den
asiatiske siden av Bosporos. Hun kom fra en velstående, aristokratisk og from familie
og var datter av en senator ved navn Filoform (Filofronos) og hans hustru
Theodosia. Hun ble oppdratt som kristen i en hedensk verden og var svært
gudfryktig. Hun var en konsekrert jomfru som brukte sin formue til å hjelpe de
fattige.
I kristenforfølgelsene
under keiser Diokletian (284-305)
på begynnelsen av 300-tallet ble hun forfulgt og forhørt under prokonsul
Priscus av Kalkedon. Han hadde utstedt et dekret som sa at alle innbyggerne i
byen skulle delta i ofrene til den hedenske greske krigsguden Ares (den
romerske krigsguden Mars var en mye mer betydningsfull gud). Den femtenårige
Eufemia ble oppdaget sammen med 48 andre kristne som gjemte seg i et hus og
dyrket den kristne Gud til tross for prokonsulens ordre. Ettersom de nektet å
ofre, ble de torturert i elleve dager, og da de fortsatt var like standhaftige,
ble de overlevert til keiser Diokletian for videre forhør og tortur. Eufemia,
den yngste blant dem, ble skilt fra sine ledsagere i håp om at hun dermed
skulle bli lettere å ha med å gjøre. Hun ble utsatt for spesielt streng tortur,
inkludert å bli bundet til et hjul med skarpe kniver, i håp om å bryte ned
hennes ånd. De andre ble halshogd, og det skjedde for hennes øyne i håp om å
skremme henne til underkastelse.
Da hjulet med kniver på
mirakuløst vis ble stanset og ikke lot seg rikke, ga torturisten ordre om at
soldatene Viktor og Sosthenes skulle ta henne med til en rødglødende ovn. Men
da soldatene så to fryktinngytende engler midt i flammene, nektet de å utføre
prokonsulens ordre og begynte å tro på den Gud som Eufemia dyrket. Modig
erklærte de at de også var kristne, og da ble de sendt for å bli spist av ville
dyr
Eufemia ble kastet inn i
flammene av andre soldater, men hun forble uskadet, og ved Guds hjelp. kom hun
også uskadet fra mange andre mishandlinger. Prokonsulen tilskrev dette
trolldom, så han ga ordre til at det skulle graves en grop som skulle fylles
med kniver, Han fikk den dekket med jord og gress så martyren ikke skulle legge
merke til forberedelsene for hennes henrettelse. Men Eufemia gikk lett over
gropen uten at noe skjedde.
Til slutt ble hun dømt
til å kastes for de utsultede villdyrene i sirkus slik at de kunne spise henne.
Før henrettelsen begynte hun å be til Gud at han måtte finne henne verdig til
en voldsom død. Men ingen av villdyrene som ble sluppet løs sammen med henne på
arenaen, angrep henne. Til slutt ga en av hunnbjørnene henne et lite sår på
leggen slik at blodet rant, og straks døde Eufemia. Ingen av de ville dyrene
rørte deretter hennes lik. Samtidig kom det et jordskjelv, slik at både vaktene
og tilskuerne sprang i skrekk, slik at Eufemias foreldre kunne ta opp hennes
legeme og gravlegge det ærbødig ikke langt fra Kalkedon.
Biskop Asterius av Amasea
i Pontos (380-410) har etterlatt oss en beretning om henne, selv om det bare er
snakk om en ganske allmenn erklæring om et maleri i forhallen i en kirke i
Amasea, hvor den helliges lidelser var avbildet. På bildet ser man en soldat
som trekker hennes hode bakover mens en annen slår inn hennes tenner, slik at
hennes ansikt, hår og klær var dekket av det blodet som rant ut av hennes munn.
Etter ulike andre pinsler skal hun ha blitt dømt til døden på bålet. Andre
greske og latinske beretninger og alle aktene som bollandistene har samlet,
forteller en annen historie enn den Asterius beskriver, selv om Alban Butler
ikke tror på dem. De sier at Eufemia etter mange forutgående pinsler til slutt
ble kastet for løvene i en arena og drept av et løvebitt (mens andre villdyr
skal ha slikket hennes føtter). På noen bilder står også en vill bjørn ved
siden av henne. Dette fikk noen til å anta at Asterius’ fortelling kunne handle
om en annen Eufemia enn denne i Kalkedon.
Hun ble trolig
martyrdrept rundt år 303, selv om hagiologen Alban Butler sier
at det skjedde i 307 under keiser Galerius (305-11), men 290 nevnes også.
Datoen for martyriet slås fast av Fasti Vindobonenses priores: Diocletiano
VII et Maximiano V. His cons. ecclesiae demolitae sunt et libri dominici
combusti sunt et passa est sancta Eufemia XVI kal. octobris. Hun døde altså en
16. september (303?). Fra hennes grav fløt det ut en rød væske som helbredet
alskens sykdommer. Hun er den mest dyrkede jomfrumartyren i den greske kirke.
Det regnes som historisk
at Eufemia ble drept og at hun var rundt femten år gammel. Men hennes
bevarte acta ble først samlet etter konsilet i Kalkedon i 451 og
regnes av moderne forskere for å være av tvilsom verdi. Hennes akter består
hovedsakelig av en tvilsom oppramsing av alle torturmetoder hun overlevde på
mirakuløst vis.
Jomfrumartyren Eufemia
æres høyt i både øst og vest og blir besunget av de hellige Paulinus av Nola (353-431), Ennodius av Pavia (473-521)
og poeten Venantius
Fortunatus (ca 530-ca 610). Da Diokletians forfølgelse sluttet, ble
det i hennes hjemby bygd en praktfull kirke, og de kristne la Eufemias
relikvier i en sarkofag av gull der. Denne prektige basilikaen skildres av
pilegrimen Egeria som reiste til Det hellige land, i hennes beretning fra rundt
384. Det var i denne kirken det fjerde økumeniske konsil mot Eutykios, kjent
som konsilet i Kalkedon (451), ble holdt og hvor hennes minne ble feiret av de
forsamlede konsilfedrene. Denne kirken lå på toppen av høyden i Haïdar-Pasha
(Haider Pasha), men den ble ødelagt av sultan Suleiman I den store (1520-66)
for å bygge sin moske i Konstantinopel. Historikeren Evagrius beskriver kirken
i detalj og vitner om hennes kults popularitet. Han forteller at både kirkelige
og verdslige ledere og vanlige folk kom til Kalkedon for å nyte godt av hennes
velsignelser som ble gitt gjennom hennes forbønn, og fra de mange mirakler som
det ble meldt om der.
Det berømte konsilet i
Kalkedon ble holdt i byen Kalkedon i 451. Det behandlet spørsmålet om naturen
til den andre Personen i Den Hellige Treenighet, Jesus Kristus. Konsilet
avviste den eutykianske doktrinen om monofysittismen (gr: monos fysis =
én natur) og vedtok den kalkedonske definisjonen, som beskriver Jesu Kristi
«fulle menneskelighet og fulle guddommelighet», det vil si at Kristus har to
naturer, en menneskelig og en guddommelig. Denne læren kalles «to-natur-kristologien».
Konsilet satt samlet i den katedralen som var konsekrert i hennes navn. Til
stede på konsilet var 630 representanter fra alle de lokale kristne kirkene.
Både det monofysittiske og det ortodokse partiet var godt representert på
konsilet, så møtene var ganske kranglevorne. På den ortodokse siden deltok den
hellige patriark Anatolius av
Konstantinopel (d. 458), den hellige patriark Juvenalis av Jerusalem
(421-58) og representanter for den hellige pave Leo I den store (440-61),
mens de mange monofysittene var ledet av patriark Dioskur av Alexandria og
arkimandritten Eutykios fra Konstantinopel.
Men ingen avgjørende konsensus
kunne nås. Patriark Anatolius av Konstantinopel foreslo da at konsilet skulle
overlate beslutningen til Den Hellige Ånd, som skulle handle gjennom den
hellige Eufemia. Begge partiene skrev hver sin trosbekjennelse og plasserte dem
i Eufemias grav, som ble forseglet i nærvær av den hellige keiser Marcian (450-57),
som plasserte det keiserlige segl på den og satte en vakt til å bevokte den i
tre dager. I disse dagene fastet og ba begge sidene. Etter tre dager ble graven
åpnet, og rullen med den ortodokse trosbekjennelsen ble sett i Eufemias høyre
hånd, mens monofysittenes rull lå ved hennes føtter. Dette miraklet, som skal
ha skjedd den 11. juli 451, attesteres av et brev sendt av konsilet til den
hellige pave Leo
I den store (440-61):
«For det var Gud som
virket og den triumferende Eufemia som kronet møtet som for et bryllup,
og som tok vår definisjon av troen som hennes egen bekjennelse, presenterte den
til sin brudgom ved vår mest religiøse keiser og Kristus-elskende keiserinne,
roet alle tumultene fra motstanderne og etablerte vår bekjennelse av Sannheten
som akseptabel for Ham, og med hode og tunge satte hun sitt segl på stemmene
til alle av oss i proklameringen av den».
En senere overlevering
fra Edessa (i dag Sanlıurfa) fortalte at konsilets akter ble gjemt i Eufemias
sarkofag for å beskytte dem. Etter miraklet aksepterte mange av de nølende den
ortodokse trosbekjennelsen, men de som forble hardnakkede i sitt kjetteri, ble
overlatt til konsilets fordømmelse og ekskommunikasjon. Eufemias kult var etter
konsilet nært forbundet med utbredelsen av vedtakene derfra. Da oppsto de
eldste lidelseshistoriene og på 400- og 500-tallet ble mange kirker viet til
henne, for eksempel i Alexandria, Konstantinopel, Tivoli ved Roma, Antiokia i
Syria (i dag Antakya i Tyrkia), Caesarea i Palestina, Milano, Ravenna og Grado
ved Aquileia.
Eufemias relikvier
tiltrakk seg mengder av pilegrimer i flere århundrer. Flere greske forfattere
forteller at det fra hennes legeme til tider rant rikelig med blod, noe som ble
fortalt vidt omkring av de troende. Etter at perserne under Khosrau I inntok Kalkedon
i 617, ble Eufemias relikvier rundt 620 brakt til en ny kirke som var viet til
henne i Konstantinopel. Der hvilte de i fred inntil den ikonoklastiske striden
brøt ut og den ikonoklastiske keiser Leo III Isaureren (717-41) eller den
gudløse keiser Konstantin V Kopronymos (741-75) ga ordre om at relikviene
skulle kastes i sjøen. De ble imidlertid berget av skipseierbrødrene Sergius og
Sergonos, som tilhørte det ortodokse partiet. De ga relikviene til den lokale
biskopen, som gjemte dem i en hemmelig krypt ettersom den ikonoklastiske
striden fortsatt raste. Senere ble relikviene brakt til øya Lemnos.
På det syvende økumeniske
konsil i 787 (Nikea II) ble endelig den ikonoklastiske heresi fordømt under den
hellige patriark Tarasios av
Konstantinopel (784-806) og keiser Konstantin VI (780-97) og hans
hellige mor Irene (797-802), ble Eufemias relikvier i 796 høytidelig returnert
til Konstantinopel.
Stedsnavn på østkysten av
Italia antyder at kulten kom dit fra Lilleasia og deretter spredte seg over
hele Italia, spesielt til området rundt Milano, og selv til Frankrike, hvor den
nevnes av den hellige Victricius av Rouen. At den hellige pave Sergius
(687-701) restaurerte ruinene av en kirke viet til Eufemia i Roma, antyder at
selv hvor intens hennes kult en gang var, var den ikke langvarig, i alle fall
ikke i vest.
Ved daggry den 13. juli
800 skal marmorsarkofagen med Eufemias relikvier ifølge overleveringen etter en
storm ha flytt i land i Rovigno d’Istria, nå Rovinj i Kroatia. Legenden
forteller at mange av innbyggerne prøvde å frakte sarkofagen opp til kirken St
Georg, men ingen klarte det. Til slutt, som svar på Eufemias kall, klarte en
liten gutt med to små kyr å få den tunge kisten opp bakken. Folket betraktet
dette som et mirakel, og de proklamerte Eufemia som byens skytshelgen. Hennes
festdag ble feiret den 16. september. Mange besøkende kom til byen for å delta
i den store festen på byens hovedtorg. Tradisjonelt spiser folk på hennes festdag
fårekjøtt med surkål (ovca z kapuzom) og fritule, en istrisk
delikatesse. Hennes marmorsarkofag oppbevares fortsatt i Rovinj, først sto den
i kirken St Georg, men i 1720 ble dagens kirke viet til St Eufemia bygd.
Hennes relikvier hviler
nå i mindre deler på ulike steder, men størstedelen er fortsatt i
patriarkkirken St Georg i Istanbul. Andre angivelige relikvier finnes i tillegg
til i Rovinj også på øya Limnos, på Sicilia, i bydelen Fener i Istanbul, hvor
grekerne trakk seg tilbake etter osmanenes erobring av Konstantinopel i 1453,
eller i Halberstadt. En porsjon skal ha blitt gitt til kirken ved Sorbonne i
Paris, gave fra en malteserstormester av Rhodos. Eufemia hadde en kirke i Roma
på den hellige pave Gregor I den stores
tid (590-604), som ble reparert av pave Urban VIII (1623-44).
Eufemia blir også æret i
Trieste, da sammen med den hellige Tekla av Ikonium (d.
ca 100). Den lokale overleveringen forteller om begges martyrium i år 256. Over
deres angivelige hus står kirken San Silvestro, som går tilbake til 800-tallet
og som i dag brukes av valdenserne. Andrea Mantegna malte henne med løve,
lilje, palme og sverd på 1400-tallet. Den ærverdige pave Pius XII (1939-58)
nevner henne i sin encyklika Sempiternus Christus Rex, som ble skrevet for
å minnes 1500-årsjubileet for konsilet i Kalkedon i 1951.
Hennes minnedag i
Martyrologium Romanum er 16. september. Ved kalenderrevisjonen i 1969 ble
minnedagen strøket fra Kirkens universalkalender og henvist til lokale og
spesielle kalendere, men hun står fortsatt i den nyeste utgaven av
Martyrologium Romanum (2004):
Chalcédone in Bithýnia,
sanctæ Euphémiæ, vírginis et martyris, quæ sub Diocletiáno imperatóre et Prisco
procónsule, multis pro Christo superátis torméntis, per agónem vertáminis ad
corónam glóriæ ducta est.
I Kalkedon i Bitynia, den
hellige Eufemia, jomfru og martyr, som under keiser Diokletian og prokonsul
Prisco gjennomgikk mye tortur for Kristus, men oppnådde herlighetens krone
gjennom en anstrengende kamp.
De ortodokse og armenerne
minnes henne også den 16. september, i tillegg minnes de underet fra Kalkedon
den 11. juli. Kopterne og de syrisk-ortodokse minnes henne også den 11. juli.
Hun nevnes i den ambrosianske messenes kanon og i forberedelsene i den russiske
bysantinske ritus.
Eufemia er en høyt æret
helgen blant alle østlige ortodokse kristne, ikke bare for sin jomfruelighet og
martyrium, men også for sin styrking av den ortodokse tro, og hennes festdager
feires med spesiell høytid. Kirker til hennes ære er blitt bygd over hele den
kristne verden.
Hun er skytshelgen for
Alba Adriatica i Italia og Rovinj i Kroatia og for godt vær. Hun fremstilles
med løve, bjørn eller slanger (som ikke gjorde henne noe), stukket av et sverd,
eller mens hun holder lilje og palme, alternativt et martyrhjul. De ortodokse
kaller henne «Stormartyr Eufemia den All-priste». En mer tvilsom tradisjon sier
at den hellige Eufemia av Orense som
kom fra Galicia i Nord-Spania og ble drept på 100-tallet, er identisk med
henne, men dette er nok ikke annet enn en oppdiktet fabel.
Kilder:
Attwater/John, Attwater/Cumming, Butler (IX), Benedictines, Bunson, Kaas,
Eilertsen, Gorys, MR2004, CSO, CatholicSaints.Info, Infocatho, Bautz,
Heiligenlexikon, santiebeati.it, en.wikipedia.org, zeno.org, oca.org,
heiligen-3s.nl, Butler 1866, antiochian.org, inforovinj.com - Kompilasjon og
oversettelse: p.
Per Einar Odden
Opprettet: 1. september
1996
SOURCE : https://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/eufemia
.JPG)
Francisco
de Zurbarán, Sant'Eufemia, Palazzo Bianco o Palazzo Doria Brignole, Musei di
Strada Nuova
Eufemia van Chalcedon,
Klein-Azië; martelares; †
ca 303 (of 307?)
Feest 11 juli (dag
van het wonder te Chalcedon: oosterse kerken) & 16 september.
Zij had er voor gekozen
maagd te blijven omwille van Christus. Zij werd het slachtoffer van de
christenvervolgingen onder de keizers Diocletianus en Maximianus (284-305). De
aard van haar marteldood is niet zeker: volgens de een stierf zij op de
brandstapel stierf; anderen beweren, dat ze voor de wilde dieren werd gegooid.
Verering & Cultuur
Reeds in de 4de eeuw verrees boven haar graf een ruime kerk. Daar vond in 451
het beroemde vierde oecumenische concilie van Chalcedon plaats. Op 11 juli van
dat jaar geschiedde tijdens de bisschoppenvergadering het beroemde
Eufemiawonder.
Tijdens de beraadslagingen ging het o.a. om de vraag of Christus alleen een menselijke of ook nog een goddelijke natuur had. Aan Sint Eufemia in de hemel werd gevraagd of zij met een duidelijk herkenbaar teken uitkomst wilde bieden. De aanwezige bisschoppen legden daartoe een geschreven exemplaar van een orthodoxe (twee naturen) en een Ariaanse (één natuur) geloofsbelijdenis in de tombe bij het nog volkomen gave lichaam van de heilige.
Toen men de tombe de dag erna weer opende lag de Ariaanse versie onder
Euphemia's voeten, terwijl zij de orthodoxe geloofsbelijdenis in haar
hand hield. Dit maakte diepe indruk op de aanwezige concilievaders en had een
beslissende invloed op de loop van het concilie.
[140]
In de 7de eeuw werden haar relieken overgebracht naar Constantinopel. In de oosterse kerk geniet ze grote verering. Door de moderne westerse geschiedwetenschap wordt het verhaal van haar martelaarschap als fictief beschouwd.
Zij wordt afgebeeld met wilde dieren (leeuw of beer); met slangen (deze deden
haar niets); met een zwaard doorstoken; met lelie en palmtak in de hand.
[000; Lin.1999; Dries van den Akker s.j./2007.09.09]
© A. van den Akker
s.j.
SOURCE : https://heiligen-3s.nl/heiligen/09/16/09-16-0303-eufemia.php
Voir aussi : http://www.christianiconography.info/euphemia.html
http://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/euphemia.htm
.jpg){kind=link}