E02500: The Martyrdom of *Marcellinus and Petrus (priest and exorcist, martyrs of Rome, S00577) is written in Latin, presumably in Rome, between the late 4th and the 8th c., perhaps in the early 7th c. It narrates the trials endured by the saints and the miracles and conversions they performed, notably of *Arthemius, Candida and Paulina (S00552), who are then martyred and buried in a crypt on the via Aurelia; Marcellinus and Petrus’ martyrdom in Silva nigra/Silva candida; their burial near the martyr *Tiburtius (martyr of Rome, S01404) on the via Labicana; the writing by pope Damasus (366-384) of a verse inscription for their tomb; the conversion of the saints’ executioner.

Martyrdom of Marcellinus and Petrus (BHL 5230-5231)

Summary:

§ 1: Short introductory prologue: the Saviour not only crowns the friends of the faith but rescues their enemies from hell. Rome is in the hands of pagans, and the exorcist Petrus is beaten and sent into a most dark prison in chains. The guardian of the prison named Arthemius has an only daughter, the virgin Paulina, who is tormented by a demon. Petrus tells him to believe in the son of God Jesus Christ and his daughter will be saved. Arthemius remarks that Petrus’ God cannot free him, how could he free his daughter? Petrus replies that the Lord can free him but does not want to prevent him from receiving the crown of martyrdom.

§ 2: To be convinced and believe, Arthemius asks Petrus to demonstrate that God can free him. Petrus tells him to go home and prepare a lodging-place for him, he will be freed from his chains and join him there thanks to Jesus Christ. Thus he will see and touch him and believe and his daughter will be saved. Arthemius thinks that Petrus has gone mad.

§ 3: Arthemius goes home and tells his wife Candida what Petrus said. She remarks that Petrus might be able to cure his daughter and, if he really comes, they should believe in Christ. Arthemius however disagrees and thinks that even the gods, even Jupiter coming down to earth, could not free him. Candida insists that they should all the more believe if it happens. Night falls as they speak, Petrus arrives dressed in white with the triumph of the cross in his hand. Arthemius and Candida come at his feet and proclaim their faith in God and Jesus Christ. Their daughter is freed from the demon, who shouts that it has been chased by Petrus thanks to Christ.

§ 4: Arthemius and his whole household believe and are baptised. More than 300 men, and even more women, proclaim their faith, demons are chased and the sick are healed. The priest Marcellinus is called and he baptises everyone in Arthemius’ household. Arthemius offers to free any prisoner who becomes Christian; all promise to believe, are freed and baptised by Marcellinus. The judge Serenus falls ill for more than forty days, enabling all the newly baptised to be strengthened in their faith by Marcellinus and Petrus.

§§ 5-6: The vicarius Serenus asks Arthemius to gather all prisoners to be questioned at dawn. Arthemius tells him what happened, how Petrus was freed from prison, converted all prisoners and freed them. Serenus orders Marcellinus and Peter to be questioned. Serenus suggests to them that if they abandon Christianity they will be treated less severely for having freed criminals. Marcellinus replies that all crimes are washed away when one believes in Jesus Christ. Serenus orders him to be beaten, then to be separated from Petrus, imprisoned naked and chained without light or water in a cell where broken glass is thrown.

§§ 7-8: Petrus speaks against Serenus and the tortures that he inflicts on Marcellinus, stating that while Marcellinus will be rewarded, he will suffer forever. Serenus orders Petrus to be chained and his feet bound to a stake. A praying angel appears to Marcellinus, gives him his clothes and tells him to follow him. The angel and Marcellus come to Petrus, he is freed and they follow the angel to a house where all those who were baptised are praying. The angel tells the saints that they should comfort the new believers and then hand themselves to the vicarius Serenus.

§ 9: The next day Serenus hears that Petrus and Marcellinus are nowhere to be found. He summons Arthemius, Candida and Paulina, tries to force them to offer sacrifice but they refuse and proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ. Serenus orders them to be buried under a heavy amount of rubble on the via Aurelia. As they reach the place of their martyrdom, they are met by Marcellinus and Petrus and the crowd of all the Christians. The officials try to escape but are seized. Christians try to convert them without success and they are kept under custody while Marcellinus celebrates mass in the crypt where the saints are to be punished. Then all the people leave.

§ 10: As the crypt is now quiet, Marcellinus and Petrus tell the officials that they could have done anything with God’s help but have done nothing, not even freed the prisoners or escaped. The officials however strike Arthemius with the sword, throw Candida and Paulina into a precipice and cover them with stones. They bind Marcellinus and Peter to a tree and tell the judge.

§ 11: The judge orders them to be brought to Silva nigra (‘dark forest’), which today is named Silva candida (‘white forest’) in honour of the saints, and to be beheaded there. In the middle of the forest, they clear a space with their own hands where they pray, kiss each other and are beheaded. Those who executed them see their souls going out of their bodies as virgins with jewels and most bright garments and being taken by angels to heaven.

§ 12: The most Christian women Lucilla and Firmina, relatives of the most distinguished martyr Tiburtius, stay by his tomb (sepulchrum) and build a chamber there, where they remain night and day. Tiburtius appears to them with the two martyrs and tells them where to find their bodies in Silva nigra and where to bury them, near him, in a lower part of the crypt. They do this with the help of two acolytes of the Roman Church.

§ 13: Damasus learnt all this, when he was a young boy and reader in the Church, from those who had beheaded the saints. Later when he became a bishop he put these verses in their tomb.
[There follows a quotation of Damasus’ inscription in honour of Marcellinus and Petrus].

§ 14: Dorotheus, who had beheaded them, repented and told everything to the bishop Julius; he was baptised as an old man and obtained the Saviour’s mercy through his confession.

[Addition ]:

Lucilla collected the bodies of Marcellinus and Petrus, placed them in her carriage, brought them to the via Labicana at the third milestone from the city, and buried them there on the 4th day before the Nones of June [= 2 June].

Text: Acta Sanctorum, Iun., I, 171-173. Summary: M. Pignot.