E03175: The Martyrdom of *Candida (martyr in Persia, S01397) is written in Syriac in Sasanian Persia during the 4th or 5th century. It describes the martyrdom of the Christian wife of the shah Bahram II (r. 274-293).

Martyrdom of Candida

Summary:

The title describes the work as the 'martyrdom' (Syr. sahduta) of Candida, a woman who 'was taken captive from Roman territory and came to Persia where she became the wife of the King of kings Vartran.' The writer describes her martyrdom as 'the first persecution that took place in the country of the Persians,' dating it to 'the days of Vartran, grandfather of Shapur, King of kings of Persia'. (Title and § 1, p. 178 in Brock's edition)

A Roman captive, Candida was taken by the Persian king as a wife because of her beauty. Even in her new state, she did not abandon Christianity, but 'held on to her faith' and 'used to preach her Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ, openly to her companions and maids'. The king's exceeding love for Candida provoked jealousy among his other wives, who accused her before the king of not conforming to his 'way of thinking' and worshipping 'her own god'. (§§ 2-4, p. 178)

The king summons Candida and tries to persuade her to abandon her religion and convert to Zoroastrianism, to 'worship the Sun and the Fire, and honour the Water, so that my love for you may increase and I shall add to the honour you receive and make you chief queen in my realm'. Candida, however, refuses to comply. After several attempts to persuade her by words, the king becomes angry and resorts to harsher measures, threatening that 'he would destroy her in a horrible way' if she would not do his will. (§§ 4-8, pp. 178-179)

As the threat fails to change the martyr's mind, the king orders that she be imprisoned, put into irons and given only enough bread and water to keep her alive. When this punishment fails to reach its purpose as well, the king orders that Candida be brought into his presence and beaten, while stripped naked and standing before him. After that, she is brought outside and taken around the city all day, naked and in chains. (§§ 9-12, pp. 179-180)

Enraged by the steadfastness of the martyr, the king orders that one of her breasts be cut off and placed in her hand, and that she be made to go around the city streets in such a state. When Candida is brought back to the king and refuses to do his will once more, he orders that her second breast be cut off and that she walk around the city again. As she was walking the streets, the martyr 'was radiant with joy, and her mouth was full of laughter and praise'. (§§13-15, pp. 180-181)

The surviving narrative breaks at this point so that the concluding section of Candida's martyrdom is missing. Presumably, she was beheaded with the sword, given a brief reference in § 1, that says that she 'received her crown by the sword'.

Text: Brock 1978. Summary: Sergey Minov.