E02094: The Martyrdom of *Primus and Felicianus (martyrs of Numentum, near Rome, S00855) is written in Latin probably in Numentum, between the 5th and early 7th c. It narrates the trials, death, and burial of the martyrs under Diocletian and Maximian, and the building of a basilica in their honour at the fourteenth milestone from Rome.

Martyrdom of Primus and Felicianus (BHL 6922)

Summary:

§ 1: There is a great persecution at the time of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian against those who refuse to sacrifice to idols. The pagan priests tell the emperors that, because of Primus and Felicianus, who keep the Christian faith, no help can be received from the gods. They require the emperors to compel Primus and Felicianus to sacrifice. The emperors send soldiers to arrest Primus and Felicianus, who are Roman citizens. They are put in jail and chained, then an angel appears to them, comforts and frees them. The saints thank God for being freed from their chains like Peter the Apostle (cf. Acts 12:3-19) and hope to share his merits.

§ 2: Some days later, they are summoned by the emperors, and interrogated. They are required to sacrifice to Hercules and Jupiter to avoid death but they refuse, ready to sacrifice themselves to Christ and endure any suffering to be crowned as martyrs. Primus and Felicianus tell the emperors that it is unwise to venerate idols made of stone and wood that are unable to stand by themselves and that are guarded by dogs to avoid them being stolen. The angry emperors order the saints to be brought to the temple of Hercules and tortured if they still refuse to sacrifice. There, as they still reject sacrifice, they are beaten with rods. Again interrogated, they state their allegiance to the emperor of heaven who frees from hell, against the earthly emperors who will burn in hell.

§ 3: Hearing of their refusal, the emperors order them to be taken to the governor (praeses) Promotus of the city of Numentum, to be tortured and killed if they still refuse to sacrifice. Soldiers bring them in chains to the thirteenth milestone on the Via Numentana and put them in jail near the forum of the city. Primus and Felicianus pray and chant to the Lord to ask for freedom and help. An angel takes care of them. After a long time, the governor prepares a tribunal (tribunal), calls Primus and Felicianus and asks them to sacrifice to the gods, but they refuse, emphasising that idols are made of stone and wood, and cannot see nor help anyone.

§ 4: The governor orders Primus to be separated from Felicianus and interrogates the latter. He asks him to remember that he is now old and should sacrifice to Jupiter, but Felicianus replies that God will take care of his old age, since He preserved him in his faith since youth. He will not change his mind. The governor is furious and orders him to be struck with lead-weighted darts (plumbatae). Again asked to sacrifice, Felicianus notes that he is eighty, that he has acknowledged God’s truth and lived a good life in Christ for thirty years, and will be freed by God. The governor orders him to be bound to a post (stipes) with sharp nails fixed in his hands and feet, adding that he will remain there until he sacrifices to the gods. Felicianus chants Psalm 55:11 to the Lord, then the governor asks him again to sacrifice and to deny that he is Christian in order to be freed from further torture. Felicianus refuses to deny his creator and to adore empty gods. Full of rage, the governor orders him to be tortured for a long time. Felicianus thanks God and his Son Jesus Christ for being worthy of being associated with other Christian martyrs. The governor orders him to be kept on the post for three days and three nights with neither water nor bread. After three days Felicianus, nourished from heaven, is still praising God and asking for His help. The governor orders him to be scourged and then abandoned in jail.

§ 5: The next day, the governor summons Primus, tells him that his brother has sacrificed and has become a friend of the emperors; he invites him to sacrifice to enjoy the same friendship. Primus tells him that he lies, his brother has followed the heavenly emperors and not these empty men. Those who have received the Holy Spirit know everything. Felicianus has been tortured but did not change his mind and has been put in jail. Primus continues, telling that the same day an angel has told him about the trials endured by Felicianus so that he may resist sacrificing. The governor orders him to be beaten with sticks until he agrees to sacrifice. Under torture, Primus replies that, although the governor has power over his body, he has none over his soul. The governor asks Primus again to sacrifice, but he refuses. The governor orders Primus’ sides to be burned with torches. As he is put on a rack and burned, Primus chants Psalm 66:10 and thanks God for not feeling any harm. The governor suspects that Primus is employing magic, but Primus tells him that he is receiving Christ’s help. The governor orders him to be laid out on a couch and molten lead to be poured into his mouth, while Felicianus is brought to witness the torture, in order to convince him to sacrifice. Primus drinks the lead as if it were fresh water and he chants Psalms 133:1 and Psalm 118:103.

§ 6: Speaking to the governor, Primus remarks that Felicianus has not agreed to sacrifice but they are both there, confident that they will be freed for eternity, no matter what they now endure. The governor tells them to sacrifice, or they will be tortured by wild beasts. The martyrs ask the governor to abandon demons and believe in God and Jesus Christ to save his soul. The governor asks Felicianus to sacrifice, but he replies trying to convince him to follow the Lord, adding that otherwise the governor will dwell in eternal fire. The distressed governor orders them to be brought to the amphitheatre close to the forum of Numentum. Two large lions are brought in, terrifying with their roars all the people of Numentum. The lions run at the martyrs’ feet and with the same joy of a father and a son meeting after a long time, they rejoice at their feet. After the lions, bears are brought in, who become like lambs and lie at the feet of the martyrs. The martyrs tell the governor that beasts recognise their Creator while men, who are made in God’s likeness, fail to recognise him. The people are amazed and more than 1500 men believe in the Lord, with all their families. There was a crowd there of twelve thousand people from the neighbouring cities, excluding women and children.

§ 7: Seeing that he is defeated and that many believe in the Lord, the governor orders that they should be put to death. They are taken outside of the amphitheatre and beheaded, then their bodies are thrown to dogs. However no beast, bird nor fly can touch them. At night their bodies are stolen by Christian faithful who bring them to the Arcus Numentanus beside the arenarium (arcus Numentanos intra arenarium).

Et ibi fecerunt planctum magnum, et involventes ea in sindone nova cum aromatibus, juxta arenarium posuerunt; et in hymnis ac psalmis per triginta dies ac noctes in Dei nomine perdurabant; ubi multa beneficia exuberant usque in praesentem diem. Et si quis aegrotorum ibidem perductus fuisset; liberabatur, a quacumque infirmitate detentus esset. Quod etiam et nunc facere Christum, nullus ambigat usque in hodiernum diem. Et dum post aliquantos annos cessasset persecutio paganorum; multi Christiani, in honorem beatorum martyrum Primi et Feliciani, basilicam in nomine ipsorum construxerunt, sperantes se misericordiam consequi in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi: est autem basilica eorum ab urbe Roma miliario quartodecimo. Quorum natalis est V Idus Junii ...

'And there they wept greatly and, wrapping them with perfumes in new and fine cotton cloth, they deposited them close to the arenarium; and they kept chanting hymns and psalms for thirty days and nights in the name of God. Many favours (beneficia) abound there up to the present day. And the sick that were brought there, were freed from whatever infirmity they suffered from. That this was, and is now, done by Christ, no-one doubts to the present day. And when after a number of years the pagan persecution ended, many Christians built a basilica in honour and in the name of the blessed martyrs Primus and Felicianus, in the hope of obtaining mercy in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This basilica is at the fourteenth milestone from Rome. Their feast is the 5th day of the Ides of June [= 9 June] ...'

Text: Acta Sanctorum, Jun. II, 151-152; Summary and translation: M. Pignot.