Martyrs of Abitina
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| Martyrs of Abitina | |
|---|---|
| Died | 304 AD, North Africa |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | February 12 |
 Saints Portal |
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The Martyrs of Abitina were a group of 49 Christians found guilty, in 304, during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, of having illegally celebrated Sunday worship at Abitina, a town in the Roman province known as Africa.
On 24 February of the year before, Diocletian had published his first edict against the Christians, ordering the destruction of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the Empire, and prohibiting Christians from assembling for worship.[1]
Though Fundanus, the local bishop in Abitina, obeyed the edict and handed the scriptures of the church over to the authorities, some of the Christians continued to meet illegally under the priest Saturninus. They were arrested and brought before the local magistrates, who sent them to Carthage, the capital of the province, for trial.[2]
The trial too place on 12 February before the proconsul Anulinus. One of the group was Dativus, a senator. He was interrogated, declared that he was a Christian and had taken part in the meeting of the Christians, but even under torture at first refused to say who presided over it. During this interrogation, the advocate Fortunatianus, a brother of Victoria, one of the accused, denounced Dativus of having enticed her and other naive young girls to attend the service; but she declared she had gone entirely of her own accord. Interrupting the torture, the proconsul again asked Dativus whether he had taken part in the meeting. Dativus again declared that he had. Then, when asked who was the instigator, he replied: "The priest Saturninus and all of us." He was then taken to prison and died soon after of his wounds.[3]
The priest Saturninus was then interrogated and held firm even under torture. His example was followed by all the others, both men and women. They included his four children.
One of the responses of the accused has been frequently quoted. Emeritus, who declared that the Christians had met in his house, was asked why he had violated the emperor's command. He replied: "Sine dominico non possumus" - we cannot live without this thing of the Lord. He was referring to the celebration that the emperor had declared illegal, but in which they had chosen to participate even at the cost of being tortured and sentenced to death.
Saint Restituta is sometimes considered one of the Martyrs of Abitina.[4]
The feast of the Martyrs of Abitina is on 12 February. Under that date the Roman Martyrology records the names of all forty-nine of them.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Bleckmann, Bruno. "Diocletianus." In Brill's New Pauly, Volume 4, edited by Hubert Cancik and Helmut Schneider, 429–38. Leiden: Brill, 2002. ISBN 9004122591
- ^ Santi Martiri di Abitina
- ^ Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies; Dativo e i martiri di Abitina
- ^ Santa Restituta d'Africa (o di Teniza)
- ^ Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
