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From : rich
Date : Thu Mar 21 2019 08:44:13

From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

March 22nd =E2=80=93 St. Basil of Ancyra, Martyr

Died June 29, 362.

Saint Basil suffered and died for his confession of the true faith in
opposition to the Arians, who denied the divinity of Jesus. He was a
priest of Ancyra, Galatia (now Ankara, Turkey), who loyally supported
his Catholic bishop, Marcellus, against the heretics, even after the
latter's banishment in 336 by Emperor Constantius. In 360, the Arians
tried to stop Saint Basil even from leading Christian worship; but he
despised the unjust order; and boldly defended the Catholic faith
before Constantius himself. Basil's refusal to give way to the Arians
(and the fact that he was running through the streets urging
Christians to remain steadfast), under severe threats, led the
authorities to claim that he was unfaithful to the emperor Julian the
Apostate. He was captured, tried, and tortured at Ancyra. At Caesarea
in Palestine he was hung up, first by the wrists, and then upside down
from his ankles. His body was torn with rakes and finally he was
slaughtered. His acta appear to be authentic.

Julian the Apostate was traveling from Constantinople to Antioch in
preparation for his Persian expedition. He stopped en route at the
famous temple of Cibele in Galatia to offer sacrifice. "When Julian
arrived at Ancyra, Basil was presented before him, and the crafty
emperor, putting on an air of compassion, said to him: 'I myself am
well skilled in your mysteries; and I can inform you, that Christ, in
whom you place your trust, died under Pilate, and remains among the
dead.'

"The martyr answered: 'You are deceived; you have renounced Christ at
a time when he conferred on you the empire. But he will deprive you of
it, together with your life. As you have thrown down his altars, so
will he overturn your throne: and as you have violated his holy law,
which you had so often announced to the people [Julian had been a
reader in the church], and have trodden it under your feet, your body
shall be cast forth without the honor of a burial, and shall be
trampled upon by men.'

"Julian replied: 'I intended to let you go, but your impudent manner
of rejecting my advice . . . force me to do you ill. It is therefore
my command, that every day your skin be torn off in 7 different
places, till you have no more left.'. . ."

Julian went on his way; Basil endured the torture several days then
asked to speak to the emperor. Julian ordered that the two should meet
in the temple of Esculapius. Julian "pressed him to join him in
sacrifices. But the martyr replied that he could never adore blind and
deaf idols. And taking a piece of his flesh which had been cut out of
his body that day, and still hung to it by a bit of skin, he threw it
upon Julian. The emperor went out in great indignation: and count
Frumentinus, fearing his displeasure, studied how to revenge an insult
... . . He therefore mounted his tribunal, and ordered the torments of
the martyr to be redoubled; and so deep were the incisions made in his
flesh, that his bowels were exposed to view, and the spectators wept
for compassion. The martyr prayed aloud all the time, and at evening
was carried back to prison.

"Next morning Julian set out for Antioch, and would not see
Frumentinus. The count resolved to repair his disgrace, or at least to
discharge his resentment by exerting his rage upon the servant of
Christ. But to his thundering threats Basil answered: 'You know how
many pieces of flesh have been torn from my body: yet look on my
shoulders and sides; see if any wounds appear? Now that Jesus Christ
this night hath healed me. Send this news to your master Julian that
he may know the power of God whom he has forsaken. He has overturned
his altars, who was himself concealed under them when he was sought by
Constantius to be put to death. But God hath informed me that his
tyranny shall be shortly extinguished with his life.'

"Frumentinus seemed no longer able to contain his rage, and
Frumentinus commanded the saint to be laid upon his belly, and his
back to be pierced with red-hot iron spikes. The martyr expired under
these torments" (Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopedia,
Husenbeth). Saint Basil is depicted in art with a lioness by his side,
sometimes he is torn by the lioness (Roeder).


Bible Quote:
Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said:
This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world.=C2  (John
6:14)


<><><><>
"Some pursue their own taste and satisfaction in spiritual things in
preference to the way of perfection which consists in denying their
own wishes and tastes for the love of God, If such persons perform
some exercise through obedience, even though it suit their
inclination, they soon lose the wish for It, and all devotion in It,
because their only pleasure is in doing what their own will directs,
which ordinarily would be better left undone. The Saints did not act
thus."
--St. John of the Cross

=C2 The blessed Seraphino, a Capuchin lay-brother, said to a friend that
he would be glad to be in the house of Loretto or at Rome, that he
might serve as many Masses as possible. When it was suggested that he
might ask this favor of the Superiors, who would have readily granted
it, he replied: =E2=80=98=E2=80=98Oh, not that! Any holy desire would be pr=
ofaned by
one's own will, and every good intention ought to be subject to
obedience, the only true directress of all holy thoughts."

("A Year with the Saints".=C2  March - Mortification) 


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 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)

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