St. Pamphilus
Name: St. Pamphilus
Date: 1 June
Saint Pamphilus, a scholar and martyr of the early fourth century, born of a rich and honorablefamily, was a native of Berytus in Phenicia. That city was famous then for its schools, andPamphilus in his youth pursued studies in all the existing branches of learning; afterwards he wentto the renowned Christian school of Alexandria, where he had as master a celebrated Christianphilosopher named Pierius. Then he journeyed to Caesarea in Palestine, and was there ordained apriest. After he began to know Christ, he could relish no pursuit but that of the doctrine of salvation, andhe renounced all other occupations to apply himself wholly to the study of Holy Scripture and thepractices of virtue. At his own expense, he collected a great library of thirty thousand volumesand bestowed it on the church of Caesarea. The Saint also established there a school of sacredliterature open to the public, and to his labors the Church was indebted for a corrected edition ofthe Holy Bible. This, with infinite care, he transcribed himself. Nothing was more remarkable in Saint Pamphilus than his extraordinary humility. He distributedhis paternal estate among the poor; his behavior towards his servants was always that of a brotheror a tender father. He led a very austere life, sequestered from the world and its company, andwas indefatigable in his scholarly labors. This virtue was his apprenticeship for the grace ofmartyrdom. He was giving public lessons in the city of Caesarea, when the persecution of Maximius Daiusinterrupted them. In the year 307, Urbanus, the cruel governor of Palestine, had him arrested, andafter trying unsuccessfully to win this important personage by promises and flattery, commandedhim to be inhumanly tormented. But the iron hooks which tore the holy priest’s sides served onlyto cover the judge with confusion, for no means could alter his holy convictions. The governorhad Saint Pamphilus transported half-dead to a prison, where he remained virtually forgotten fortwo years, his cruel persecutor himself having been reproved and executed by orders of theEmperor, and another having replaced him. Finally, with nine other imprisoned Christians, Saint Pamphilus was sentenced to death withoutburial. But no wild creatures approached the bodies of Saint Pamphilus and the other martyrswho died on the same evening. Their guards were impressed, and finally the faithful were allowedto carry away the blessed martyrs for honorable burial. |
