The Martyrdom of the Saints Justin, Chariton, Charito, Euelpistus, Hierax, Paeon, Liberian, and of their

Company

In the time of the lawless edicts of idolatry, the aforementioned saints were arrested and brought before Rusticus, the prefect of Rome. When they were brought in, the prefect said to Justin: What kind of life do you live? Justin said: A blameless and irreproachable one before all men. Rusticus the prefect said: What doctrines do you practice? Justin said: I have tried to learn all doctrines; but I have given my assent to the true doctrines of the Christians, even if they do not please those who hold false opinions. Rusticus the prefect said: So those are the doctrines that please you? Justin said: Yes, since I follow them with right dogma. Rusticus the prefect said: What is the dogma? Justin said: That which we piously revere towards the God of the Christians, whom we believe to be one from the beginning, the maker and fashioner of the whole creation, and the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was also foretold by the prophets as about to come to the race of men, a herald of salvation and a teacher of good lessons. And I think I speak but small things in proportion to His divinity, acknowledging a certain prophetic power, since it was foretold concerning Him whom I have just now said is the Son of God. For know that from of old the prophets foretold His coming among men. Rusticus the prefect said: Where do you assemble? Justin said: Wherever each one's preference and ability is. For do you indeed suppose that it is possible for us all to assemble in the same place? Rusticus the prefect said: Tell me, where do you assemble, or in what place? Justin said: I live above the bath of Myrtinus for all the time that I have resided a second time in the city of the Romans; and I know of no other meeting place except that one. And if anyone wished to come to me, I shared with him the words of truth. Rusticus said: So, then, you are a Christian? Justin answered: Yes, I am a Christian. Rusticus the prefect said to Chariton: Chariton, are you also a Christian? Chariton said: I am a Christian by God's command. Rusticus the prefect said to Charito: And what do you say, Charito? Charito said: I am a Christian by the grace of God. Rusticus the prefect said to Euelpistus: And who are you? Euelpistus said: I too am a Christian and a partaker of the same hope.

Μαρτύριον τῶν Ἁγίων Ἰουστίνου, Χαρίτωνος, Χαριτοῦς, Eὐελπίστου, Ἱέρακος, Παίονος, Λιβεριανοῦ, καὶ τῆς

Συνοδίας αὐτῶν

Ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν ἀνόμων προσταγμάτων τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας συλληφθέντες οἱ μνημονευθέντες ἅγιοι εἰσήχθησαν πρὸς τὸν τῆς Ῥώμης ἔπαρχον Ῥούστικον. Ὧν εἰσαχθέντων ὁ ἔπαρχος Ἰουστίνῳ εἶπεν· Τίνα βίον βιοῖς; Ἰουστῖνος εἶπεν· Ἄμεμπτον καὶ ἀκατάγνωστον πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. Ῥούστικος ἔπαρχος εἶπεν· Ποίους λόγους μεταχειρίζῃ; Ἰουστῖνος εἶπεν· Πάντας λόγους ἐπειράθην μαθεῖν· συνεθέμην δὲ τοῖς ἀληθέσι λόγοις τῶν Χριστιανῶν κἂν μὴ ἀρέσκωσι τοῖς ψευδοδοξοῦσιν. Ῥούστικος ἔπαρχος εἶπεν· Ἐκεῖνοι οὖν σοι ἀρέσκουσιν οἱ λόγοι; Ἰουστῖνος εἶπεν· Ναί, ἐπειδὴ μετὰ δόγματος ἕπομαι αὐτοῖς. Ῥού στικος ἔπαρχος εἶπεν· Ποῖόν ἐστι δόγμα; Ἰουστῖνος εἶπεν· Ὅπερ εὐσεβοῦμεν εἰς τὸν τῶν Χριστιανῶν θεόν, ὃν ἡγούμεθα ἕνα τούτων ἐξ ἀρχῆς δημιουργὸν τῆς τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου ποιήσεως, καὶ θεοῦ παῖδα Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ὃς καὶ προκεκήρυκται ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν μέλλων παραγίνεσθαι τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίας κῆρυξ καὶ διδάσκαλος καλῶν μαθημάτων. μικρὰ δὲ νομίζω λέγειν πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ θεότητα προφητικήν τινα δύναμιν ὁμολογῶν, ὅτι προ κεκήρυκται περὶ τούτου ὃν ἔφην νῦν υἱὸν θεοῦ ὄντα. ἴσθι γὰρ ὅτι ἄνωθεν προεῖπον οἱ προφῆται περὶ τῆς τούτου ἐν ἀνθρώποις γενο μένης παρουσίας. Ῥούστικος ἔπαρχος εἶπεν· Ποῦ συνέρχεσθε; Ἰουστῖνος εἶπεν· Ἔνθα ἑκάστῳ προαίρεσις καὶ δύναμίς ἐστιν. πάντως γὰρ νομίζεις κατὰ αὐτὸ δυνατὸν συνέρχεσθαι ἡμᾶς πάντας; Ῥούστικος ἔπαρχος εἶπεν· Eἰπέ, ποῦ συνέρχεσθε, ἢ εἰς τίνα τόπον; Ἰουστῖνος εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ ἐπάνω μένω τοῦ Μυρτίνου βαλανείου παρὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἐπεδήμησα τὸ δεύτερον τῇ Ῥωμαίων πόλει· οὐ γινώσκω δὲ ἄλλην τινὰ συνέλευσιν εἰ μὴ τὴν ἐκεῖ. καὶ εἴ τις ἐβούλετο ἀφικνεῖσθαι παρ' ἐμοί, ἐκοινώνουν αὐτῷ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας λόγων. Ῥούστικος εἶπεν· Oὐκοῦν Χριστιανὸς εἶ; Ἰουστῖνος ἀπεκρίνατο· Ναί, Χρι στιανός εἰμι. Ῥούστικος ἔπαρχος Χαρίτωνι εἶπεν· Χαρίτων, καὶ σὺ Χριστιανὸς εἶ; Χαρίτων εἶπεν· Χριστιανός εἰμι θεοῦ κελεύσει. Ῥούστικος ἔπαρχος πρὸς τὴν Χαριτὼ εἶπεν· Σὺ δὲ τί λέγεις, Χαριτοῖ; Χαριτὼ εἶπεν· Χριστιανή εἰμι τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δωρεᾷ. Ῥούστικος ἔπαρχος Eὐελπίστῳ εἶπεν· Καὶ σὺ τίς εἶ; Eὐέλπιστος εἶπεν· Κἀγὼ Χριστιανός εἰμι καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐλπίδος μετέχων.