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ER 1844
Nicomedes, a presbyter in Rome, celebrates Mass for the holy virgin Petronilla. She dies after receiving communion and is buried by Nicomedes. Later Nicomedes is arrested and forced to sacrifice. He refuses and is beaten to death. His body is recovered and buried by his cleric Justus. The story is said to take place in the reign of Domitian, AD 81/96. Martyrdom of Nereus and Achilleus, written probably in Rome, AD 400/800.
The martyrdom starts with the story about the niece of the emperor Domitian, Domitilla. Her eunuchs, Nereus and Achilles, were converted to Christianity by the Apostle Peter. They persuade Domitilla to convert too and to embrace holy virginity. They are sent to exile by the emperor Domitian. Also two disciples of Simon the Magus are exiled there and they claim publicly that their master was innocent in his dispute with Peter. Nereus and Achilles convince the crowd to write a letter to Marcellus, the son of the prefect Marcus, to learn the truth about Peter and Simon. The martyrdom quotes then the reply of Marcellus. The letter concerns the case of Simon the Magus but also gives account of a certain Petronilla. She was paralysed and Peter did not heal her so that she could gain perfectness by herself and be healed by her own prayers.
 
15. [...] Et quoniam nimis speciosa erat, venit ad eam Flaccus Comes cum militibus, ut eam sibi uxorem assumeret. Cui Petronilla ait: Ad puellam inermem cum militibus armatis venisti: si uxorem me habere vis, fac matronas et virgines honestas ad me post tres dies venire, ut cum ipsis veniam ad domum tuam. Factum est autem ut trium dierum acceptum spatium Virgo sanctis jejuniis et orationibus occuparetur, habens secum sanctam Virginem Feliculam collactaneam suam, in Dei timore perfectam. Tertio itaque die veniens ad eam s. Nicomedes presbyter, celebravit mysteria Christi. Virgo autem sacratissima, mox ut Christi sacramentum accepit, reclinans se in lectum, emisit spiritum. Factumque est, ut omnis turba matronarum et virginum, quae fuerant a Flacco adductae, exequias funeris sanctae Virginis celebrarent.
 
Then the martyrdom of Felicula is related.
 
17. Sanctus autem Nicomedes Presbyter in speculis positus occulte levavit corpus, et pernoctanter in biroto perduxit ad casselam suam, septimo milliario ab Urbe Roma via Ardeatina, et ibi eam sepelivit: in quo loco fructificant orationes ejus usque in hodiernum diem. Pervenit autem ad Flaccum hoc fecisse Nicomedem Presbyterum, et fecit eum teneri et duci ad sacrificandum. Qui cum diceret: Ego non sacrifico, nisi Deo omnipotenti qui regnat in coelis, non his diis qui in templis quasi in carceribus clausi custodiuntur. Cum haec et multa talia diceret, plumbatis diutissime caesus migravit ad Dominum. Corpus vero ejus in Tiberim praecipitatum est. Clericus vero ejusdem Presbyteri, nomine et opere Justus, collegit corpus ejus, et posuit in biroto suo, et duxit ad horticellum suum juxta muros via Nomentana, et illic sepelivit illud: in quo orantes Dominum, consequuntur quae postulant interventu Martyris ejus, qui passus est pro nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi. [...]
 
(Acta Sanctorum Maii, vol. 3, 10-11)
The martyrdom starts with the story about the niece of the emperor Domitian, Domitilla. Her eunuchs, Nereus and Achilles, were converted to Christianity by the Apostle Peter. They persuade Domitilla to convert too and to embrace holy virginity. They are sent to exile by the emperor Domitian. Also two disciples of Simon the Magus are exiled there and they claim publicly that their master was innocent in his dispute with Peter. Nereus and Achilles convince the crowd to write a letter to Marcellus, the son of the prefect Marcus, to learn the truth about Peter and Simon. The martyrdom quotes then the reply of Marcellus. The letter concerns the case of Simon the Magus but also gives account of a certain Petronilla. She was paralysed and Peter did not heal her so that she could gain perfectness by herself and be healed by her own prayers.
 
15. [...] And because she was very beautiful, the Comes Flaccus came to her with soldiers to take her as his wife. She said to him: "You came to the defenceless girl with armed men. If you want me to be your wife, have matrons and honest virgins come to me in three days, and I will go with them to your house." During these three days she was fasting and praying together with the holy virgin Felicula who was perfect in the fear of God. On the third day the holy Presbyter Nicomedes came to her to celebrate the mysteries of Christ. As soon as she received the sacrament of Christ, the most holy virgin lay on the bed and died. It happened that the great crowd of matrons and virgins brought by Flaccus, celebrated the funeral of the holy virgin.
 
Then the martyrdom of Felicula is related.
 
17. The holy Presbyter Nicomedes who was there in hiding secretely took the body [of Felicula] and at night brought her on the two-wheeled vehicle [birotum] to his dwelling on the 7. mile stone from the city of Rome in the via Ardeatina, and buried her there. Her prayers bring fruits in this place up to this day. Flaccus learnt that the Presbyter Nicomedes had done that and had him arrested and forced to sacrifice. When he said: "I will not sacrifice to this gods who are guarded in temples like in prisons but only the almighty God who reigns in heavens." When he said that, he was beaten for a long time with scourges with lead balls attached to them and he went to the Lord. His body was thrown to the Tiber. A cleric of this presbyter named Justus took his body and put it on his two-wheeled vehicle, and brought it to his little garden which is near the walls at the via Nomentana, and buried him here. Those who pray to the Lord in this place, get what they ask for through the intercession of the martyr who was martyred for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. [...]
 
(trans. M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region
  • Rome
City
  • Rome

About the source:

Title: Martyrdom of Nereus and Achilleis, Martyrdom of Nereus, Achilleus and Companions, Acta martyrii ss. Nerei et Achillei, Acta Nerei et Achillei
Origin: Rome (Rome)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
The martyrdom is an anonymous account of the events that took place in Rome and its surroundings in the time from the reign of Nero to the reign of Trajan (58-117). The main story concerns two eunuchs, Nereus and Achilles martyred in Rome, but as the narrative belongs to the genre of "epic martyrdoms" it contains many episodes concerning other figures.
 
The martyrdom is difficult to date. The earliest manuscripts were copied in the late 8th c. The cult of Nereus and Achilles developped in Rome in the second half of the 4th c. Various scholars preferred different dates within this range, though many of them date it to the 5th or 6th century.
 
For a detailed summary, discussion and further reading see Pignot, CSLA E02033.
Edition:
Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina 6058-6066
Acta Sanctorum, Mai. III, 6-13
 
Translation:
Lapidge, M., The Roman Martyrs. Introduction, Translations, and Commentary, Oxford 2018, 211-227
Bibliography:
M. Pignot, E02033, Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity database, consulted on 24 July 2018

Categories:

Burial/Funerary inscription
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Fame of sanctity
Ritual activity - Eucharist
Ritual activity - Burying the dead
Public law - Secular
Relation with - Lower cleric
Relation with - Secular authority
Relation with - Woman
Administration of justice - Secular
Administration of justice - Capital punishment
Conflict - Violence
Relation with - Pagan
Pastoral activity - Visiting the sick
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1844, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1844
Record by: Marta Szada
last edited: 2020-09-01 16:32:49
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