De sancto Calixto
The Signs of Divine Judgment
Divine fire and supernatural events in Rome signal the vanity of idols and the truth of the Christian God.
Pope Calixtus suffered martyrdom in the year of our Lord 222, under the Emperor Alexander. During his time, a prominent part of the city of Rome was consumed by a divine fire, and the left hand of the golden statue of Jupiter was melted. Then all the priests came to the Emperor Alexander, asking that the angry gods be appeased with sacrifices; but while they were offering them, on a clear morning on a Thursday, four priests of the idols were suddenly struck dead by divine lightning, the altar of Jupiter was consumed by fire, and the sun was darkened, so that the Roman people fled outside the walls. When the consul Palmatius heard that Calixtus was hiding with his clergy across the Tiber, he asked that the Christians, through whom this evil had come about, be completely wiped out for the purification of the city. Palmatius, having received authority, hurried there with his soldiers, but they were immediately struck blind; terrified, he reported this to Alexander at once, and the emperor then ordered that all the people gather on Wednesday to offer sacrifice to Mercury, so that they might receive answers from him regarding these matters. While this was happening, a certain temple virgin named Juliana, seized by a demon, cried out: "The God of Calixtus is the true and living God, who is indignant at our pollutions."
The Conversion of Palmatius
Moved by the truth of the faith, the consul Palmatius and his household seek baptism from Saint Calixtus.
Hearing this, Palmatius went across the Tiber to the city of the Ravennates to Saint Calixtus, and he had himself baptized by him, along with his wife and household. When the emperor heard this, he had him summoned and handed him over to the senator Simplicius, so that he might warn him with gentle words, because he was very necessary to the republic.
Miracles and Martyrdom
Through prayer and healing, the faith spreads, leading to the ultimate sacrifice of Saint Calixtus and his companions.
While Palmatius was persevering in fasting and prayer, a certain soldier came to him, promising that if he would heal his paralyzed wife, he would immediately believe; when Palmatius prayed, she was healed and ran to Palmatius, saying, "Baptize me in the name of Christ, who held my hand and lifted me up." Then Calixtus came and baptized her, along with her husband, Simplicio, and many others. When the emperor heard this, he ordered all the baptized to be beheaded, and he made Calixtus remain for five days without food or drink. But seeing that he was only growing stronger, the emperor ordered him to be beaten every day, then thrown out a window, tied to a stone, and cast into a well. However, the priest Asterius retrieved his body from the well and buried him in the cemetery of Calepodius.
Read the original Latin
Calixtus papa anno domini CCXXII sub Alexandro imperatore martirium passus est. Cujus temporibus pars eminentior urbis Romae divino est incendio concremata et sinistra manus Jovisaurea liquefacta. Tunc omnes sacerdotes ad Alexandrum imperatorem venerunt petentes, ut Dii irati sacrificiis placarentur, Dum ergo offerrent, subito coelo sereno mane die Jovis divino fulmine quatuor sacerdotes ydolorum mortui sunt et ara Jovis concremata est et sol obscuratus est, ita ut populus Romanus fugeret extra muros. Andiens autem Palmatius consul, quod Calixtus cum suis clericis trans Tiberim latitaret, rogavit, ut christiani, per quos hoc malum contigerat, ad purgalionem civitatis penitus delerentur. Palmatius itaque potestate accepta, cum illuc cum militibus properasset, sed illi protinus excaecati fuissent, territus Alexandro hoc protinus nuntiavit Tunc imperator jussit, ut die Mercurii omnis populus conveniret et Mercurio immolaret, ut ab eo super his responsa acciperet. Quod dum fieret, virgo quaedam templi, nomine Juliana, arrepta a daemone exclamavit: Deus Calixti est verus et vivus Deus, qui nostris est pollutionibus indignatus. Quod audiens Palmatius trans Tiberim ad urbem Ravennatium ad sanctum Calixtum accessit et cum uxore sua et familia se ab eo baptizari fecit. Quod audiens imperator accersitum Simplicio senatori tradidit, ut verbis blandis eum moneret ex eo, quod reipublicae plurimum necessarius esset.
Palmatio vero in jejuniis et oratione perseverante, venit ad eum quidam miles, promittens, quod, si uxorem suam paraliticam sanaret, continuo crederet, Cum ergo Palmatius oraret, illa sanata ad Palmatium cucurrit dicens: baptiza me in nomine Christi, qui tenuit manum meam ct allevavit me. Tunc Calixtus veniens ipsam cum viro suo Simplicio et multis aliis baptizavit. Quod audiens imperator jussit omnes baptizatos decollari, Calixtum vero quinque diebus sine cibo et potu manere fecit. Ille autem videns eum amplius conforlari, jussit eum diebus singulis fastigari, deinde per fenestram praecipitatum alligatumque saxo in puteum praecipitari. Asterius autem presbiter corpus ejus de puteo elevavit et ipsum in cimiterio Calipodii sepelivit.
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