De sancto Erasm o
The Desert and the Call
Erasmus flees to the desert to escape persecution but is called back to the city to witness for Christ.
A persecution of Christians was launched by the Emperor Diocletian, so that if anyone were found... ...refusing to sacrifice to the gods would be put to death through various tortures. Hearing this, the blessed Erasmus fled from the city of Antioch and sought the desert, where he lived for seven years; there, on Mount Lebanon, he prayed to the Lord day and night and performed many miracles. For food came to him from heaven by way of a raven, and even angels would speak with him; various wild beasts also came into his cell and bowed down at his feet, and a voice from heaven came to him, saying, 'Erasmus, go down to your city.' He rose at once and went to the city, where many who were troubled by unclean spirits met him. The blessed Erasmus would lay his hands on them in the name of the Lord, and they were immediately healed; he also converted many to the Lord through baptism. Upon hearing this, Emperor Diocletian ordered that the blessed Erasmus be seized and brought before him. While he was sitting. The emperor, sitting on his tribunal, questioned him, saying, 'What do you want to be, or of what kind?' Then the blessed Erasmus said, 'I am a Christian, and I confess it.' The blessed Erasmus was beautiful not only in spirit but also in body; his face was angelic, his eyes like the rays of the sun, and his speech was without any offense; he answered fearlessly and did not tremble. The emperor said, 'Yield and sacrifice to my gods, lest you die a miserable death.' The blessed Erasmus said to him, 'Emperor, I will never do this—to sacrifice to stones and carved images, to which you yourself are similar; rather, I sacrifice to the living God who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, to Him alone I live, and my soul—for I will never consent to you.' Then the emperor, filled with rage, ordered his ministers to beat his sides with clubs. While he was being beaten, he looked up to heaven and said, 'I give thanks to You, Lord Jesus Christ, who are the way for those who believe in You, because I have reached what my soul desires; help Your servant, so that the abyss of death may not swallow me.' The emperor then said, 'Erasmus, I see you are young and handsome; take thought for your soul and sacrifice to my gods, and I will give you gold, silver, and a priceless garment, and I will make you a nobleman in my palace.'
Trials of Fire and Faith
Despite brutal tortures and imprisonment, Erasmus is sustained by divine intervention and angelic deliverance.
Erasmus said to him, "You wolf, you thief, you seducer of souls! Don't let your rewards separate me from the love of Christ. Your gold, silver, and priceless garments stay with you; I, however, possess the breastplate of faith. You will burn in the eternal fire, you who are a hellish whirlwind, in the days of your own destruction. You cannot perish, but you will be blessed with your father." Erasmus was beaten with clubs, and he seemed to see six needles. The whole crowd cried out, "Truly, the God of the Christians is great, for He works such power in him." The emperor told the people, "You are mistaken; he is working through magic arts." Blessed Erasmus replied, "Aren't you also a devil, like the one who first deceived the first-formed man? You are a dragon of iniquity, a leader of evildoers, a wicked emperor." Filled with rage, the emperor ordered the saint's flesh to be torn with iron claws. Yet, rejoicing and singing a prophetic psalm to God, he said... They placed iron instruments upon him. Jerusalem: so that. They set a guard over the fruits; they placed dead bodies. of your servants to the beasts of the earth. Then the emperor, filled with rage, ordered his ministers to melt lead, pitch, sulfur, and resin with wax and oil, and to pour it over the blessed one. Erasmus was with Him who provided him with refreshment. But the angel of the Lord stood by. Then Erasmus said to the emperor twice, "Where are your threats and your great rage?" Behold, you have provided great refreshment for my body!" The whole crowd cried out, "Let the man go!" Him, and. the bishop of his city, because the God of the Christians works through him. And suddenly, a great earthquake, thunder, and lightning occurred, so that nearly a third of the people died; but the Angel of the Lord stood with Saint Erasmus and led the blind to the light of Christ. The emperor, fleeing as if afraid that the city would perish by the wrath of God, spoke to the people and said, "The one you saw has blasphemed God; that is why there is such turmoil." Then the emperor, filled with rage, ordered Saint Erasmus to be taken to prison and sixty pounds of iron to be placed on his neck or hands, and he commanded his ministers that if anyone were found giving him bread or water, they should die. The ministers did as he commanded. The emperor sealed the prison door with his ring, and around midnight, Saint Erasmus cried out to the Lord, "Lord Jesus Christ, hurry and rescue me, so that the enemy may not boast against your servants, and so that the nations may not say, 'Where is their God?'" Suddenly, the prison shone with light and became fragrant, as if it were full of spices, and twelve candelabra appeared. burning before Saint Erasmus, the martyr and bishop. The Angel of the Lord had entered to him, saying, "Erasmus, look, I have come to you." Immediately, the iron melted like wax, and he stood in their midst, singing and blessing God: "Blessed are you, Lord, who made heaven and earth, before whom the angels and archangels stand with trembling, and the host of martyrs who suffered for you; you who showed mercy to your servant and delivered my soul from the hands of my enemies, just as you delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the midst of the burning fiery furnace and from the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar; and just as you delivered Daniel, your servant, from the lions' den, and satisfied him with the meal brought by the prophet Habakkuk, and delivered Susanna from a false charge—so you have shown mercy to me." The Angel of the Lord said to him, "Erasmus, rise and walk with me to Italy; there God will grant you eternal life forever." And like a dove of Christ, he set him down in Lugrido.
The Vanishing Prisoner
The emperor is confounded by the saint's miraculous escape from a sealed prison, while Erasmus continues his mission in Lugrido.
The next day, the emperor came running. He arrived at the prison. He found the prison still sealed with his own ring, and after inspecting it, he ordered his attendants, "Bring out the magician who has treated my gods as nothing." But when they entered the prison, they couldn't find him anywhere. They found the iron chains reduced to ash, and a great cry went up from those who said, "The man is gone!" We found the iron itself for us... ...it seems to be. When the emperor heard this, he struck his forehead, saying, "Woe to me, my kingdom is undone!" What am I to say to my people? For nearly forty thousand men and women had come to see the soldier of Christ, and the whole city was in a state of great trembling; the Christians were looking for a Christian, and the widows and orphans were searching for the bishop, saying, 'What have you done to the man, pastor?' Then the emperor, terrified, said that he had been snatched up into heaven by his God and had redeemed himself with a great ransom. Now when blessed Erasmus had arrived in Lugrido, he was baptizing many in the name of Christ and performing all things through his virtues, for he was healing the sick and the blind through his prayers; there was a certain nobleman and leader of the city there named Anastasius, whose son had died, and his body was being carried to the tomb, for it had been commanded by the lord blessed Erasmus that he should raise him and return him to his parents, and blessed Erasmus, taking hold of the body of the deceased, said to his father, 'Anastasius, if you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born...' '...of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, you will receive your son back safe.' A great crowd of people was marveling at these words, and Anastasius said, 'And can you raise my son?' Blessed Erasmus replied, 'Not I, but our Lord Jesus Christ, whom I serve.' Anastasius said, 'If...' '...you return my son to me safe, I, my house, and all the people will believe.'
The Resurrection and Conversion
Erasmus raises the son of a nobleman from the dead, leading to a mass conversion of the people.
Then blessed Erasmus ordered his body to be taken down, and he privately instructed his father and mother. Kneeling over the body, he said, 'In the name of Jesus Christ, rise.' When he had risen, he cried out in a loud voice, 'It is true that the God of the Christians is great!' Then, turning to his father, he said, 'Father, until now we have been wrong; for the gods we worshipped are nothing. I saw them in hell, having no rest from their tormentors, but the living God of the servant Erasmus is great.' Anastasius believed, along with his whole household and the entire crowd, who were all baptized at that hour. They were about forty thousand people. Then blessed Erasmus said... Erasmus cried out in a loud voice, saying, 'I give thanks to you, Lord Jesus Christ, for you have gathered your people into the way of truth. For you said with your own voice in the Gospel: Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. I bless this people of yours, whom you have acquired.' And a voice came to him from heaven, saying, 'Erasmus, good servant, who has labored for me on earth, all that you ask will be given to you.' The Lord blessed this people who believed, and in that hour all the idols that were worshipped were overturned. For seven days, blessed Erasmus taught the people and confirmed them in the doctrine of Christ, saying, 'Keep his commandments that you have heard, and the great works of God that he has done in you; be clothed in faith and remain faithful.' Hearing this, Maximian...
The Dragon and the Martyrdom
Erasmus confronts the emperor again, destroys an idol, and witnesses the martyrdom of his followers before facing his own final trials.
The emperor heard what had happened in the city of Lugrido at the hands of Probus, a most wicked and sacrilegious man, who had said, 'Listen, pious emperor, to what has happened in your city: the kingdom has been deceived, and our gods have been subverted by some man from Antioch who confesses that Jesus Christ, who was crucified by men in Judea, is God.' Upon hearing this, the emperor ordered blessed Erasmus to be seized and ascended the tribunal that had been prepared, and blessed Erasmus entered. The emperor said to him, 'Tell me, you wicked man, what is your religion?' Then blessed Erasmus remained silent, but he looked up to heaven with his eyes. The emperor said, 'Aren't you going to speak?' He then ordered his jaws to be crushed. Then blessed Erasmus said, 'You ravenous wolf, full of wicked malice, why do you persecute the servant of God!' The emperor said, 'Isn't this the very one who was crucified by men in Judea?' Saint Erasmus replied, "I am his servant." Maxinianus said, "May you be just as he is, and die in the same way." Then blessed Erasmus smiled and said to him, "Excellent, Emperor, you have blessed me. I only wish I were worthy to follow in his footsteps, for the shedding of his blood is our light. If you are willing to acknowledge him and believe in him, you will be saved." The Emperor said, "You and your kin are the ones who should believe in him." Blessed Erasmus said, "You have spoken well to me, for that is exactly what we believe; we offer the sacrifices of humility and the gifts of tribulation to him who saved his people from their sins." The Emperor said, "Look to yourself, come forward, and sacrifice to my gods." Saint Erasmus replied, "To which gods are you ordering me to sacrifice?" The Emperor said, "If I tell you, will you agree?" Blessed Erasmus said, "If I see them, I will do it." Then the Emperor, filled with joy, ordered the man of God to be taken with the whole crowd to the temple of Jupiter in the city of Sirmium, and he commanded that musical instruments and all kinds of music be prepared in the temple. Seeing this, blessed Erasmus groaned in his heart and directed his eyes to heaven, saying, "Christ, Son of God, be present in this hour and send your angel to help me and confirm me in this hour against the battle of the devil that you have prepared for me." When he had arrived at the temple, blessed Erasmus said, "Where is the god you are ordering me to worship?" The Emperor, however, taking his hand, entered the temple and showed him a bronze statue fifteen cubits high, saying, "Behold my god, whom I serve." Immediately as the devil looked upon the face of the martyr of Christ, the statue fell and turned into ash; a great dragon came out of it and killed nearly a third of the people. When the Emperor saw that he had been deceived, he mounted his horse and headed for the palace. Beating his chest, he said, "Woe is me: my kingdom has been deceived by I know not what man from Antioch." But the greater part of the people cried out, "Holy servant of God, pray for us, so that we do not perish from this dragon." Then blessed Erasmus commanded the dragon not to harm anyone. When the entire population of Sirmium saw the great wonders being worked through his servant, they all began to believe in Christ; but blessed Erasmus said, "Look at the wonders God works in those who believe in Him!" About forty thousand people were baptized. There was joy in heaven and a spectacle for the angels, as the devil's party fought against God's chosen ones but could not turn their minds from thoughts of the Lord. Then the angels cried out with a loud voice, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will!" Those who had thus been converted to the Lord answered, "Amen." The entire city of Sirmium was in an uproar. Terrified, the emperor sent his men and ordered that everyone who had converted to the Lord be put to death by the sword. They martyred three hundred and thirty people who commended themselves to the prayers of the holy martyr Erasmus, to whom he said, "Go in the name of the Lord, happily, to the holy city that the Lord has prepared for you, and I will follow after a short time." Angels were running through the clouds, receiving their souls and leading the triumphant martyrs up to heaven. A voice of those singing was heard, saying, "Alleluia, the way of the just has been made straight, and the path of the saints has been prepared." Hearing this, blessed Erasmus rejoiced like a good shepherd over his sheep, whom he had handed over to Christ. Then the emperor, filled with rage, ordered blessed Erasmus to be seized and tortured with various torments; he ordered his ministers to dress him in a bronze tunic made to fit his stature and heated until it was glowing, saying, "Now I will see if your God will rescue you from my hands." Then Erasmus said, "Executioner, full of wickedness, son of the devil, I praise your shame, for you are worse than a dog. I told you before and I tell you now: I don't fear your threats; even if you do more, my heart won't tremble." And signing himself with the sign of the cross, he put on the glowing tunic, singing a prophetic psalm, saying, "We have passed through fire and water, and you have brought us into a place of refreshment; likewise, you have tested those who believe in you like gold in a furnace, and you receive them like a burnt offering." Immediately the glowing tunic he had been dressed in became as cold as snow, so that not a single blemish was found upon him. Then blessed Erasmus said, "Look, emperor, you are confounded; you will burn in eternal fire with your father the devil, for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has delivered me." The people, however, cried out, "Truly, the God of the Christians is great, for he works such wonders in him!"
The Final Refreshment
Erasmus survives the boiling cauldron, demonstrating the power of God over the emperor's final attempts at execution.
Then the emperor said, "These are the tricks of sorcerers, to command fire and mock our gods." Then blessed Erasmus replied, "Foolish emperor, you who think these are sorceries! Christ, the Son of God, is with me; He Himself, who commands the fire, mocks your gods—those deaf stones and bronze things cast by men, which you resemble. For my Lord Jesus Christ is alive and conquers by His power." The emperor said, "How long must we endure your insults?" Then blessed Erasmus said, "I, too, marvel at your shamelessness, because you feel no shame." Filled with rage, the emperor ordered his servants to prepare a cauldron with twenty measures of lead, pitch, wax, resin, and oil, and to have it melted, filled, and set on fire. The servants did as they had been commanded, and the cauldron became boiling and surging like the sea, and the emperor said to him, "Can your art prevail even against this?" Then blessed Erasmus said to the emperor, "This cauldron is my refreshment," and having made the sign of the cross, he stepped into it, and immediately the voice of the Lord thundered over the waters—the God of majesty—and poured out a wave from the cauldron and scorched the emperor, who cried out, "I am burning, man of God, pray for me!" Blessed Erasmus said to the emperor, "Woe to you, you ravenous wolf, and to the fire of Gehenna that God has prepared for you, along with your father the devil and his servants. I know your heart is hardened, but for the sake of this crowd standing around, it will go well for you." Then the pain ceased.
Read the original Latin
Facta est persecutio christianorum a Dyocletiano imperatore, ut, si quis inventus. fnisset non sacrificare Diis, multis suppliciis interiret. Andiens hoc beatus Erasmus fugiens ex Antiochia civitate eremnm petiit et habitavit in ea annis septem, ubi in monte Libano die ac nocte dominum deprecans multa mirabilia egit. Nam esca ei de coelo veniebat per corvum, etiam angeli toquebantur cum eo, diversae etiam ferae veniebant in cellam ejus et prosternebant se ad vestigia ejus et facta est ad eum vox de coelo dicens: Erasme, descende al tuam civitatem. Et statim surrexit et descendit ad civitatem, cumque descendisset, multi quidem vexabantur n spiritibus immundis et occurrebant "Tunc beatus Erasmus imponebat iis manus in nomine domini et statim salvi fiebant, multos etiam per baptismum convertebat ad dominmn, Hoc audiens Dyocletianns imperator jussit beatum Erasmum teneri et praesentari sibi, cumune introduceretur. sedente. imperatore pro tribunali, interrogavit eum dicens: quid vis esse aut de quo genere esi Tune beatus Erasmus dixit: christianus sum et ipsum confiteor, Erat beatos Erasmus non solum spiritu, sed etiam corpore pulcher, vultus etiam ei angelicus, oculi ejus tamquam radii solis, lomela ejus sine ulla offensione, securus respondebat, non trepidabat, Et ait imperator: acquiesce et sacrifica Diis meis, ne male moriaris, Dicit ei beatus Erasinus : hoc, imperator, nunquam ego sum facturus, ut lapidibus et sculptilibus, quibus tn ipse similis es, ego sacrificem, sed ego sacrificu Deo vivo, qui fecit coehnn et terram, mare et omnia, quae in iis sunt, ipsi soli vivo et anima mea, nam tibi nunquam consentio. Tunc imperator furore repletus jussit ministros phunbatis tundere latera ejus, Qui dum caederetur, respexit in coelun et dixit: gratias libi ago, domine Jesu Christe, qui es via in te credentium, quia perveni, ad quod desiderat anima mea, adjuva servum tunm, vt me non absorbeat abyssus mortis, Tunc imperator dixit: Erasme, video te juvenem et pulchrum, consule animae tuae et sacrifica Diis meis et dabo tibi aurum et argentum, vestem inaestimabilem et facimn te nobilem in palatio meo.
Dixit ei Erasmus: lupe TApax, Sec uctor animarum, non praemia tua separent mea caritate Chrisli, nam aurum et argentum et vestes tnae inaestimabiles sunt tecum ; ego autem habeo loricam fidei, quam infernus corramvolo eris in ignem aetermimm arsurus, in dies perditionis tu; pere non potest, tu vero cum patre fuo d sit beatum. Erasmum fustibus mactari, et ter binos acula videbatur, Universa vero plebs clamabat dicens: vere magnus est Deus christianorun, qui tantam virlntem operatur in illo, Imperator dixit ad populum: errastis, artes maleficas operatur iste, Dixit beatus Erasmus: nonne et tn dyabolns es similis illi, qui primo protoplastnm draco iniquitatis, dux maleficormn, male Wnperator furore repletus juss mutans, et in dorso ejus nulla de paradiso projecit, impie carnifex, ficia mea, Christus est filius Dei vivi, quem virgo genuit Maria ex verbo patris, quem prophetae ventnrum praedicaverunt, qui solvit peccata mundi illuninans tenebras ignorantiae nostrae, qui te percutiet in aeternum, cui tu rationem redditurus es, Imperator furore repletus jussit beati Erasmi carnes unguli gratulans, psallens, propheticum psalmum Deo canebat dicens. ferreis eff posuerunt. Hierusalem: ut. pomorum custodiam, posuerunt morticina. servorum tuorum bestiis terrae, Tunc imperator furore repletus jussit ininistris, plum bum, picem, sulphur et resinam cum cera et oleo solvi et beatum. Erasmum i cum eo, qui ei refrigermm praestabat, perfundi, Stabat autem angelus dom Tunc bis Erasmus dixit imperatori: nbi sunt minae tuae et furor tuns magnus? ecce corpori meo praestitisti magnum refrigerium, Universa vero plebs elamabat dicens: dimitte hominem.
istum et. episcopum civitatis suae, qnia Deus christiänoram operatur in illo, Et ecce subito est factus terrae motus magnus, tonitrua, coruscationes, ita ut paene tertia pars populi moreretur, Angelus vero domini cum sancto Erasmo stabat et caecos homines ad Christi lumen deducebat. linperator autein fugiens quasi timens, civitatem b ira Dei perire, locutus est ad populum et dixit: iste, quein vidistis, Deum blasphemavit; ideo talis est conturbatio, Tuno imperator repletus furore jussit beatum Erasinum in carcerem introduci et LX pondera ferri in cervicem vel in manibus ejus poni, et praecepit ministris, si quis inventus fuisset panem vel aquam ei dare, morte moreretur. Et fecerunt ministri, sicut imperavit iis. linperator autem annulo suo signavit ostium carceris et circa mediam noctem exclamavit beatus Erasmus ad dominum dicens: domine Jesu Christe, accelera et eripe me, ne glorietur inimicus in servis tuis, ne dicant gentes: ubi est Deus eonun! Et ecce subito carcer illuxit et fragravit, quasi fuisset aromatibus plenus, el visa sunt velut XII candelabra. ardentia ante beatum Erasmum inartireim et episcopum. Angelus domini ingressus fuerat ad eum dicens: Erasme, ecce ego veni ad te, et statim liquefactum est ferrum tamquam cera et in medio eorum stabat psallens et benedicebat Deum dicens: benedictus es, domine, qui fecisti coelum et terram, cui adstant angeli et archangeli cum tremore et munerus martiruin, qui passi sunt propter te, qui fecisti misericordiam cmm servo tuo et liberasti animam meam de manibus inimicorum, sicut liberasti Sydrac, Mysac et Abdenago de medio fornacis ignis ardentis et de manu Nabuchodonosor regis, et sicut Danielem servum tuum de lacu leonum et oblato prandio per Abacuch prophetam saturasti, et Susannam de falso crimine liberasti, ila et mecum fecisti misericordiam, Et ecce angelus domini dixit ad emn: Erasme, exsurge et ambula mecum usque in Italiam, ibi tibi Deus aeternam vitam tribuet in saeculum saeculi, Et quasi columba Christi plaudens sic in Lugrido deposuit.
Alia vero die imperator currens. ad. carcerem signatum annuli sui invenit, cumque designasset, praecepit ministris; adducite magum, qui Deos meos pro nihilo fecil. Ingressi antem carcerem nusquumn eun. invenerunt, ferrum quoque sicut cinis inventum est, et factus est clamor magnus dicentium: hominem non. invenimus, nam et ipsum ferrum nobis. c videtur esse. Qnod ut audivit imperator, sibi alapam in fronte percussit dicens: vaeh, mihi delusmmn est regnum meum!
quid dicturns ero popnlo meo? Venerant enin quasi XL millia virorum et mulierom ad spectaculum militis Christi, turbabatue tota civitas in tremore grandi posita, christiani christianum quaerebant, viduae et orphani episcopum requirebant dicentes: quid fecisti homini, pastor! Tunc imperator timore perlerrilus dixit, quia a Deo ejus in coelum raptus fuisset et per praemium magnum se redemisset. kt cum beatus Erasmus in Lugrido venisset, multos in Christi nomine baptizans omnia virtutibus operabatur, nam infirmos et caecos orationibus salvabat, N erat ibi quidam nobilis et primarius civitatis, nomine Anastasius, cujus filiu: mortuus fuerat, et corpus ejus ad sepulchrum ducebatur, Jussum enim fuerat a domino beato Erasmo, ut eum resuscitaret et redderet parentibus suis, et apprehendens bealus Erasmus corpus defuncti dixit patri ejus: Anastasi, si credis in domino nostro Jesu Christo, qui natus. est de spiritu sancto ex Maria virgine, recipies filium tunm salvum, Multa enin turba populi mirabatur ad haeo verba, Anastasius dixit: et tu potes filium menm resuscitare? Beatus Erasmus dixil: nom ego, sed dominus noster Jesus Christus, cui ego servio. Anastasius dixit: si. filiu imeum salvum inihi reddideris, credo ego el domus mea et populus universus.
Tunc beatus Erasmus jussit corpus ejus deponi, secreto pairem et matrem jussit. stare, flexis genibus super corpus ejus dixit: in nomine Jésu Christe surge. Cumque surrexisset, clamavit voce magna: vere, quia magnus est Deus christianorum, et conversus ad patrem ait: pater, usque nunc erravimus; Dii enim, quos colebamus, nihil sunt, vidi enun eos in inferno non habere requiem a tortoribus, Deus autem vivus famuli Erasmi magnns est. Et credidit Anastasius et tota domus ejus et populus universus, qui in illa hora fuerunt baptizati, qui. sunt quasi. XL millia hominum, "Tunc beatus. Erasmus exclamavit voce magna dicens: gratias ago tibi, domine, Jesu Christe, qui congregasti populum tumn in via veritatis, tu enim dixisti evangelica voce: petite el accipietis, quaerite et invenielis, pulsate et aperietur vobis; benedio populum tuum hunc, quein acquisivisti, Et facta est ad enm vox de coelo dicens: Erasme, serve bone, qui pro ine laborasti in terra, ómnia, quaecunque petieris, dabuntur tibi. Et benedixit dominus populum hunc, qui oredidermnt, 1n illa hora omnia ydola, quae colebantur, vertebantur, per septem antem dies beatus Erasmus docens populum et confirmans in doctrina Christi dicebat: custodite mandata ejus, quxe audivistis, et magnalia Dei, quae fecit in vobis, induti fide etiam fideles estote, Audiens hoc Maxünianns.
imperator, quae facta fuerant in Lugrido civitate, a Probo iniquissimo homine et sacrilego, qui dixit: audi, pie üinperator, quae facta sunt in civitate tua, regnum delusum est et Dii nostri nescio a quo homine Antioceno subversi sunt, qui confitetur illum Jesum Christum, qui crucifixus est ab hominibus in Judaea, Deum esse. Quo audito imperalor jussit beatum Erasinum teneri et praeparatum tribunal adscendit, et ingressus est beatus Erasmus. Ad quem ait imperator: dic tu scelerate homo, quae tibi est religio? Tunc beatus Erasmus tacuit, sed oculis suis respexit in coelum. Imperator ait: nibil loqueris? et jussit maxillas suas contundi. Tunc beatus Erasmus dixit: lupe rapax, plenus iniquitate malefice, quid persequeris servum Dei! Lnperator dixit: nonne bic ipse est, qui crucifixus est ab hominibus in Judaea?
Sanctus Erasmus respondit: ego ipsius servus sum, Maxinianus dixit: talis sis, qualis et ille, et sic inorinris, Tunc beatus Erasmus subridens ait illi: optime, imperator, benedixisti inihi, utinam illius ego merear vestigia sequi, quia effusio sanguinis ipsius nostra illuminatio est, quem si velis agnoscere et ilhun credere, salvus eris, Lnperator dixit: tu in illum credas et genus tuum. Beatus Erasmus dixit: optime dixisti mihi, plane quia sic credimus, hostias humilitatis et tribulationis munera offerimus ei, qui salvavit popalum suum a peccatis eorum. Lnperator dixit: consule tibi et accede et sacridica Diis meis, Sanctus Erasmus respondit: quibus Diis me jubes sacrificare! Imperator dixit: i tibi dixero, consentis? Beatus Erasmus dixit: si videro, forie facio, Tunc gaudio repletus imperator cum universo populo usque ad templum Jovis jussit hominem Dei deduci ad civitatem Sirnitanam et praecepit organa et omne genus inusicorun in templo parari, Et hoc videns beatus Erasinus ingemuit corde et oculos suos ad coelum direxit dicens: Christe fili Dei esto praesens in ista hora et mitte angelum tuum, qui mihi amxilietur et confirmet me in hora ista a pugna dyaboli, quam mihi praeparavit. Cumque pervenisset in templum, beatus Erasmus dixit: ubi est Deus, quem jubes me adorare? Imperator autem apprehendens manum ejus ingressus est templuim et ostendit ei statuam aenea magnitudinis cubitorum XH et di ecce Deus meus, ui ego servio. Statim ut dyabolus adspexit faciem martiris Christi, cecidit statua el in cinerem versa est, exivit et draco magnus ex illa et occidit paene tertiam parlem populi, Imperator ut vidit, se esse delusun, adscendit equum et ad palatium pergebat, Percutiens pectus suum dixit: vael mihi: delusum est reguuu) meum, nescio a quo homine Anlioceno, Magis aulem pars populi clamabat: serve sancte Dei, ora pro nobis, ut ne pereamus-ab isto dracone.
Tunc beatus Erasmus imperavit draconi, ut quemquam hominem non contaminaret. Videns autein universus populus Sirmilanorum, quantas virtutes per servum suum operabatur, coeperunt omues credere Christo, Beatus antem Krasinus dixit: ecce quales virtutes operatur Deus in eos, qui credunt in illum! Et baptizati sunt quasi quadraginta millia homimun, Erat emm gandium in caelo et spectacula angelorum, et quomodo pars dyaboli pugnabat adversus elecios Dei et non valebat mentes eorum avertere a cogitatione domini, Tunc angeli voce magna clamabant: gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis, Qui sic fuerant ad dominwn conversi, responderunt: amem, Conturbata est omnis civitas Sirmitana. Conterritus vero inperator misit annitos et jussit Omnes, qui ad dominum conversi sunt, gladio puniri, Martirisaverunt etiam trecentos triginta homines commendantes se orationibus sancli Erasmi martiris, quibus ait; ite in nomine domini feliciter ad sanctam civitatem, quam praeparavit vobis dominus, et ego post modicum tempus subsequar. Erant autem angeli currentes per nubes, suscipientes anüinas eorum et triumphantes martires usque ad coelum perduxerunt, Et audita est vox psallentium et dicentun: alleluja, via justorum recta facta est et iter sanctorum praeparatum est, Quod andiens beatus Erasmus gratulavit ut bonus pastor super oves suas, quas tradidit Christo, Tunc imperator furore repletus jussit beatum Erasmum teneri et diversis suppliciis torqueri et jussit ministris tunica aenea adversus staturam ejus et ignea fortiter eum vestiri dicens: nunc videbo, si Deus tuus eripiet te de manibus meis, Tunc bis Erasmus dixit: carnifex plenus iniquitatis, filins dyaboli, verecundiam tuam laudo, qui deterior es cane, dixi tibi et nunc dico: non timeo minas tuas, si ampliora facias, cor meum non trepidabit. Et signans se signo crucis vestivit se ignea tunica, psallens propheticum psalmum dicens: iransivimus per ignem et aquam et reduxisti nos in refrigerium, item tamquam aurum in fornace probasti eos, qui in te credunt et sicut holocausti hostimn uscipis. Statin tunica ignea, qua indutus fuerat, facta est frigida sicut nix, ut nulla macula super eum inventa fuisset. Tunc beatus Erasmus dixit: ecce, imperator, confasus es, cum patre tuo dyabolo in ignem eris aeternum arsurus, nam dominus Jesus Christus filius domini liberavit me, Popnlus autem clamavit: vere, quia magnus est Deus christianorum, qui tantas virtutes in illo operatur.
Tunc imperator ait: artes sunt maleficorum , ut igui ünperaret et Deos nostros deludat, Tunc beatus Erasmus dixit: stulte imperator, qui putas maleficia, mecum est Christus filius Dei, ipse, qni imperat igni, Deos tuos deludit, lapides et aeramenta surda ab hominibus conílata, quibus tn similis es; nam dominus meus Jesns Christus vivus est et virtutibus vincit, linperator dixit: quamdiu injurias tuas tolerare possumus! Tunc beatus Erasmus dixit: etiam et ego miror verecundiam frontis tuae, quia non erubescis, Tunc imperator furore repletus jussit ministris suis olam parare urnarmn XX plumbi pice similiter ciun cera et resina et oleo solvi et repleri et succendi, Et fecerunt ministri, sicnt praeceptum iis fuerat, et fervens facta est olla et fluctuans sicut mare, et dixit ei imperator: nunquid et hic ars tua potest praevalere? Tunc beatus Erasmus dixit imperatori: ista olla meum est refrigerium, et facto signaculo crucis descendit in emn, statimque: vox domini super aquas Dens majestalis, intonuit et effudit unam undam ex olla et ustulavit imperatorem, Qui clamavit: ardeo, homo Dei, ora pro me, Tunc beatus Erasmus dixit imperatori: vaeh tibi, lupe rapax, et Gehennae ignis, quem tibi paravit Deus simul cum patre tuo dyabolo et ministris ejus; scio, quod cor tnum obduratum est, sed propter populum istum circumstantem erit tibi bene, Et quievit dolor. Multi autein hoc videntes in illa hora crediderunt, imperator autem videns, se deluswmn esse, jussit martirem Dei recipi et in arta custodia haberi et ingenti ferro ponderis colligari, cumque Orasset, apparuit ei juvenis similis filio Dei vocans eum et dixit illi: ego sum Michael angelus missus ad te, ut te ducam in Campaniam provinciam, quáe vocatur Formana, ad docendum populum, Apprehendens eum et ejecit eum de civitate Sirinitana veniensque naviculam a domino paratam invenit et transmigravit in provinciam Campaniam, Alia vero die turbatus est imperator, quod non invenisset eum dicens, quia Deus eripnit eum, Servus autein Dei et inartir domini venit et sedit in civitate Formana et septem annis docens populum viam veritatis, Angelus auteur domini panem ei quotidie ministrabat, Postea orabat ad -domimun, wt jn civitate sua aeternaliter quiesceret, el facta est ad eun vox de coelo dicens: Erasme, veni et requiesce in civitate, quam paravit Deus fratribus tuis martiribus et prophetis et recipe laborem tuum , per te enun honorificatus snim in coelo et in terra, Tunc beatus Erasmus pro viduis et orphanis deprecabatur: domine unigenitus domini patris, qui me fecisti requiescere in loco isto, concede, nt, qui in hoc loco habitationis meae pro snis necessitatibus preces effuderit, sic inde transeat exauditus, ut tu ei sis hic et in futuro placatus. Et respexit beatus Erasmus in coelum vidilque coronam inenarrabilem et occursum sibi de choro apostolorum et prophetarum et inclinavit caput. suuin. et dixit: domine, suscipe animiun servi tui, et completa oratone sanclum reddidit spiritum et visa est anima ejus candida, tamquam nix, quando ab angelis deducebatur cum gloria magna, et. cum illis coelum penetrabat tertio nonas Junias regnante domino nostro Jesu Christo.
The Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) companion
Continue through all 240 chapters, one saint a day
Chosen Portion serves the Golden Legend as a daily portion on iOS, free, alongside the full Sub Rosa archive
The Legenda Aurea was organized for day-by-day use across the liturgical year, and Chosen Portion restores that original one-feast-per-day reading rhythm
- A complete saint's life or feast reading most days in 5-10 minutes
- 240 chapters - enough daily readings to cover a full liturgical year and beyond
- Daily reminders so the plan survives busy weeks