De sancto Firmino episcopo et martire
The Early Calling of Firmin
Firmin is born into a noble family and dedicated to the service of God from his youth.
During the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, in the Iberian city of Pamplona, the highest-ranking senator—Firmus by name and deed—entrusted his son, also named Firmin, to an honorable priest. to be instructed in divine letters. By the age of seventeen, this blessed Firmin was already excelling in holiness and learning. He was preaching for Honestus at Sellae when Honestus sent him to Honoratus, the bishop of Toulouse, to be ordained as a bishop and preach Christ Jesus to all nations.
A Life of Apostolic Mission
Firmin travels through Gaul, preaching, baptizing, and enduring persecution for the sake of Christ.
Once this was done, Bishop Firmin returned to his teacher Honestus. At the age of thirty-one, he left everything behind and, hurrying toward Gaul, came to the town of Andegavis, where he spent a year and three months converting many through his preaching, and then set out for Beauvais to fight for the faith of the Savior against the governor Valerius. Because of this, he was whipped many times until he was nearly dead, and was then locked in prison by Sergius, the successor of Valerius. But then, having been released by the people, he preached there, and after baptizing everyone and building churches, he set out for Amiens, where he baptized three thousand people in forty days. Hearing of this, the governors Longulus and Sebastianus came from the city of Trier to the city of Amiens, and by their order, with everyone gathered, the holy Firmin was gravely accused before them. While he was most firmly confessing Christ as Lord, the governor, fearing a riot by the people, ordered the blessed man to be beheaded in prison.
The Martyr's Rest
Following his execution, Firmin is laid to rest by a faithful senator, and his memory is honored by the Church.
However, the senator Faustinianus, who had received him and had called his household to the grace of baptism with him, took his body by night and buried it in his own cemetery. The wicked governor Sebastianus was killed shortly after by the citizens of Beauvais. The passion of this glorious saint is celebrated on the seventh day before the Kalends. October.
Read the original Latin
Fnit tempore Dyocletiani et Maximiani in urbe Yberiensi, quae alio nomine vocatur Pampilonia, senator in ordine primus, nomine et opere Firmus, qui filium summ nomine Firminum honesto presbitero tradidit. divinis litteris imbuendum. Qui Firminus beatus annorum decem et septem in sanctitate et doctrina proficiens ac pro Honesto jam Sellae praedicans ab ipso ad Honoratum episcopum Tolosanum missus est, ut ab eo ordinatus episcopus Christum Jesum omnibus gentibus praedicaret. Quo facto Firminus episcopus rediens ad Honestuin magistrum suum anno aetatis suae XXXI relictis omnibus ad Gallias properans Andegavis villam venit ibique anno et inensibus tribus multos praedicando convertit et Bellnacum contra Valerium praesidem pugnaturus pro fide salvatoris perrexit. Unde multoties flagellatus usque ad mortem Sergii successoris Valerii in carcere clausus fuit. Sed tunc a populo solutus ibidem praedicavit et baptisatis omnibus ecclesiisque constrnctis inde Ambianis perrexit et in XL diebus tria millia hominum baptizavit, Haec audientes Longulus et Sebastianus praesides ab urbe Trevirensi ad Ambianensem veniunt urbem et jussu eoruin convenientibus cunctis sanctum Firminum coram se graviter accusatum, dum firinissime confiteretur Christum dominum, timens praeses seditionem populi beatum jussit in carcere decollari. Faustinianus autem senator, qui enm receperat, domumque ejus cum eo ad gratiam baptismi advocaverat, corpus ejus nocte rapiens in suo cimiterio sepelivit, nequam vero praeses Sebastiamus post modicum a civibus Belluacensibus occisus est, Hwjus gloriosi sancti passio celebratnr septimo cal. Gclobres,
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