De sancto Timotheo
The Courage of Timothy and Silvester
Timothy arrives in Rome and is welcomed by Silvester, who overcomes his fear to embrace the saint's teaching.
The feast of Saint Timothy is celebrated in Rome. He came to the city from Antioch and was welcomed into service by the priest Silvester—who later became the city's bishop—at a time when even the bishops were afraid to perform that duty. Silvester, however, was not only glad to welcome him into his home, but he also cast aside his fear and embraced both his way of life and his teaching.
The Martyrdom of the Athlete of God
Timothy is martyred for his faith and is honored by the clergy through a night of prayer and dedication.
He praised the man who, for a year and three months, taught the truth of Christ and converted many people through his ministry. Considered worthy of martyrdom by the pagan populace, he was handed over to Tarquinius, the city prefect, where he was worn down by the torture of scourging and long imprisonment. When he refused to sacrifice to idols, he was beheaded on the third day among the murderers, like a good athlete of God. Saint Silvester took him to his house by night and had Saint Melchiades the bishop come there, who spent the whole night with all the priests and deacons in praise, dedicating his martyrdom.
A Final Resting Place
A devout woman provides a tomb for Timothy near the Apostle Paul, honoring their historical connection.
A certain very Christian woman named Theone asked the aforementioned pope to let her build a tomb in her garden near the sepulcher of the Apostle Paul to receive the body of Saint Timothy. This action pleased all the Christians, so that this martyr of the same name—that is, Timothy—might be joined in burial to the Apostle Paul, since he had once been his disciple.
Read the original Latin
Sancti Timothei Romae celebratur natalis, qui ab Antiochia Romam veniens sub Melchiade papa a Silvestro presbitero, qui postea episcopus urbis effectus est, susceptus est officio, quod facere tunc temporis etiam ipsi pontifices formidabant. Silvester vero non solum hospitio eum recepisse gaudebat, sed etiam timore abjecto tam vitam quam doctrinam. ejus laudabat, qui per nnum annum et menses tres docens Christi veritatem, cum multi per eum popnli conversi fuissent, dignus martirio tentus a populo paganorum et traditus Tarquinio urbis praefecto tormentis plagarum et carceris longa custodia maceratus cum sacrificare noluisset ydolis, quasi bonus athleta Dei die tertio caesus inter homicidas decollatus est. Quem sanctus Silvester nocte ad domum suam tulit ibique sanctum Melchiadem episcopum venire fecit, qui eum omnibus presbiteris et dyaconibus per totam noctem in laudibus permanens ejus martirium dedicavit. Quaedam autem christianissima mulier, nomine Theone, in horto suo juxta sepulchrum Pauli apostoli rogavit memoratum papam, ut suo sumtu sepulchrum aedificans sancti Timothei corpus exciperet. Quod factum placuit omnibus christianis, nt hujus nominis martir, id est Timotheus, Paulo apostolo pro eo, quoniam discipulum quondam habuisset, in sepultura adhaereret.
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