In the meantime these two pious heroines of Jesus Christ were martyred, that is, they died a violent death, for the name of their Savior; for which they will afterwards be crowned with the unfading wreath of immortality, as a triumph over the foes they overcame, namely, the cruelties and pains of death.
The names of their fellow-martyrs are: Revocatus, Satyrus, Saturninus, and Serundulus. It is supposed that the last-mentioned one of these died in prison from extreme hardship, but that the others were all thrown before the wild beasts, such as, bulls, lions, bears, leopards, etc., to be torn by them. Thus these exchanged their dear lives for death, for Christ’s sake. _Idem., fol. 26, col. 3, 4, ex August. in Psal. 74, and de Tempore Barbarico, cap. 5, Beda Usuard. Ado Martirol. Rom. 7. Martii._ Also, _l. Pregnatis de Pen_. Also, _in Antiquo Lectionario_. Also, _Tertull. de anima, cap. 5_. That the dead bodies of the two aforementioned women were brought to Carthage, and were buried there is testified to by _Victor Uticensis, Pers. Vandal., lib. 1_.
LEONIDES, THE FATHER OF ORIGEN, BEHEADED AT ALEXANDRIA, IN EGYPT, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, ABOUT THE YEAR 202.
Leonides, the father of Origen, was, according to the testimony of Suidas, a bishop of the church of Christ, and also became a martyr, at Alexandria in Egypt. His imprisonment, suffering, and death occurred on this wise: When from nearly all the cities and villages of Egypt and Thebes, Christian champions, that is, martyrs, were brought, to fight and suffer for the name of Jesus Christ, Leonides was also one of those who were brought prisoners to Alexandria, the capital of Egypt.
When he had been imprisoned for some time, his son Origen, then but seventeen years old, sent him a very comforting letter, in which he exhorted him to constancy, writing, among other things: “Be strong in the Lord, my father, and endure valiantly the suffering which awaits thee. Let not regard for us induce thee to do otherwise.” He means to say: O father! do not grieve too much for thy wife, our dear mother, or for us, thy seven beloved children, of whom I am the oldest; or become so wavering, that through desire to usward thou shouldest forsake thy faithful God and Savior.” This was in brief the import of the letter which Origen wrote to his father. It acted as a healing medicine in the wounds of the sorrowful mind of his father, so that he resolved to patiently suffer death for the honor of his Savior. He was finally sentenced to be beheaded, and all his property was confiscated for the treasury of the Roman Empire. This happened in the time of Emperor Severus, about the year 201. Compare _Euseb., lib. 6, cap. 2_, with _Abr. Mell., 1st book of the Hist., fol. 57, col. 1, ex Hieron. Catal. in Orig._ Also, _P. J. Twisck, Chron., 2d book, for the year 195, page 51, col. 2_. Also, _Introduction to the Martyrs Mirror, edition 1631, fol. 38, col. 2_. Also, _Joh. Gys. Hist. Mart., edition 1657, fol. 3_.
FIVE OF THE DISCIPLES OF ORIGEN, NAMELY, PLUTARCH, HERACLIDES, HERO, AND TWO OTHER MEN, BOTH CALLED SERENUS, PUT TO DEATH FOR THE FAITH, AT ALEXANDRIA IN EGYPT, ABOUT THE YEAR 203.
At this time, Origen, though but eighteen years old, was a teacher of the faith, at Alexandria, in Egypt, where he taught with such excellence, not only to begin with Christ, but also to die with him, that many of his disciples laid down their lives for the truth of Christ. Among these are mentioned by name, Plutarch, Heraclides, Hero, and two other men, both called Serenus. Their suffering and death happened in this manner: Origen, the teacher of these pious people, was in the habit of going into the prison to the martyrs who suffered for the name of Jesus Christ, to strengthen them in the faith. Yea, even when they had already received their sentence of death, and were making their last defense, he stood by them, and, at parting, gave them the kiss of peace, as a token of his sincere love.