Thus, this good father and his dear children took an honorable departure from this world together on the same day, and are awaiting now the blessed hope and the revelation of the great God, and their Savior, Jesus Christ, for whose honor and glory they suffered these things. _Abr. Mell., 1st book, fol. 68, col. 4, and fol. 69, col. 1, 2, from Euseb., lib. 6, cap. 29. Epiphan. lib. de Mens. and Pond. Hieron. Catal. in Origene. Chrysost. Eunt. Gent. and Homil. 9 ad Ephes. Suidas in Babyla. acta ex Patribus Collecta. Suid. in Hist. sub. nom. Babylæ._
NOTE.--P. J. Twisck, who begins this persecution by Decius, with the year 251, fixes the death of this man, Babylas, in the second year of his reign, namely, A. D. 252. _Chron. 3d book, p. 70, col. 1, from Hist. Andr., fol. 21._ But Abr. Mellinus, who begins the persecution with the year 253, fixes his death in A. D. 254 (although the printer has erroneously made it A. D. 264; for Decius reigned only two years), and this is consequently the second year of Decius. We have followed the latter author.
PIONIUS, BISHOP OF THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA, NAILED TO A PIECE OF WOOD AND BURNED ALIVE, IN THE CITY OF SMYRNA, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, A. D. 254.
Mention is made in this time of a certain pious Christian, called Pionius, a man greatly noted on account of his remarkable virtue, who always stood fearlessly before the Judges, and, as Eusebius declares, steadfastly replied to all their questions, yea, taught and disputed in the court, so that those who wavered on account of the persecution, were thereby strengthened and encouraged. While in prison, he strengthened the brethren, and encouraged them, to fight steadfastly even unto the end, in the faith, for the Lord, in which he preceded them as a good leader. For, according to the testimony of Eusebius, he was finally nailed on a piece of wood, and cast into a flaming fire, and thus died a blessed death. _Euseb., lib. 4, cap. 15_, taken from the letter of those of Smyrna, concerning the death of Polycarp and some of the martyrs who followed him.
FURTHER PARTICULARS CONCERNING THE DEATH OF PIONIUS, ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNTS GIVEN BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS.
We shall endeavor to be as brief as possible, and, instead of relating all that pertains to this, present only the last acts of his death.
When the Governor, after much had been said on both sides, said to Pionius: “Why dost thou make such great haste to meet death?” Pionius answered: “I do not make haste to meet _death_, but _life_.” Then said the Governor: “Thou dost not act wisely thus to hasten to meet death. Thou art like those who, despising death, for the sake of a little gain offer themselves to fight with the beasts. But since thou despisest death so much, thou shalt be burned alive.”
This sentence of death was read to him from a tablet inscribed with Roman letters: “We have sentenced Pionius to be burned alive, because he has confessed that he is a Christian.”
Having thus been sentenced, Pionius was brought to the place where he was to be burned. There he divested himself of his clothes, and, having looked at his naked body, he cast up his eyes to heaven, praising and thanking God for having kept him to this hour free and unspotted from the idols.
With this, he voluntarily went and lay down on the fire-wood, stretched himself over it, and delivered himself to the soldiers, to be nailed to the wood.
When he was fastened to the wood, the servant said to him: “Be converted and alter your views; and we shall remove the nails.” Pionius answered: “I feel that they are in already.” And reflecting a little, he said to God: “Therefore, O Lord, do I hasten to death, that I may rise the sooner (or the more glorious).”