Chapter 11. Conversion of Maximus, Notary of Almachius

As soon as the sentence was pronounced, Valerian and Tiburtius were hurried forth to the place of execution, without being allowed a moment's time to bid farewell to her, who was the cherished bride of the one and the beloved sister of the other. Cecilia had not been present at the trial of the two confessors, but her ardent prayers had assisted them when before the judges, where they had proved themselves worthy of her and of their baptism. God, however, whose holy will it was that she should survive them, was preparing for her at this very moment a consoling interview with her friends. Maximus, the notary of buried them having thus less risk to run. We have already remarked this with regard to Pope St. Callistus. We designate the Pagus Triopius as the theatre of the martyrdom of Valerian and Tiburtius, because this Pagus, although described on one of its inscriptions as situated at the third mile-stone, in reality did but commence there, and extended to the fourth mile-stone.

• Tunc Assessor Praefecti Tarquinius clam dixit Praefecto : invenisti occasionem, tolle eos, nam si mo ram feceris, et de die in diem protraxeris, omnes facilitates suas pauperisms erogabunt, et, punitis eis, tu nihil invenies. Acta *S. Ccccilicc.

Almachius, was chosen to accompany the martyrs to their place of execution. It was his duty to render an account to the prefect of the issue of this terrible drama. His orders were to release Valerian and Tiburtius if they sacrificed to the gods ; or to record their execution if they persisted in the profession of Christianity. At the sight of these two patricians, walking so cheerfully to execution, and conversing together with tenderness and tranquil joy, Maximus could not restrain his tears, and turning towards them, he exclaimed : " O, noble and brilliant flowers of the Eoman youth ! 0, brothers, united by such tender love ! You persist in despising the gods, and at the very moment when you lose every thing, you hasten to death as to a banquet."* Tiburtius replied : " If we were not certain that the life which succeeds this will last forever, do you think we would be so joyful at this hour ?" " And what is that other life ?" asked Maximus. " As the body is clothed with garments," replied Tiburtius, " so is the soul clothed with the body ; and as the body is stripped of its garments, so will the soul be divested of the body. The body, which is formed of the earth, will return to the earth ; it will be reduced to dust, to rise again like the phoenix, f As to the soul, if

• O Juventutis fios purpureus, o gernianus fraternitatis afcctus, quern vos impia definitione volentes aniittere, ad interitum vestrum quasi ad epulas festinatis ? Acta S. Coecilice.

f The ancients admitted the existence of this fabulous bird, and the first Christians considered it a symbol of the resurrection of the body. Tiburtius speaks here in the language of St. Clement of Rome, (Epis. ad Corinthios, i. n°25.) Tertullian, (De resurrectione carnis, cap. xii.) St. Ambrose, (Hexsemeron, lib. v. cap. xxiii.) St. Cyril of Jerusalem, (Cateches xviii., cap. xxiii.) and St. Epiphanius, (Ancorat. cap. lxxxv.)

it be pure, it will be transported to the delights of Paradise, there to await in the enjoyment of inebriating happiness, the resurrection of its body."*

This unexpected conversation made a deep impression upon Maximus ; it was the first time he had heard any thing contrary to those principles of materialism which were then so prevalent among the Pagans. He was pleased with the new light revealed to him. " If I were certain of this future life of which you speak," said he, " I feel that like you, I would despise the present life." Then Valerian filled with the holy ardor which the Holy Ghost had communicated to him, thus addressed Maximus. " Since you only require proof of the truth we have announced to you, receive the promise I now make you. At the moment when it will please our Lord to grant us the grace to shed our blood for the confession of His name, He will deign to open your eyes and permit you to see the glory into which we shall enter. The only condition to this favor is, that you repent of your past sins." " I accept," said Maximus, " and call down upon myself the thunderbolts of heaven, if from that moment I do not confess as the only true God, Him who reserves for us a life beyond the grave. Now therefore you have but to show me the vision which you have promised.f

• Sicut vestitur vestimentis corpus, ita vestitur anima corpore, et sicut spoliatur vestimentis corpus, ita spoliatur anima corpore ; corpus quidem, quod terrenum semen per libidinem dedit, terreno ventri reddetur, ut in pulverem redactum, sicut Phoenix, futuri luminis aspectu resurgat ; anima vero ad Paradisi delioiaB, si sancta sit,perferetur, ut in deliciis alHuens tenipus sua? resurrect] onis expectet. Acta S. Cwcilia'.

t Tunc Maximus devotabat so dicens : Fulmineis ignibus con-

By this reply, Maximus offered himself to be enrolled among the militia of Jesus Christ ; but the two brothers were unwilling to die before having seen him regenerated in the baptismal waters. They therefore said to him: " Persuade our executioners to conduct us to your house; they can guard us there, without losing sight of us for a moment. We ask but a day's delay. We will then send for him who will purify you, and this very night you shall see what we have promised you."

Maximus did not hesitate to comply. The present life, with its fears and hopes, was already nothing in his eyes. He led the martyrs, with their accompanying escort, to his house, where Valerian and Tiburtius at once commenced to explain to him the Christian doctrine. The notary's family and the soldiers were present; grace touched their hearts; they were convinced by the powerful words of the two apostles, and declared themselves believers in Jesus Christ. Cecilia had been informed by Valerian of all that was passing. Her fervent prayers had doubtless contributed in obtaining so great an effusion of graces ; but it was necessary to consummate the divine work in these men so rapidly converted to the faith of Christ. Cecilia prepared every thing with prudent zeal ; at nightfall, she entered the house of Maximus, accompanied by several priests.* Human language cannot describe the

Bumar, si ex hac hora non ilium solum Deum confitear, qui alteram vitam fecit isti vitae succedere ; hoc tantum vos, quod promisistis ostendite. Acta S. Ccecilice.

• Tunc sancta Caecilia venit ad eos nocte cum sacerdotibus. Ibid.

sweetness of the interview which God in His goodness had prepared for the two spouses. The prophetic roses of Valerian's crown were soon to expand in the sun of eternity ; while those which decked Cecilia's brow, were yet to exhale their perfume upon earth for a few days longer. It must have been sweet for these favored servants of God to converse together upon His holy designs in their regard, and to recall the many graces which He had bestowed upon them, from the mysterious interview in the nuptial chamber, to the present moment, when the palm of martyrdom wras already within Valerian's reach. Tiburtius, the angels7 favorite, and Cecilia's second conquest, shared, we may presume, their parting interview, and bade farewell to Cecilia with all the tenderness of his affectionate nature. But the two brothers and the virgin did not forget the abundant harvest which they had so happily met on the road to martyrdom ; it was time to gather it into the granaries of the heavenly Father. In presence of Cecilia, of her husband, and of her brother, amidst hymns of thanksgiving to God, Maximus, with his family and the soldiers, solemnly professed the Christian faith, and the priests poured upon their heads the regenerating waters of baptism. The house of Almachius7 notary had become a temple, and those who dwelt in it during these few hours stolen from heaven, seemed animated by one heart and one soul.

The rising sun ushered in the day of the martyrdom of Valerian and Tiburtius — the XVIII of the calends of May. A solemn silence succeeded to the transports which faith had awakened in every heart. It was interrupted by Cecilia, who gave the signal for departure, quoting the words of St. Paul : " arise, soldiers of Christ! cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. You have fought a good fight, you have finished your course ; you have kept the faith. For the rest there is laid up for you a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to you, and to all who love His coming.*" Animated by these words, the martyr band resumed its march. The two confessors were conducted by the new Christian, Maximus, and escorted by the soldiers whose brows were still moistened with baptismal dew. The Acts do not mention whether Cecilia followed her husband and brother to the place of their triumph. She may have returned to Rome, to await the hour when she would be reunited to these cherished souls; or she may have preferred accompanying the confessors and remaining with them until their souls had taken flight to heaven. What had Cecilia to dread upon earth ? In preservation of her virginity, she had braved the anger of a Pagan husband, and in a few days she was to defy upon his tribunal, the formidable representative of Roman power.

The martyrs, with their pious escort, wended their steps towards the Appian Way, through which they

• Igitur cum aurora noctis finem daret, facto magno silentio, sancta Caecilia dixit eis : Eia milites Christi, abjicite opera tenebrarum, et mduimini arma lucis ; certamen bonum certastis, cursum consummastis, fidem servastis ; ite ad coronam vitae, quam dabit vobis Justus judex ; nou solum autem vobis, sed et omnibus qui diligunt adventum ejus. Acta S. Ccecilice.

were obliged to pass in order to reach the Pagus Triopius. The remembrance of Peter, meeting in this same place our Saviour carrying His cross, redoubled the brothers' courage. Both to the right and to the left, stretched the vast and silent galleries of the Christian Crypts, so that the martyrs, as they passed to execution, saluted the hallowed spot where they were so soon to rest. They probably arrested their steps for a moment, to gaze thoughtfully at the mysterious valley, which contained the tombs of the Apostles, whom they were so soon to join in the kingdom of everlasting joy.

Directly opposite, was St. Urban's retreat, where they had so lately learned the secret of that glorious immortality, to gain which they were about to sacrifice without regret, the joys of this present life. Towards the summit of the last hill, they passed near the tomb of Metella ;, the name of Cecilia, which the inscription bore, reminded Valerian of that spouse whom heaven had given him, and to whom he owed much more than earthly happiness. He was only preceding her by a few days, and soon their souls would be forever united in their true country. The fury of Almachius gave them every reason to suppose that the virgin's hour was fast approaching. The martyrs finally arrived at the Pagus, which, although called hospitable upon one of the inscriptions of Anna Eegilla, had nothing to offer the Christians but the sword or apostasy. The priests of Jupiter were waiting with the incense. They commanded Tiburtius and Valerian to pay homage to the idol. The brothers refused, and, throwing themselves -upon their knees, offered their necks to the executioners * The Christian soldiers could not draw their swords upon the martyrs. Others, however, offered to supply their place, and the two noble youths received at once, death and the crown of life. At this moment, heaven was opened to the eyes of Maximus, who gazed for an instant upon the happiness of the saints. The zealous faithful secured the bodies of these two heroes of the Faith, and brought them to Cecilia. She herself buried the dear and holy remains in the cemetery of Pretextatus, near the second mile-stone. She anointed them with the richest perfumes ; raised over them the triumphal stone, engraven with the palm and crown, symbols of their glorious victory, and she accompanied this pious duty with tears of mingled hope and sorrow. Not far from their tombs, she was soon to rest her heaven-crowned brow, and twine her palm with that of her husband.