y eucharist. They were remarkable for
their assiduity in praying and fasting. See their acts by Ammonius, an
eye-witness, published by F. Combefis; also Bulteau, Hist. Mon.
d'Orient, l. 2, c. 1, p. 209.

Also, many holy anchorets on mount Sinai, whose lives were faithful
copies of Christian perfection, and who met on Sundays to receive the
holy eucharist, were martyred by a band of Saracens in the fifth
century. A boy of fourteen years of age led among them an ascetic life
of great perfection. The Saracens threatened to kill him, if he did not
discover where the ancient monks had concealed themselves. He answered,
that death did not terrify him, and that he could not ransom his life by
a sin in betraying his fathers. They bade him put off his clothes:
"After you have killed me," said the modest youth, "take my clothes and
welcome: but as I never saw my body naked, have so much compassion and
regard for my shamefacedness, as to let me die covered." The barbarians,
enraged at this answer, fell on him with all their weapons at once, and
the pious youth died by as many martyrdoms as he had executioners. St.
Nilus, who had been formerly governor {150} of Constantinople, has left
us an account of this massacre in seven narratives: at that time he led
an eremitical life in those deserts, and had placed his son Theodulus in
this holy company. He was carried away captive, but redeemed after many
dangers. See S. Nili, Septem Narrationes; also, Bulteau, Hist. Mon.
d'Orient, l. 2, c. 2, p. 220.

S. BARBASCEMINUS,

AND SIXTEEN OF HIS CLERGY, MM.

HE succeeded his brother St. Sadoth in the metropolitical see of
Seleucia and Ctesiphon, in 342, which he held six years. Being accused
as an enemy to the Persian religion, and as one who spoke against the
Persian divinities, _Fire_ and _Water_, he was apprehended, with sixteen
of his clergy, by the orders of king Sapor II. The king seeing his
threats lost upon him, confined him almost a year in a loathsome
dungeon, in which he was often tormented by the Magians with scourges,
clubs, and tortures, besides the continual annoyance of stench, filth,
hunger, and thirst. After eleven months the prisoners were again brought
before the king. Their bodies were disfigured by their torments, and
their faces discolored by a blackish hue which they had contracted.
Sapor held out to the bishop a golden cup as a present, in which were a
thousand sineas of gold, a coin still in use among the Persians.