Today October 22

Today is the feast of St. Philip of Heraclea (died 304). He and several of his companions were martyred during the reign of Diocletian.

The emperor's first edicts against Christianity caused some to tell Philip to run away, but he refused to leave his cathedral (he was bishop there.) The Roman authorities came and locked up the church. Philip said to them, "Do you imagine that God dwells within walls, and not rather in the hearts of men?" and simply held Mass outside. When the Romans came to take the gold and precious chalices, Philip said, "It is not by precious metal but by charity that God is honored" and gave them up. But when the Romans came for the books, he refused, saying, "The sacred books it becomes neither you to demand nor me to surrender." So he was dragged off in chains. He was scourged and then brought back to the marketplace to watch the huge book-burning of all the Bibles and sacred texts. Philip, meanwhile, assured all the people present of the justice of God and reminded the pagans that even their own temples had once been burned.

Next he was ordered by the governor Bassus to sacrifice to the emperor (on an altar that had been prepared there at the market). Philip refused and Bassus ordered him to a prison near the theater. There was a secret door to the prison from the public theater, and thus many of Philip's Christian subjects came to see him.

Then Justin succeeded Bassus, which was unfortunate, since Bassus had been a man who could listen to reason. Justin ordered Philip to sacrifice to the gods, the emperor and the fortune of the city, as the law (technically) required. Philip replied, "I am a Christian, and cannot do what you require. You can punish our refusal, but you cannot force our compliance." And so, this violent man, Justin, had the old man Philip tied by his feet and dragged through the streets of Heraclea. He was thrown back in prison for 7 months and then remanded to Adrianople, where he and his companions were burned at the stake. (Well, not really at a stake. They were buried in earth to their knees, with their hands tied behind them. Then wood was piled around them and set alight.) They (Philip, his priest Severus and his deacon Hermes) died singing a psalm of thanksgiving to God. St. Philip, pray for us.