SS. DIONYSIA AND DATIVA 233 "Dionysia was the mother of many cbildren, whom she tenderly loved, but she loved the Lord better." With Mer- cuRiA and Antha, she was pnt to death without torture. (/S^^e Ammonaria.) JB.Jlf., Dec. 12. AAJSS,, Feb. 22. Crake, HUt. of the Church. He quotes the letter of St. Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, in which he describes the seventh perse- cution. St. Dionysia (3), May 15, M. with others at !Porto Eomano. G. H. in AA.SS. St Dionysia (4), or Denise, May 15, V. M. 3rd century, about 249, ac- cording to Neale, who places the martyr- dom at Troas instead of Lampsacus. SS. Dionysia, Peter, Andrew, and Paul are commonly called the Martyrs of Lampsacus. During the persecution, under Decius, a young Christian, named Peter, was arrested as a Christian and brought before Optimns, the proconsul, at Lam- psacus, a town on the Hellespont, not far from the Island of Chio, where St. Isidore had lately glorified Gk)d by his martyr- dom. On his persistent refusal to sacri- fice to Venus, Peter was beheaded. Immediately afterwards, as Optimus was leaving Lampsacus to go to Troas, a town of Phrygia, three other Christians were brought to him amid the cries and hootings of the mob. They were Andrew, Paul, and Nicomachus. He asked them who they were, and of what religion. Nicomachus eagerly proclaimed himself a Christian, and was at once put on the rack, but soon found himself unable to endure the tortures to which he was subjected, and cried out, " I never was a Christian. I will sacrifice to the gods." The proconsul ordered him to be taken down instantly, but the apostate had no sooner burnt incense before the idol than he was seized by the devil, and threw himself on the ground in convulsions, foaming at the mouth and biting his tongue, and in a few minutes he died. A girl of sixteen, called Dionysia, seeing this frightful occurrence, ex- claimed, *^ Alas, wretch ! to save thyself an hour's suffering thou art gone to eternal torments ! " Optimus inquired whether she was a Christian, and told her that the great goddesses Venus and Diana had taken Nicomachus away lest the Christians should taunt him with his renunciation of their superstitions, and had given him rest as soon as he had sacrificed to them, adding that unless she followed his ex- ample, by sacrificing at once to the gods, she should be degraded and burnt alive. Dionysia answered, " My God is greater than you, and can defend me." Andrew and Paul were then put in prison, and Dionysia was given to two young men, who took her to their lodgings and tried to ill use her. She wearied them with her resistance, until an angel came to her rescue, and appeared to her tor- mentors in the form of a young man of gigantic stature, whose presence lighted up the whole house. Next day Andrew and Paul were tied by the feet and dragged out of the city to be stoned. Dionysia escaped from her guards, and followed the two martyrs, begging to be stoned with them that she might share their eternal glory. Her words being repeated to Optimus, he ordered her to be taken to another place and beheaded. Baillet says their Acts are authentic, and taken from the records of the public courts of law of the place of their martyrdom. AA.SS. BoUandi, Butler, May 15. Euinart. Neale. SS. Dionysia (5) and Dativa, Dec. (). MM. + 484. Two ladies of rank, sisters, who, in the persecution of the African Catholic Christians, by the Vandals, under Hunnericus, the Arian king, suffered grievous torments, and were numbered among the confessors. St. Dionysia had a boy, St. Majoricus, who trembled at the torments inflicted and threatened, but was so encouraged by the words and looks of his mother, that he became more courageous than the rest, and died praying. His mother buried him in her own house, and prayed at his sepulchre daily. St. ^milius, a physician, cousin of SS. Dativa and Dionysia, also SS. Leontia, Victoria (19), Tertiosa, and others were tortured at the same time. When Dionysia was going to be scourged, she said she was willing to suffer all their tortures, but begged that they would leave her one
