Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr

Fabian Fabien Pope who had the remains of Pontian transported to Rome. was the first pope elected as a simple layman, only to be raised to the summit of the sacred hierarchy. He justified this miraculous choice with his entire life. He assigned a deacon t o each of the s Rome chrétienne Birthplace of Maximian. even regions of Christian Rome, and also placed a subdeacon there to direct the notaries charged with collecting the Acts of the Martyrs in their entirety. By his orders, numerous constructions were carried out in the cemeteries and the galleries of the catacombs.

The end of the pontificate of Saint Fabian corresponded to the reign of Emperor Ph l'empereur Philippe Roman emperor who maintained a correspondence with Origen. ilip, who was a Christian, as was the Empress Severa, his wife. But the Caesar was afraid to act as a Christian. God did not want a murderer to be the first to raise the peaceful banner of the cross over the world. Upon arriving at the throne, Philip had put to death the son of his former master; this is why, on the eve of Easter, when he presented himself at the church of An tioch, the pa saint Babylas Patriarch of Antioch who refused the emperor Philip entry into the church. triarch Saint Babylas refused to open the doors to him. The emperor submitted. Yet he only rendered services to the Church in the sense that he did not persecute it, and even, during the celebration of the first Roman millennium, he permitted neither gladiator combats nor circus massacres; the Christian spirit had visibly inspired the emperor.

Saint Fabian took advantage of the peace that reigned then to spread the light of the Gospel more and more. Allied by his birth to the imperial family of the Gordians and to almost all those of the ancient patriciate of Rome, he must have extended the conquests of the faith into the highest ranks of society, where one saw, at the end of the third century, such a great number of illustrious Christians. The churches, ruined during the previous persecutions, were repaired and adorned with as much decency as possible.

Finally , De Dèce Roman emperor responsible for the persecution of Christians in 250. cius having usurped the empire, and desiring to lay his hands on the treasures which he was led to believe had been left by his predecessor to the Church, renewed the persecutions that had ceased and watered the earth with the blood of t he faithful. saint Cyprien Bishop of Carthage cited as an example for his refusal to appoint his priests. Then, says Saint Cyprian, began an endless series of tortures at the hands of the executioners. The persecutions no longer had as their sole end condemnation, and as their supreme consolation death. Cruelty was graduated by a series of refinements, so that the victim would survive the torments. They did not want to grant them the crown too soon. They wore them out in the hope of breaking their courage, and if it happened, thanks to the mercy of God, that they died before the expected time, the executioners felt cheated. Such was the seventh general persecution. Its first victim was Pope Saint Fabian, who had his head severed on January 20, 250.

This martyrdom, which brilliantly reopened the era of bloody struggles, had a great impact on Christendom. The clergy of Rome informed the other churches of it; the fact is certain; we even know one of the messengers. The subdeacon Crementius was sent to Carthage with an authentic letter from the Roman priests and deacons, in which the glorious death of the pontiff was, for general edification, recounted in all its details; — alas, we no longer have this account, but an epistle of Saint Cyprian attest s to it. Whil saint Cyprien Bishop of Carthage cited as an example for his refusal to appoint his priests. e the great and painful news spread throughout the world, the body of Fabian was lowered into the crypt of his predecessors; — that of Saint Callixtus.

He is given as an attribute the sword, the instrument of his martyrdom, and the dove which designated him for the choice of the Christian people.

## WAS SAINT FABIAN A MARTYR? — HIS WRITINGS.

We still possess in Rome the marble slab that enclosed the precious remains at that time, and in its laconicism it offers us more than one lesson. It seems, in fact, evident that the title of martyr was not inscribed on the epitaph at the same time as the name of the pontiff.

But the martyrdom of Fabian is supported by indisputable authorities, and no doubt as to its authenticity is possible. Why, then, from the beginning, was Fabian not called a martyr on his sepulchral stone, and when was this denomination added?

Here is the explanation given by Mr. Rossi in *Rom M. Rossi Christian archaeologist whose work brought to light the contributions of Damasus in the catacombs. a Sotterranea*:

"The solemn title of martyr, to which an honorific cult was attached, was not given at the whim of the faithful or those who drafted funerary inscriptions. We know of the event, seemingly unimportant, which was in Carthage like the first spark of the Donatist schism: a Christian lady, named Lucilla, was reprimanded by the archdeacon Caecilianus and gravely consecrated by the bishop because, upon receiving communion, she kissed the relics of I know not what man, perhaps a martyr, but in any case not yet admitted as such!"

Martyrdom itself was therefore not enough to receive the honors of it; it was also necessary that an act of ecclesiastical authority had recognized and legitimized the title. Now, the pontifical see was vacant for ten months after the death of Fabian and many affairs were postponed to be settled after the accession of his successor. Might this not have been the case for the last and solemn honor rendered to his memory, and would this not be the explanation for the delay in the affixing of his most glorious title to his epitaph? If this induction is true, is this short inscription in several fragments the most ancient and important monument that has come down to us of the *vindication* or canonization of martyrs?

The author o f the Liber Pont Livre pontifical Primary historical source cited for this biography. ificalis devotes only a few lines to Saint Fabian; but he records an indication that obviously had considerable importance in his time. Fabian, says the chronicler, had numerous constructions made in the cemeteries. The pontificate of this great architect of early Christian Rome had lasted fourteen years, ten months, and eleven days.

He performed ordinations five times in the month of December, and ordained twenty-two priests, seven deacons, and eleven bishops for various dioceses.

We read in the first volume of the great collection of Councils some epistles under his name, full of very grave words and beautiful sentences; but it is not certain that he is the author of the first, because it mentions the heretic Novatian, who only appeared after the death of this most holy Pope. He made several decrees, one of which states that the holy chrism shall be consecrated every year on Holy Thursday, and that what remains from the previous year shall be burned and consumed. He forbade secular judges from interfering in ecclesiastical causes, and he prohibited marriage between persons related by affinity up to the fifth degree; nevertheless, he did not intend for marriages in the fourth degree, once made and consummated, to be broken. He ordered that the faithful receive communion at least on the three main feasts of the year, and made several other similar ordinances, which are found in the book of Councils and in the Decretum.

The Church has always solemnized the feast of Saint Fabian with that of Saint Sebastian, as it appears from the time of Saint Gregory. His office was formerly only semi-double; but Pope Pius V, in the reformation of the breviary in 1550, ordered it to be double, as it is celebrated. We no longer have the acts of the martyrdom of Saint Fabian.

Relics of the Saint are preserved at the Carmel and the Hôtel- Dieu o Amiens Episcopal see of Geoffrey. f Amiens.