The Martyrdom of Justin and His Companions

1In the time of the lawless champions of idol-worship, impious decrees against the worshipping Christians were posted in every city and countryside, so that they were forced to offer sacrifice to the vain idols. So the holy men were arrested and brought before the prefect of Rome, named Rusticus. When they had been brought before the tribunal, Rusticus the prefect said to Justin: "First obey the gods, and submit to the emperors." Justin said: "To obey what has been commanded by our Savior Jesus Christ is blameless and beyond reproach." Rusticus the prefect said: "What teachings do you follow?" Justin said: "I tried to learn all teachings, but I have committed myself to the true teachings, those of the Christians, even if they do not please those of false opinion." Rusticus the prefect said: "Those teachings please you, you wretch?" Justin said: "Yes, because I follow them with right teaching." Rusticus the prefect said: "What is this teaching?" Justin said: "It is that we worship the God of the Christians, whom we hold to be the one maker and creator of all creation from the beginning, visible and invisible; and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Child of God, who was proclaimed beforehand by the prophets as the one who was to come to the human race as a herald of salvation and a teacher of noble disciples. And I, being a mere man, consider that I say little in comparison with his infinite divinity, and I confess a certain prophetic power, since it was proclaimed beforehand about this one, whom I have just said is the Son of God. For I know that from of old the prophets foretold his coming among human beings."

2The prefect Rusticus said, "Where do you gather?" Justin said, "Where each person has the choice and the ability. Do you really think we all gather in the same place? Not so, because the God of the Christians is not circumscribed by a place, but, being invisible, fills heaven and earth, and everywhere is worshipped and glorified by the faithful." The prefect Rusticus said, "Tell me where you gather, or in what place you assemble your disciples." Justin said, "I myself stay above a certain bath of Martinus son of Timiotinus, and have done so for all this time—this is my second sojourn in the city of the Romans—and I know no other meeting place than his. And if anyone wished to come to me, I shared with him the words of the truth." Rusticus said, "So then, you are a Christian?" Justin said, "Yes, I am a Christian."

3The prefect Rusticus said to Chariton, "Tell me further, Chariton: are you also a Christian?" Chariton said, "I am a Christian by God's command." The prefect Rusticus said to Charito, "What do you say, Charito?" Charito said, "I am a Christian by the gift of God." Rusticus said to Euelpistus, "And who are you?" Euelpistus, a slave of Caesar, answered, "I too am a Christian, having been set free by Christ, and I share in the same hope by the grace of Christ." The prefect Rusticus said to Hierax, "Are you also a Christian?" Hierax said, "Yes, I am a Christian, for I worship and adore the same God." The prefect Rusticus said, "Did Justin make you Christians?" Hierax said, "I was a Christian, and I will be." Paeon, standing by, said, "I too am a Christian." The prefect Rusticus said, "Who taught you?" Paeon said, "We received this good confession from our parents." Euelpistus said, "I listened gladly to Justin's words, but I too received being a Christian from my parents." The prefect Rusticus said, "Where are your parents?" Euelpistus said, "In Cappadocia." Rusticus said to Hierax, "Where are your parents?" He answered, "Our true father is Christ, and our mother is faith in him. My earthly parents have died. As for me, I was torn away from Iconium in Phrygia and came here." The prefect Rusticus said to Liberianus, "What do you say? Are you a Christian? Do you not worship?" Liberianus said, "I too am a Christian, for I worship and adore the only true God."

4The prefect said to Justin, "Hear me, you who are called learned and think you know true arguments: if you are scourged and beheaded, are you persuaded that you are about to go up into heaven?" Justin said, "I hope to have his teachings there, if I endure these things. For I know that the divine gift remains with all who have lived this way until the completion of the whole world." The prefect Rusticus said, "So you suppose that you will go up into the heavens and receive some rewards?" Justin said, "I do not suppose it; I know it and have been fully assured." The prefect Rusticus said, "Let us now come to the matter at hand, which is pressing. Come together with one accord and sacrifice to the gods." Justin said, "No one of sound mind falls from worship into impiety." The prefect Rusticus said, "If you do not obey, you will be punished without mercy." Justin said, "It is our prayer that, having been punished for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, we may be saved; for this will be our salvation and boldness before the more fearful and universal tribunal of our Master and Savior." In the same way the remaining martyrs said, "Do what you wish. We are Christians, and we do not sacrifice to idols."

5The prefect Rusticus pronounced sentence: "Those who have refused to sacrifice to the gods and to yield to the emperor's command are to be scourged and led away to pay the capital penalty according to the sequence of the laws."

The holy martyrs glorified God, went out to the customary place, and were beheaded, and so they completed their martyrdom in the confession of the Savior.

Some of the faithful secretly took their bodies and laid them in a suitable place, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ working together with them. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.