1. occurred to Romanus on the same day at Antioch, is also worthy of record. For he was a native of Palestine, a deacon and exorcist in the parish of Cæsarea; and being present at the destruction of the churches, he beheld many men, with women and children, going up in crowds to the idols and sacrificing. But, through his great zeal for religion, he could not endure the sight, and rebuked them with a loud voice.
2. Being arrested for his
boldness, he proved a most noble witness of the truth, if there ever
was one. For when the judge informed him that he was to die by fire, he received the sentence with cheerful countenance and most ready mind, and was led away. When he was bound to the stake, and the wood piled up around him, as they were awaiting the arrival of the emperor before lighting the fire, he cried, “Where is the fire for me?”
3. Having said this, he was
summoned again before the emperor, and
subjected to the unusual torture of having his tongue cut out. But he
endured this with fortitude and showed to all by his deeds that the
Divine Power is present with those who endure any hardship whatever for
the sake of religion, lightening their sufferings and strengthening
their zeal. When he learned of this strange mode of punishment, the
noble man was not terrified, but put out his tongue readily, and
offered it with the greatest alacrity to those who cut it
off.
4. After this punishment he was
thrown into prison, and suffered there for a very long time. At last
the twentieth anniversary of the emperor being near, when, according to an established gracious custom, liberty was proclaimed everywhere to all who were in bonds, he alone had both his feet stretched over five holes in the stocks, and while he lay there was strangled, and was thus honored with martyrdom, as he desired.
5. Although he was outside of
his country, yet, as he was a native of Palestine, it is proper to
count him among the Palestinian martyrs. These things occurred in this
manner during the first year, when the persecution was directed only
against the rulers of the Church.