Alexander of Jerusalem, after Many Torments

247

Alexander of Jerusalem, who was a bishop of the church of Christ in that place, had to suffer much for the Christian truth. Eusebius Pamphilius of Cesarea writes that for confessing Christ he was brought before the judge, bound with chains, and cast into prison. And he also writes that when they had, time and again, dragged this venerable old man from the prison to the tribunal, and from the tribunal back to his chains, he continually, in his suffering and pain, thanked God, and finally, through unspeakable torments, offered up his spirit. Histor. Eccles., book 6, chapter 29. [n189-1]

P. J. Twisck places this occurrence in the year 247, and adds these words: "About this time there were many martyrs in Alexandria, Judea, at Cesarea, Antioch, and elsewhere, who testified to the Christian faith with their blood and death." Third book, page 66, column 1, from Euseb. Also, Hist. Adri., folio 32, Jan. Cresp., folio 48.

NOTE. Although it is stated that the aforementioned Alexander was put to death after the seven years' reign of Philippus, by the Emperor Decius, in the year 247, we have nevertheless included him in the sixth persecution, since he, as it appears, was apprehended long before the beginning of the seventh general persecution, which did not begin until the year 251, and was in full force in 253.