Dionysius, Bishop of the Church at Alexandria

260

After various letters of Dionysius, bishop at Alexandria (recorded by Abraham Mellinus from Eusebius), about the persecution he suffered, there follows one that Dionysius wrote to Domitius and Didymus, about the oppression of the Christians under Valerian, and about how he himself was oppressed at that time. Among other statements, it contains these words: "It is not necessary to mention all the names of the Christian martyrs, because their number is very great, and you do not know them; but know this much about the persecution in general, that countless men and women, old and young people, old women and young girls, of every state and condition, were, some scourged, some burned, some beheaded, or made martyrs in some other way; and still the proconsul continues in his cruelty, putting to death those who are made known to him, having some torn apart by various torments, holding others in chains and close confinement, and letting them perish through hunger and thirst, forbidding everyone to come to them, and indeed closely watching those who so much as try to get near them.

"Nevertheless, the Lord has so strengthened the hearts of the brothers that, for the name of Christ, they have constantly visited these oppressed prisoners, even though it was forbidden under penalty of death. And although this persecution has lasted a long time, there have still been some whom God did not consider worthy to take to Himself as martyrs. Among these, says Dionysius, I myself still remain, until the Lord disposes of me otherwise; for He doubtless preserves me for some other time, which seems to Him more suitable. At present I, together with Gaius and Peter, am separated from all the rest of the brothers, confined in a desert place of Lybia, three days' journey from Paraetonium." Compare A. Mell., 1st book, folio 79, column 2, from Eusebius, book 7. [n211-1]

We chose this letter of Dionysius out of all the rest, because it states, on the one hand, the severity of this persecution in general, and on the other hand, the oppression which this friend of God suffered himself; for after much wandering he was separated, together with his two dear friends, Gaius and Peter, from all the rest of his brothers, and confined in a desert place of Lybia, there expecting death for the name of the Lord.

Of Dionysius, P. J. Twisck states that he, as well as Tertullian, held a figurative or spiritual view of the Lord's Supper, that is, that the words of Christ

"This is my body," mean: "This is a figure of my body." Second book, for the year 200, page 53, column 1, concerning Tertullian.

The same author, speaking of Origen, says among other things about Dionysius that after Origen and Heracles he presided over the schools of the catechumens (that is, those who were instructed in the Christian doctrine before baptism) at Alexandria. Third book, for the year 231, page 61, column 1.

In another place the author already mentioned states that Dionysius, whom he calls a catechetical preacher, accompanied Pancratius when the latter was baptized at Mount Celinus. In the same book, for the year 253, page 71, column 1, from Wicelius, in Chorosanctorum. Grond. Bew., letter B., Leonhard, book 1. [n211-2]

In the second book, 13th chapter, D. Vicecomes cites Dionysius (from Eusebius) as saying: "Many heathen took at their baptism the name of the apostle John, out of special love and admiration for him, and also because of the zeal that moved them to follow him, and because they wanted to be loved by the Lord, as he was. For the same reason the names of Peter and Paul became common among the believing children of God.

"All these," says the writer who has recorded this, "are beautiful reminders, which were given to the catechumens before and after baptism; and these certainly cannot apply to infants." Baptism. Hist., printed at Dortmund, in the year 1646, and 1647, 2nd part, concerning the third century, page 320.