Primus and Felician, Two Brothers

Martyrs Mirror in Modern English

Fourth Century

Primus and Felician, Two Brothers

PRIMUS AND FELICIAN, TWO BROTHERS, AFTER MANY TORMENTS, THROWN BEFORE LIONS AND BEARS, TO BE TORN BY THEM, BUT FINALLY BEHEADED, AT NUMENTA, IN ITALY, IN THE YEAR 303

In the year 303 two brothers, Primus and Felician, were brought as prisoners before the criminal judge of the city of Numenta, in Italy. He first examined Felician, and asked him whether he would rather sacrifice to the gods, and live in honors, and see good days, or be tortured to death with every kind of torment.

Felician answered: "How can you speak to me of pleasant days? I am now eighty years old, and have been enlightened with the saving knowledge of Christ for about thirty years; indeed, I am still finding the greatest joy of my heart in His service. And you would persuade me to forsake my Savior, and to accept the vain lusts of this world instead of Him! Far be it from me; for I have resolved to cling to Christ, my Lord and my God, to the very last breath of my life."

Then this good old man was put in prison, and his brother Primus was brought out, and the judge tried to persuade him that Felician, his dear old brother, had apostatized. But Primus was confident that the opposite was true; and so he said that it was a lie. At this he was beaten with sticks, and burned on his loins with lamps. But he sang with the prophet David: "O Lord, You have proved us with fire, as silver is tried."

Then both were tormented, in different ways. Molten lead was poured down Primus' throat, while Felician was beaten with leaded scourges, nailed by his hands and feet to a stake, and inhumanly tortured. Both were thrown before the lions and bears; but since these would not harm them, the judge had the martyrs beheaded, and their dead bodies laid on the ground for the dogs and the birds of the air. However, they were buried by the Christians. Acta per eundem. Also, A. Mell., 1st book, folio 114, column 2.

THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION, BEGUN IN THE YEAR 304

In the third year of the persecution the hardened heart of the bloodthirsty Emperor Diocletian had still not softened, since he and his associate Maximian steadily went on putting the poor Christian believers to death, as appears from the death of the following persons.