Decius and the Sufferings of Origen

Philip reigned seven years and was succeeded by Decius. Out of hatred for Philip, Decius raised a persecution against the churches. In it Fabian was made perfect by martyrdom at Rome, and Cornelius succeeded to the office of bishop. [a] In Palestine, Alexander, bishop of the church of Jerusalem, again stood before the governor’s courts at Caesarea for Christ’s sake. He distinguished himself in a second confession and came to know prison, crowned with a ripe old age and reverend gray hair. After his splendid and conspicuous witness before the governor’s courts, he fell asleep in prison, and Mazabanes was declared his successor in the office of bishop at Jerusalem. [c] In the same way as Alexander, Babylas at Antioch departed this life in prison after his confession, and Fabius came to preside over the church there. [e]

What things befell Origen in the persecution, and how many; what end they came to; how the evil demon drew up his whole army against the man in rivalry, used every device and force against him, and attacked him above all the others who were fought against at that time; what things the man endured for the word of Christ, and how many, chains and tortures of the body and punishments in irons and in the depths of the prison; how for many days, with his feet stretched four holes apart in the stocks, he bore bravely the threats of fire and everything else his enemies brought on him; how his case ended, with the judge striving with all his strength and determination not to put him to death by any means; and what sayings he left after all this, full of help for those who need to be lifted up again: all this a great many of the man’s letters contain, truthfully and in exact detail. [f]