George’s Outrages at Alexandria

After this they fastened themselves on Alexandria again, seeking once more to put us to death, and what they did now was worse than before. Suddenly the church was surrounded by soldiers, and the sounds of war took the place of prayers. Then George of Cappadocia, whom they had sent, arrived during the season of Lent and brought an increase of the evils they had taught him. For after Easter week virgins were thrown into prison, bishops were led away in chains by soldiers, the houses of orphans and widows were plundered and their loaves taken away. Houses were attacked, Christians were thrown out in the night and their homes sealed up, and the brothers of clergy were in danger of their lives because of their brothers. These outrages were dreadful enough, but more dreadful ones followed. [a]

In the week after holy Pentecost, when the people, after their fast, had gone out to the cemetery to pray because they all refused communion with George, that abandoned man learned of it. He stirred up against them the commander Sebastian, a Manichaean. Sebastian at once set out with a crowd of armed soldiers, with drawn swords, bows and spears, to attack the people, though it was the Lord’s day. He found only a few praying, for most had already gone home because of the late hour, and he committed such outrages as suited a disciple of these men. He lit a pyre, set certain virgins near the fire, and tried to force them to say that they were of the Arian faith. And when he saw that they were winning and cared nothing for the fire, he immediately stripped them naked and beat them in the face so badly that for some time they could hardly be recognized.