Thread by @DouayRheims1

ST MARCELLUS THE CENTURION, MARTYR - 30th OCTOBER

~thread~
1. The birthday of the emperor Maximian Herculeus was celebrated in the year 298, with extraordinary feasting and solemnity. Pompous sacrifices to the Roman gods
made a considerable part
#StMarcellus #Oct30 #Christian

2. of this solemnity.

Marcellus, a Christian centurion or captain of the legion of Trajan, then posted in Spain, not to defile himself with taking part in those impious abominations, cast away his military belt at the head of his company, declaring aloud that he was
#Jesus

3. a soldier of Jesus Christ, the eternal King. The soldiers informed Anastasius Fortunatus, prefect of the legion, by whose order Marcellus was committed to prison.

When the festival was over, this judge ordered Marcellus to be brought before him, and asked him what he meant

4. by his late proceedings. Marcellus said, "When you celebrated the emperor’s festival on the 12th before the calends of August,(the day on which Maximian had been declared Caesar,) I said aloud that I was a Christian, and could serve no other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God."

5. Marcellus was sent under a strong guard to Aurelian Agricolaus, vicar to the prefect of the praetorium, who was then at Tangier, in Africa.

Agricolaus asked him whether he had really done as the judge’s letter set forth: and upon his confessing the fact, the vicar passed

6. the sentence of death upon him for desertion and impiety, as he called his action.

St Marcellus was forthwith led to execution and beheaded, on the 30th of October. His relics were afterwards translated from Tangier to Leon in Spain, and are kept in the parish church.

7. (Excerpts from Fr Butler's "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints")