Martydom of St. Marian and James: Introductory article, Russian translation and commentary

• Published in: Religiâ, cerkovʹ, obŝestvo Vol. 2; pp. 208 - 239
• Main Author: Alexey Vital’evich Kargaltsev
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Theological Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (Saint-Petersburg, Russia) 01-12-2013
• Subjects: early church; martyrdom; north africa; numidia; valerian
• ISSN: 2308-0698; 2308-0698
• DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2013-00004

The publication presents a translation of the early Christian hagiographic monument «The Martyrdom of Marian and Jacob» (Passio Sanctorum Mariani et Iacobi) (BHL 131–132) with comments and an introductory article, which dealt with the main issues of authenticity, dating and specifics of the text. The translation is based on the latest edition: The Martyrdom of Marian and James // The Acts of the Christian Martyrs / Ed. by H. Musurillo. Vol. 2. Oxford, 1972. p. 194–213. The focus of the introductory article lays on the problem of the Christian perception of prophetic visions. The work of the Roman authorities during the persecutions of Valerian is analyzed. The “Martyrdom” tells of the events in Numidia in the spring of 259, the history of the arrest, the suffering and the glory of the main characters – Marian and Jacob, and contains a lot of details, revealing the behavior of the Roman authorities and Christians during the persecution. This text is the only source that tells about the death of famous bishops: Agapius and Secundin. Finally, the text in a new way reveals the specifics of dreams and visions, which are one of the most important features of African hagiography. The text, written in exquisite rhetorized language, opens with traditional for African hagiography arguments about the high position of a martyr and about those heavenly rewards that are assumed to be accepted as suffering for Christ.