“And I am a widow, named Rufina, professing the same saving faith,” continued the other.
At length, after having put similar questions, and receiving similar answers from all the others, except from one wretched man, who, to the grief of the rest, wavered and agreed to offer sacrifice, the prefect turned to Pancratius, and thus addressed him: “And now, insolent youth, who hadst the audacity to tear down the edict of the divine emperors, even for thee there shall be mercy, if yet thou wilt sacrifice to the gods. Show thus at once thy piety and thy wisdom, for thou art yet but a stripling.”
Pancratius signed himself with the sign of the saving cross, and calmly replied, “I am the servant of Christ. Him I acknowledge by my mouth, hold firm in my heart, incessantly adore. This youth which you behold in me has the wisdom of grey hairs if it worship but one God. But your gods, with those who adore them, are destined to eternal destruction.”[168]
“Strike him on the mouth for his blasphemy, and beat him with rods,” exclaimed the angry judge.
“I thank thee,” replied meekly the noble youth, “that thus I suffer some of the same punishment as was inflicted on my Lord.”[169]
The prefect then pronounced sentence in the usual form. “Lucianus, Pancratius, Rusticus, and others, and the women Secunda and Rufina, who have all owned themselves Christians, and refuse to obey the sacred emperor, or worship the gods of Rome, we order to be exposed to wild beasts, in the Flavian amphitheatre.”
The Blessed Virgin, from a portrait found in the Cemetery of St. Agnes.
The mob howled with delight and hatred, and accompanied the confessors back to their prison with this rough music; but they were gradually overawed by the dignity of their gait, and the shining calmness of their countenances. Some men asserted that they must have perfumed themselves, for they could perceive a fragrant atmosphere surrounding their persons.[170]