Castus and Aemilius
Acta Sanctorum, May 22
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-22/castus-and-aemilius.html
----------------------------------------

ON STS. CASTUS AND AEMILIUS,

MARTYRS IN AFRICA.

ABOUT CCL.

The Acts of Martyrdom from S. Cyprian, the cult proved from the Fasti.

Castus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Aemilius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

G. H.

Saint Caecilius Cyprian, in the illustrious treatise
on the Lapsed, makes mention of these Martyrs,
when he had deplored that some from human
frailty fell from the faith on account of torments, which
here, that the lapse of these Martyrs may be excused, it
is fitting to set before. He can complain of torments,
who was overcome by torments: he can hold forth the excuse
of pain, who was conquered in pain. Such a one can ask
and say: I wished indeed to strive bravely, and
mindful of my oath, I took up the arms of devotion and faith:
but in the encounter as I fought, various torments
and long sufferings overcame me. [After the defection amid torments,] My mind stood steadfast and
my faith strong, and with the racking pains my soul long
struggled unmoved: but when, the cruelty of the most savage Judge
growing fierce again, now scourges tore my body, already wearied,
already faint, now clubs bruised it, now the rack
stretched it, now the claw dug into it, now
the flame scorched it; my flesh deserted me in the struggle,
the weakness of my bowels yielded; nor my spirit, but my body
failed in pain. Such a cause can quickly attain to pardon:
such an excuse can be pitiable. Thus, thus
the Lord at length forgave Castus and Aemilius: thus those
overcome in the first encounter He rendered victors in the second
battle, so that they became stronger than fires, [their spirits resumed, they undergo martyrdom:] who before fires
had yielded; so that whence they had been overcome, thence
they should overcome. They besought, not by the pity
of tears, but of wounds; nor with a lamentable voice only,
but with the laceration of the body and pain. There flowed for
weepings blood, and for tears gore from their half-burned
bowels flowed down. These things S. Cyprian.

[2] The natal day of these Martyrs is everywhere noted in all
the Latin Martyrologies at this XXII of May, and in the genuine
Bede these things are read on the XI Kalends of June: In Africa of Castus,
Aemilius, who by the fire of suffering consummated their martyrdom. [referred to in the sacred Fasti May 22.]
Cyprian wrote this in the book on the Lapsed.
The same or things similar to these have Rabanus, Usuard,
Ado, Notker, and other more recent ones, and very many Mss.
Martyrologies agree. In some, as also in today's Roman
Martyrology, a little more from Cyprian is described.
This man presided over the Church of Carthage from the year CCXLVIII
until the year CCLVIII, in which he himself also suffered
martyrdom: within which time these Martyrs were crowned,
perhaps in the year CCL in the great persecution of Decius, when also
Origen offered incense.
