Martyrium Ananias apostolos
Standard abbreviation: Mart. Anan.
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 958
Category: Hagiographa
Related literature: a derivative Martyrdom of Ananias (PG 114:1001–1009; =BHG 76) by Symeon Metaphrastes, and an unpublished epitome (BHG 76a)
Compiled by Alma Gjika (York University) under the supervision of Tony Burke (York University)
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Gjika, Alma. “Martyrdom of Ananias.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/martyrdom-of-ananias.
Created January 2018. Current as of January 2024.
1. SUMMARY
Mart. Anan. is an account of the life and martyrdom of Ananias, numbered as one of the seventy disciples. He should not be confused with the husband of Sapphira, who suffered a sudden death after lying about money (Acts 5:1–11). Details about Ananias from this text are found also in the Menologion of emperor Basil and the Synaxarion of the Church of Costantinople. The Catholic Church commemorates Ananias on January 25, the same date as the conversion of Paul, while the Orthodox Church celebrates the saint on October 1.
The first part of the text (1–6) presents a brief introduction of the person of Ananias, his origins from the region of Damascus, and his activities “performing many signs and marvels among the people” taking place after the Ascension of Christ. Ananias’ role in the conversion of Paul is told from Acts 9:10–19 and 22:12–16. Paul was persecuting the disciples of Christ and was traveling to Damascus, so he could bring to Jerusalem the ones that he might encounter in the way. The narrator describes two Christophanies: one occurring to Paul telling him to enter the city and find a man named Ananias who would make him see again, and the second occurring to Ananias sending him on a mission to find Paul. Ananias’ location is not specified, though he is told that he will find Paul in the house of Simon Judas on Straight street. Ananias meets Paul, who regains his sight and is baptized.
The second part of the story (7–21) recounts the martyrdom of Ananias. A new character is introduced: the roman governor of that region of East, Lucianus (Licinius in the Roman Martyrologion). Lucianus is determined to eradicate Christianity, and after hearing of Ananias’ ministry, organizes a failed search against Christians. The governor then launches a persecution against Christians backed by a decree that orders terrible punishments for the worshipers of Christ and great rewards for the ones who would renounce their religion. Ananias is arrested and brought before Lucianus. Two dialogues takes place. In the first, Lucianus uses flattery and threats to convince Ananias to renounce his God; instead, Ananias refuses to worship “unclean demons” and mentions the healing of Paul as part of his argument for his belief. The dialogue ends with Ananias’ prayer to “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God the blessed Father.” The governor orders that he be beaten “with a whip made from the tendons of an ox.” The second dialogue takes place after the beating stops. Lucianus repeats his proposal to spare Ananias from further torments if he renounces his God, but Ananias stands by his decision to “not renounce his God or worship useless and defiled idols.” The governor then orders his sides be scraped and Ananias bears the punishment while praying to his God. The governor orders the people of the town to take Ananias outside the city and stone him.
In the conclusion, Ananias’ compatriots from the town Anani come and take his remains to be buried “in his paternal inheritance.” In this last part the author of the narrative introduces himself by his name Barsapthas (22) and reveals the role he played in writing the account and placing it near the remains of the apostle.
Named historical figures and characters: Ananias (disciple), Barsapthas, Jesus Christ, Judas (of Damascus), Lucianus, Paul (apostle).
Geographical locations: Anani, Damascus, Jerusalem, Tarsus.
2. RESOURCES
“Ananias of Damascus.” Wikipedia.
Goran, David. “Home of Ananias of Damascus. The Ancient Underground Chapel of Saint Ananias.” Vintage News. Posted October 2016.
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Greek
3.1.1.1 Recension 1 (BHG 75x)
Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Library, Special Collections Library, 36, fols. 26–29 (14th/15th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, F 144 sup. (Martini-Bassi 377), fols. 25r–25v (10th/11th cent.) ~ Pinakes; Milan
Mutilene, Monē tou Hagiou Iōannou tou Theologou Hypsēlou (Antissa), 57 (1604) ~ Pinakes
Ohrid, Naroden Muzej, 4, pp. 164–166 (10th cent.)
Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Coislin 121, fols. 5r–5v (1342)
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, R.VI.39, fols. 105r–106v (12th cent.)
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 866, fols. 37r–38r (11th/12th cent.)
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 1631, fols. 24v–26 (12th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Halkin, François. “Ananie de Damas.” Δίπτυχα 4 (1986): 178–82 (edition of Ohrid, 4 with French translation).
3.1.1.2 Recension 2 (BHG 75y)
Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Hellados, 1027, fols. 51–53 (12th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Hellados, 2319, fols. 27–30v (15th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Gjirokastër, Bibliothēke tēs Mētropoleôs, 5, fols. 27v–30 (17th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, C 123 sup. (Martini-Bassi 213), fols. 39v–40 (11th/12th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Oxford, Bodleian Library, Clarke 43, fols. 21–22v (12th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Saint Petersburg, Rossijskaja Nacional’naja biblioteka, 213 (Granstrem 283), fols. 113–114v (11th/12th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Weimar, Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek, Q.729, fols. 158v–162r (11th cent.)
Bovon, François and Evie Zacharides-Holmberg. “The Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Ananias (BHG 75y).” Pages 309–31 in The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles. Edited by François Bovon, Ann Graham Brock, and Christopher R. Matthews. Harvard Divinity School Studies; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999 (text and translation of Weimar, Q 729, pp. 313–21).
3.1.1.3 Recension 3 (BHG 75z)
Cambridge, University Library, 3047, fols. 299–302 (1550) ~ Pinakes
Mount Athos, Monē Karakallou, 8 (Lambros 1521), Mon. 48, fols. 33–34v (10th/11th cent.) ~ Pinakes; Athos
Mount Athos, Monē Pantokratoros, 40 (Lambros 1074) (11th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, D 92 sup. (Martini-Bassi 259), fols. 217v–218v (10th/11th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 1468, fols. 83r–84r (11th cent.)
3.1.1.4 BHG 76
3.1.1.4.1 Arabic
Mount Sinai, Monē tēs Hagias Aikaterinēs, ar. 423, fols. 74v–76v (1626)
3.1.1.4.2 Greek
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 1190, fols. 1316r–1318v (1542)
3.1.2 Church Slavic (based on BHG 75y)
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia, Peterbugskaja Ducovnaja Akademija (Sofijskaja biblioteka) 1354, fols. 198–200v (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 1
St. Petersburg, Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 31.6.26 (Tolstoj 40), fol. 72–74 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 2
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia, Solovevetsky Monastery 619, fols. 23–27 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 7
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia, Solovevetsky Monastery 647, fols. 570–574 (16th/17th cent.) = de Santos Otero 8
Moscow, Russian State Library, Troice-Sergieva Lavra 666 (1618), fols. 162–164v (15th cent.) = de Santos Otero 3
Moscow, Gos. Istoričeskij Muzej/otdel rukopisej, Sinodal’noe sobranie 781 (170), fols. 2–4 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 4
Moscow, State Historical Museum, Uspenskij Sobor, Mineja čeƄtja des Metropol. Makarij f. Oktober, Carskij spisok 987, fols. 17–18v (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 5
Wroklaw, Ossoliński National Institute, 38, fols. 79v–81 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 6
Santos Otero, Aurelio de. Die handscriftliche Überlieferung der altslavischen Apokryphen. 2 vols. PTS 20 and 23. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1977. (Discussion of the Slavonic tradition, vol. 1, pp. 138–39)
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Bovon, François and Evie Zacharides-Holmberg. “The Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Ananias (BHG 75y).” Pages 309–31 in The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles. Edited by François Bovon, Ann Graham Brock, and Christopher R. Matthews. Harvard Divinity School Studies; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999 (text and translation of Weimar, Q 729, pp. 313–21) .
3.2.3 French
Halkin, François. “Ananie de Damas.” Δίπτυχα 4 (1986): 178–82 (edition of Ohrid, 4 with French translation).
3.3 General Works
Clugnet, Léon. “Ananie.” Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques, vol. 2, col. 1431-32. Paris: Letouzey et Ané, 1914.
Lattanzi, Ugo. “Anania.” Col. 1037 in Bibliotheca Sanctorum. Rome: Istituto Giovanni XXIII nella Pontificia Università Lateranense. 1961.
Lundgren, Sten. “Ananias and the Calling of Paul in Acts.” ST 25 (1971): 117–22.
Mayr, Vincent. “Ananias of Damaskus.” Col. 129 in vol. 5 of Lexicon der christlichen Ikonographie. Edited by Engelbert Kirschbaum and Wolfgang Braunfels. 8 vols. Rome: Herder, 1968–1976.
Wikenhauser, Alfred. “Ananias.” Cols. 486–87 in vol. 1 of Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche. Edited by Michael Buchberger, Josef Höfer, and Karl Rahner. 2nd ed. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 1957–1968.
Delahaye, Hippolyte, ed. Propylaeum ad Acta Santorum Novembris. Synaxarium Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae. 1902. Repr. Brussels: Société des Bollandistes, 1954 (Martyrdom of Ananias traditions, col. 95).