Martyrium Onesimus
Standard abbreviation: Mart. Ones.
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 278
Category: Apocryphal Acts
Related literature: History of Paul
Compiled by Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Martyrdom of Onesimus” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/martyrdom-of-onesimus/.
Created January 2024.
1. SUMMARY
The version of the martyrdom published by Hanson (BHG 1376y) reads much like an encomium. It begins with some praises for Onesimus and then provides some brief details about his fate. He is in Rome when the prefect Tertullus is instigating a persecution of Christians. Onesimus is imprisoned for enticing the wife of Tertullus’s brother into a life of self-control; he is accused of sorcery. The author then identifies Onesimus as the runaway slave of Philemon and gives an excerpt from the Paul’s letter.
After some further praise for Onesimus, the author resumes his account with Onesimus, along with Romulus, Papias, and Apitions, being questioned by Tertullus. When asked “what sort of idle avoidance do your writings proclaim?,” Onesimus lists off a number of vices: adultery, covetousness, sorcery, boastfulness, envy, revilement, hypocrisy, smallness of soul, wrath, drunkenness, idolatry, and insolence. Then he goes into a lengthy discourse about the evils of idolatry and exhorts Tertullus to cease its practice.
Tertullus orders Onesimus and his companions to be tortured. But the people cheer for Onesimus, so after 18 days, Tertullus banishes Onesimus and Apition to Puteoli. Undaunted, they continue to preach, angering Tertullus, who comes to Puteoli and once again questions Onesimus. He orders the disciple beaten and his legs and thighs to be broken. Onesimus succumbs to his injuries on 15 February. A noblewoman places his remains in a silver casket.
Named historical figures and characters: Apition, devil, Eve (matriarch), Jesus Christ, Onesimus, Papias, Paul (apostle), Philemon, Romulus, Satan, serpent, Tertullus.
Geographical locations: hell, Puteoli, Rome.
2. RESOURCES
2.1 Web Sites and Other Online Resources
“S00517: Onesimus, disciple of the Apostle Paul.” The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity.
“Saint Onesimus.” Wikipedia.
2.2 Art and Iconography
Illustration of Timothy in two menologia; the two similar images are likely based on a lost exemplum.
The Menologion of Basil II, Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 1613, p. 401 (10th cent.)
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Greek
3.1.1.1 Earliest Version (BHG 1376y)
H Jerusalem, Patriarchikē Bibliothēkē, Panaghiou Taphou 1, fols. 106v–110v (10th cent.) ~ Pinakes; Jerusalem
K Mount Athos, Monē Koutlousmousiou, 38 (Lambros 3107) (9th/10th cent.) ~ Pinakes
P Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 1452, fols. 128v–131v (10th cent.) ~ Pinakes; Gallica
V Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, hist. gr. 3, fols. 145v–150r (15th cent.) ~ Pinakes; ONB
Hanson, Craig L. “A Greek Martyrdom Account of St. Onesimus.” Greek Orthodox Theological Review 22 (1977): 319–39 (Greek text of V with parallel English translation, pp. 324–39).
Hanson, Craig L. “The Passion of Saint Onesimus of Colossae. BHG 1376y, 1377c.” Theologia 50 (1979): 349–74 (Greek text based on KHPV with variants from ALM in the apparatus, pp. 358–74).
3.1.1.2 Revised Version (BHG 1377c; differs from 1376y in the epilogue)
A Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Hellados, 989, fols. 20r–24r (12th cent.) ~ Pinakes; Athens
L London, British Library, Add. 36589, fols. 121v–124r (12th cent.) ~ Pinakes; BL
M Meteora, Monē Barlaam, 150, fols. 141r–144v (16th cent.) ~ BHG 1377; Pinakes
Brussels, Bibl. des Bollandistes, 192 (284), fols. 86r–99v (17th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Istanbul, Patriarchikē Bibliothēkē, Hagias Triados 95, fols. 55v–57r (10th/11th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Ott. gr. 92, fols. 170v–175r (16th cent.) ~ Pinakes; BAV
Athens, Ethnikē Bibliothēkē tēs Hellados, 982, fols. 139r–142v (16th cent.) ~ BHG 1377; Pinakes; Athens
Mount Athos, Monē Koutloumousiou, 23 (Lambros 3092) (12th cent.) ~ BHG 1376z; Pinakes
Mount Athos, Bibliothēkē tou Prōtatou (Karues, 47 (Lambros 47) (16th cent.) ~ BHG 1376z; Pinakes; Athos
Mount Athos, Monē Dionusiou, 143 (Lambros 3677), fols. 31v–35v (17th cent.) ~ BHG 1377; Pinakes
Mount Athos, Monē Ibērōn, 423 (Lambros 4543) (date not provided) ~ BHG 1377; Pinakes
Mount Athos, Monē Xēropotamou, 135 (Lambros 2468) (16th cent.) ~ BHG 1377; Pinakes
Doukakis, Konstantinos. Μέγας συναξαριστὴς. 12 vols. Athens, 1889–1896 (2nd ed. Athens: Orthodoxoi Xristianikai, 1948–1966) (vol. 2, pp. 258–61).
3.1.1.4 Imperial Menologion (BHG 1377d)
Moscow, Gosudarstvennyj Istoričeskij Musej, Sinod. gr. 183 (Vlad. 376), fols. 68v–72r (11th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Latyšev, Vasilij V., ed. Menologii anonymi Byzantini saeculi X quae supersunt. 2 vols. Saint Petersberg: Petropoli, 1911–1912 (edition of Moscow Sinod. gr. 183, vol. 1, pp. 79–83).
3.1.1.5 Menologion of Basil II
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 1613, p. 401 (10th cent.) ~ Pinakes; BAV
Preliminary translation: February 15: The struggle of the holy martyr Onesimus, disciple of the holy apostle Paul. Saint Onesimus, a servant of Philemon, a Roman citizen, left him and followed the apostle Paul and became his disciple. He was baptized by him and ministered to him. Because of this, Saint Paul wrote a letter to Philemon, asking him for Onesimus. But after the death of Saint Paul, he was seized by Tertullus, the prefect of Rome, and sent to Puteoli. He was severely beaten but would not abandon Christ to worship idols. Speaking in the spirit, he said he believed in Christ, the maker of heaven, earth, and sea, and all that was in them. This provoked Tertullus to anger. With his legs crushed, he went to the Lord, whom he loved.
Migne, Jacques-Paul. Patrologiae cursus completus: Series graeca. Vol. 117. Paris: Cerf, 1903 (Greek text with facing Latin translation, cols. 313–14).
3.1.2 Syriac (translation of BHG 1377c)
London, British Library, Add. 12174, fols. 344v–347v (1197)
Bedjan, Paul. Acta Martyrum et Sanctorum. 7 vols. Paris: Otto Harrassowitz, 1890–1897 (editio princeps from an unidentified manuscript in vol. 4, pp. 18–31).
3.1.3 Armenian Synaxarion (summary for 15 February)
Bayan, George. “Les synaxaire arménien de ter-Israel XI: Mois de Margats.” PO 21 (1930): 543–678 (edition and French translation, pp. 50–51).
3.1.4 Copto-Arabic Synaxarion (summary for 21 Amshīr)
Basset, René. “Le Synaxaire arabe jacobite (rédaction copte) II: les mois de Toubeh et d’Amchir.” Patrologia orientalis 11 (1915): 505–859 (edition and translation of the summary of Pre. Jas. Alph. in the Copto-Arabic Synaxarion, pp. 812–13).
3.1.5 Ethiopic Synaxarion (summary for 21 Yäkatit)
Budge, E. A. Wallis. The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church. 2 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1928 (vol. 2, pp. 645–46).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Hanson, Craig L. “A Greek Martyrdom Account of St. Onesimus.” Greek Orthodox Theological Review 22 (1977): 319–39 (Greek text with parallel English translation, pp. 324–39).
3.3 General Works
Bolland, Jean et al., eds. Acta Sanctorum, Februarius. Vol. 2 (=Acta Sanctorum vol. 4). Antwerp: P. Jacobs, 1658; 3rd. ed. Paris: V. Palmé, 1863 (pp. 856–60).