Passio Longini
Standard abbreviation: Pass. Longin.
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 331
Category: Apocryphal Acts
Related literature: Encomium on Longinus, by Pseudo-Hesychius of Jerusalem; Martyrdom of Longinus, by Pseudo-Hesychius of Jerusalem; Martyrdom of Longinus the Centurion, by Symeon Metaphrastes
Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Passion of Longinus.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/passion-of-longinus/.
Created February 2025.
1. SUMMARY
Longinus is introduced as both the soldier who pierced Jesus with a lance and the centurion who declared Jesus to be the Son of God. After witnessing the events of the crucifixion, he became a believer and lived a chaste and pious life. He came to Cappadocia and lived as a monk for 28 years, making converts and forbidding sacrifices to idols. This attracts the attention of the authorities and he is called before the prefect Octavius , to whom he reveals that he is from Isauria and confesses to be a Christian. Octavius demands that Longinus make sacrifice to the gods, but Longinus refuses, saying he cannot serve two masters and juxtaposes the good qualities demanded by his lord with the vices of those who worship the gods.
Becoming frustrated, Octavius orders Longinus’s teeth and tongue removed but he continues to speak clearly in his own defence. Octavius asks him why Jesus did not protect him. Longinus replies that the punishments inflicted upon him so far have had no effect. Give me the power to crush the gods, he says, and if they harm him he will believe, if not Octavius must believe in his god. Longinus is given an axe and he smashes the statues and altars and pours out the libations. Demons come out of the idols and enter Octavius and the other court officers. They bark like madmen and ask why Longinus was brought there to defeat them. Then they beg Longinus not to send them into the abyss. Longinus asks the people if they want to worship these gods; they beseech him to banish the demons. Longinus prays to Jesus to cast the demons out of the men. The demons fly away crying and the people become believers.
After a while, the devil influences Octavius to order Longinus once more before the court. He accuses Longinus of using magical arts and laments that the whole city has ceased making sacrifice. If this becomes known to the king, the city will perish. Aphrodisius, a secretary of the court, comes to Longinus’ defence only to have his tongue cut off, but when this happens, Octavius is struck blind. Octavius asks Aphrodisius to intervene with Longinus on his behalf. Longinus tells Octavius to complete his martyrdom so that he can petition God for him directly. Longinus is decapitated and Octavius becomes a believer. The date of Longinus’ death is given as the Ides of March.
Named Historical Figures and Characters: Aphrodisius, Longinus (centurion), Octavius, Pontius Pilate.
Geographical Locations: Caesarea (Cappadocia), Isauria.
2. RESOURCES
2.1 Web Sites and Other Online Resources
“E06102: Longinos/Longinus, centurion at the Crucifixion.” Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity. Entry compiled by Efthymios Rizos.
“Longin (saint).” Biblissima. Database of illuminations.
“Longinus.” Wikipedia.
2.2 Art and Iconography
Longinus Triptych, Church of Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem): the three images are Longinus standing with other soldiers and holding a spear, a crucifixion scene including Longinus, and Longinus kneeling with executioner standing above him with sword at his throat.
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Armenian (BHO 565)
Aucher, Iohannes Baptista. Sanctorum Acta pleniora (=Mkrtič Awgerean, Liakatar varkʿew vkayabanutʿ twnkʿ srbocʿ). 12 vols. Venice: Presse de Saint-Lazare, 1810–1814 (vol. 9, pp. 337–46).
3.1.2 Georgian
Mount Athos, Iviron, georg. 57, fols. 271r–272v (10th/11th cent.)
Tbilisi, National Center of Manuscripts, H-341, pp. 432–446 (ca. 1000)
Kekeliże, Korneli. Monumenta hagiographica georgica: Keimena. 2 vols. Tbilisi: Sak’art’. Rk. Gz. sammart’velos tipo-lit., 1918–1946 (edition based on the Athos manuscript, vol. 1, pp. 188–92).
Brussels, Bibliothèque des Bollandistes, lat. 14, fols. 125r–126r (11th cent.)
Douai, Bibliothèque municipale, lat. 865, fols. 78r–80r (12th cent.)
Göttweig, Benediktinerstift, 52, fols. 229r–230v (12th/13th cent.) ~ Manuscripta
Keil, University Library, Cod. ms. Bord. 5a, fols. 121v–124r (1510) ~ catalog
Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 354, fol. 116v (12th cent.) ~ catalog
Saint-Omer, Bibliothèque municipale, lat. 715 II, fols. 167v–169v (12th cent.) ~ ARCA
Bolland, Jean et al., eds. Acta Sanctorum, Martii. Vol. 2. 2nd. ed. Paris: V. Palmé, 1868 (Latin text based on unidentified manuscripts, pp. 379–80; full text version).
Reichenbach, Klaus-Martin. Beschreibung der Münstereifeler Handschrift der Bibliothèque Nationale Luxembourg. Bad Münstereifel, 2003 (pp. 37–39; non videt).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 Italian
Orsola, Gianluca. San Longino nella tradizione greca e latina di età tardoantica: analisi, commento delle fonti e contesto agiografico. Perugia: Graphe.it, 2008 (translation of the Latin text, pp. 113–22). 2nd revised ed.: Longino, il santo della lancia. Perugia: Graphe.it, 2017.
3.3 General Works
Astolfi, Luciana Rodighiero. “The History and Tradition of the Precious Blood of Christ in Mantua.” International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church 17.3 (2018): 224–27.
Aubineau, Michel. Les homélies festales d’Hésychius de Jérusalem II: les homélies XVI–XXI. Subsidia Hagiographica 59. Brussels: Société des Bollandistes, 1980 (pp. 802–804).
Capuzzo, Roberto. “The Precious Blood of Christ: Faith, Rituals and Civic and Religious Meaning During the Centuries of Mantuan Devotion.” International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church 17.4 (2017): 228–45.
Le Blant, Edmond F. Les Actes des martyrs : supplément aux Acta sincera de Dom Ruinart. Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1882 (pp. 32, 147, 158, 159).
Metzger, Bruce M. “Names for the Nameless in the New Testament: A Study in the Growth of Christian Tradition.” Pages 79–99 in vol. 1 of Kyriakon: Festschrift Johannes Quasten. 2 vols. Edited by Patrick Granfield and Josef A. Jungmann. Münster: Aschendorff, 1970 (see pp. 94–95).
Peebles, Rose Jeffries. The Legend of Longinus in Ecclesiastical Tradition and in English Literature. Baltimore: Furst, 1911 (esp. 16–18).
Uspenkij, Boris. “The Gospel of Nicodemus and the Cult of St Longinus.” Pages 63–101 in Enigma in Rus and Medieval Slavic Cultures. Edited by Ágnes Kriza and W. F. Ryan. Berlin: de Gruyter, 2024.
Waitz, Georg, ed. De inventione Sanguinis Domini. De translatione sanguinis Christi. Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores 5. Hanover: Impensis Bibliopolii Haniani, 1888 (the story of Longinus bringing the holy blood to Mantua; contains some elements of Pass. Long.).