Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume II/Sozomen/Book IV/Chapter 3
Chapter III.—Martyrdom of the Holy Notaries.
The persecution increased in violence,[1]
and led to deeds of blood. Martyrius and Marcian were among those who were slain. They had lived in Paul’s house,[2]
and were delivered up by Macedonius to the governor, as having been
guilty of the murder of Hermogenes, and of exciting the former sedition
against him. Martyrius was a sub-deacon, and Marcian a singer and a
reader of Holy Scripture. Their tomb is famous, and is situated before
the walls of Constantinople, as a memorial of the martyrs; it is placed
in a house of prayer, which was commenced by John and completed by
Sisinnius; these both afterwards presided over the church of
Constantinople. For they who had been unworthily adjudged to have no
part in the honors of martyrdom, were honored by God, because the very
place where those conducted to death had been decapitated, and which
previously was not approached on account of ghosts, was now purified,
and those who were under the influence of demons were released from the
disease, and many other notable miracles were wrought at the tomb.
These are the particulars which should be stated concerning Martyrius
and Marcian. If what I have related appears to be scarcely credible, it is easy to apply
for further information to those who are more accurately acquainted
with the circumstances; and perhaps far more wonderful things are
related concerning them than those which I have detailed.