Almachus, Saint, Martyr

ALMACHUS, Saint, Martyr. - The fuller manuscripts of the Hieronymian Martyrology have preserved under January 1 the following notice concerning A.: "The natal feast of A., who, having said: Today is the octave of the Lord, cease from the superstitions of idols and from unclean sacrifices, was put to death by the gladiators by order of Alypius, prefect of the city." Here we have in brief the summary of a Passio of the martyr A., now lost. A fact that has points of contact with the preceding notice is recounted by the historian Theodoret (Hist. eccl., V, 26), who attributes it to an Eastern ascetic named Telemachus. "Honorius, Theodoret recounts, having assumed the empire of the West, abolished the gladiatorial combats, which from ancient times were held in Rome, taking occasion from the following event. A certain Telemachus, who had embraced the ascetic life, having set out from the East, came to Rome with this intention, and while that horrible spectacle was taking place he too entered the stadium, and having descended into the arena he sought to make those who were using weapons among themselves cease.

But the spectators of that butchery, indignant and agitated by the fury of the demon who fed on that blood, stoned the preacher of peace. When this was known, the admirable emperor numbered Telemachus among the victorious martyrs and put an end to that wicked spectacle." Such spectacles indeed ceased shortly after 410. The Hieronymian Martyrology and Theodoret report two versions of one and the same fact that cannot be called into doubt. There remains the question of the two names; it seems that the name of A., preserved in the Hieronymian Martyrology, should be preferred.

A. Pietro Frutaz