Africanus of Carthage

Saint Africanus of Carthage suffered together with Saints Terentius, Pompius (Publius), Maximus, Zeno, Alexander, Theodore and others, in the time of the emperor Decius (249 to 251). They are commemorated on 26 March, on 23 April and on 10 November.

The emperor issued a decree ordering all his subjects to offer sacrifice to the pagan idols. When the decree reached Fortunatian, governor of Africa, he called the people to the square, displayed the terrible instruments of torture, and announced that everyone without exception must sacrifice to the idols. Many, frightened by the tortures, agreed, but forty Christians, led by Saint Terentius, boldly confessed their faith in the Saviour. Fortunatian marvelled at their courage and asked how they, reasonable men, could confess as God one who had been crucified by the Jews as a criminal. Terentius answered boldly that they believed in the Saviour who willingly accepted death on the cross and rose on the third day. Fortunatian understood that Terentius was strengthening the others by his example, and ordered him shut in prison together with his three closest friends: Africanus, Maximus and Pompius. The other martyrs, among them Zeno, Alexander and Theodore, he resolved to force to deny Christ. But neither persuasion nor terrible tortures shook the saints: they were burned with red-⁠hot iron, their wounds were sprinkled with vinegar, rubbed with salt and scraped with iron claws. In spite of the sufferings the saints did not weaken in confessing Christ, and the Lord strengthened them.

Fortunatian ordered the sufferers brought into the temple and once more demanded that they sacrifice to the idols. The brave soldiers of Christ cried out to God: "Almighty God, who once poured fire on Sodom for its lawlessness, destroy now this unclean temple of idols, for Your truth's sake." The idols fell with a crash and shattered, and then the whole temple collapsed. The enraged governor ordered them put to death. The martyrs, glorifying God, bowed their heads under the executioner's sword.

After the execution of the thirty-⁠six martyrs, Fortunatian summoned Terentius, Maximus, Africanus and Pompius, showed them the slain and again demanded that they sacrifice to the idols. The martyrs refused. The governor laid heavy chains on them and ordered them starved in prison. At night the angel of the Lord loosed their chains and fed them. In the morning the guards found them cheerful and full of strength. Then Fortunatian ordered sorcerers and charmers to bring serpents and all sorts of creeping things into the prison. The guards looked in through an opening in the roof and saw the martyrs unharmed, praying, while the serpents crawled at their feet. When the charmers, as ordered, opened the prison doors, the serpents, paying no heed to the spells, rushed upon them and began to bite them. Fortunatian in a rage ordered the holy martyrs beheaded. The Christians took their bodies and buried them with honour outside the city.