The Lives of the Saints Volume 1 - St. Patrick's Basilica

He exhorted the virgins to preserve their purity, and to honor the
bishops, and all the bishops to abide to concord. When the executioner
was ready to give the stroke, he prayed aloud to God that Flavian, who
had been reprieved at the people's request, might follow them on the
third day. And, to express his assurance that his prayer was heard, he
rent in pieces the handkerchief with which his eyes were to be covered,
and ordered one half of it to be reserved for Flavian, and desired that
a place might be kept for him where he was to be interred, that they
might not be separated even in the grave. Flavian, seeing his crown
delayed, made it the object of his ardent desires and prayers. And as
his mother stuck close by his side with the constancy of the mother of
the holy Maccabees, and with longing desires to see him glorify God by
his sacrifice, he said to her "You know, mother, how much I have longed
to enjoy the happiness of dying by martyrdom." In one of the two nights
which he survived, he was favored with a vision, in which one said to
him: "Why do you grieve? You have been twice a confessor, and you shall
suffer martyrdom by the sword." On the third day he was ordered to be
brought before the governor. Here it appeared how much he was beloved by
the people, who endeavored by all means to save his life. They cried out
to the judge that he was no deacon; but he affirmed that he was. A
centurion presented a billet which set forth that he was not. The judge
accused him of lying to procure his own death. He answered: "Is that
probable? and not rather that they are guilty of an untruth who say the
contrary?" The people demanded that he might be tortured, in hopes he
would recall his confession on the rack; but the judge condemned him to
be beheaded. The sentence filled him with joy, and he was conducted to
the place of execution, accompanied by a great multitude, and by many
priests. A shower dispersed the infidels, and the martyr was lead into a
house where he had an opportunity of taking his last leave of the
faithful without one profane person being present. He told them that in
a vision he had asked Cyprian whether the stroke of death is painful,
and that the martyr answered: "The body feels no pain when the soul
gives herself entirely to God." At the place of execution he prayed for
the peace of the church and the union of the brethren; and seemed to
foretell Lucian that he should be bishop of Carthage, as he was soon
after. Having done speaking, he bound his eyes with that half of the
handkerchief which Montanus had ordered to be kept for him, and,
kneeling in prayer, received the last stroke. These saints are joined
together on his day in the present Roman and in ancient Martyrologies.
Footnotes:
1. Apud regionantes.
2. Alimentum indeficiens.
ST. LETHARD, BISHOP OF SENLIS, C.
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