A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

234 A Source Book for Ancient Church History[212]the devotion of their mind, for divine and heavenly glory. Butyou should know that those have come back whom I sent toRome to find out and bring us the truth concerning what hadin any manner been decreed respecting us. For many, various,and uncertain things are currently reported. But the truth concerningthem is as follows: Valerian has sent a rescript to theSenate, to the effect that bishops, presbyters, and deacons shouldbe immediately punished; but that senators, men of rank, andRoman knights should lose their dignity and be deprived of theirproperty; and if, when their property has been taken away, theyshould persist in being Christians, that they should then also losetheir heads; but that matrons should be deprived of their propertyand banished. Moreover, people of Cæsar's household, whohad either confessed before or should now confess, should havetheir property confiscated, and be sent in chains and assigned toCæsar's estates. The Emperor Valerian also added to his address acopy of the letters he prepared for the presidents of the provincescoercing us. These letters we are daily hoping will come, andwe are waiting, according to the strength of our faith, for theendurance of suffering and expecting from the help and mercyof the Lord the crown of eternal life. But know that Sixtus waspunished [i.e., martyred] in the cemetery on the eighth day of theides of August, and with him four deacons. The prefects of thecity, furthermore, are daily urging on this persecution; so that ifany are presented to them they are punished and their propertyconfiscated.I beg that these things be made known by you to the rest of ourcolleagues, that everywhere by their exhortations the brotherhoodmay be strengthened and prepared for the spiritual conflict,that every one may think less of death than of immortality,and dedicated to the Lord with full faith and courage, they mayrejoice rather than fear in this confession, wherein they knowthat the soldiers of God and Christ are not slain, but crowned. Ibid you, dearest brother, ever farewell in the Lord.