Arcadius, Paschasius, Probus and Eutychius were

Chalcedonian Christian Chalcedonian Christianity is the branch of Christianity that accepts and upholds Christian theology, theological and ecclesiological resolutions of the Council of Chalcedon, the Fourth Ecumenical Council, held in 451. Chalcedonian Christianity ac ...

martyrs. Natives of

Hispania Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hispania ...

, they became loyal counsellors of the

Vandal The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...

king

Gaiseric Gaiseric ( – 25 January 477), also known as Geiseric or Genseric ( la, Gaisericus, Geisericus; reconstructed Vandalic: ) was King of the Vandals and Alans (428–477), ruling a kingdom he established, and was one of the key players in the diff ...

, but were ultimately proscribed, exiled, tortured and executed in 437 for refusing the king's command to convert to

Arianism Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God ...

. Their story is recounted in the contemporary chronicle of Prosper of Aquitaine.. Paschasius and Eutychius, whose name is sometimes given as Eutychian, were brothers. Prosper records that the four men were for a long time trusted as advisors by Gaiseric for their wisdom and faithfulness. They were probably Romans who had first joined Gaiseric when the Vandals were in Hispania and had then continued with him after he invaded

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

in 429. Their sudden removal from court has been described as a "purge". Prosper says that Gaiseric demanded their conversion "to make them even more esteemed". When they refused, their property was confiscated and they were sent into exile. Their place of exile is unknown, but it must have been within the Vandal kingdom. The ''Epistula consolatoria ad Arcadium actum in exsilium a Genserico rege Vandalorum'', a letter that Bishop Honoratus of Cirta wrote to Arcadius during his exile, has survived. In it, Honoratus urges Arcadius not to waver in his faith and assures him that he will be a martyr if he were killed. According to the letter, Arcadius had a wife and children. The purged courtiers were probably killed in Africa, as per the ''

Roman Martyrology The ''Roman Martyrology'' ( la, Martyrologium Romanum) is the official martyrology of the Catholic Church. Its use is obligatory in matters regarding the Roman Rite liturgy, but dioceses, countries and religious institutes may add duly approved ...

''. Their murders were almost certainly a violation of Gaiseric's

treaty of 435 A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...

with

Western Roman Empire The Western Roman Empire comprised the western provinces of the Roman Empire at any time during which they were administered by a separate independent Imperial court; in particular, this term is used in historiography to describe the period fr ...

. Paschasius and Eutychius had a younger brother named Paulillus who was "very dear to the king on account of his fine body and refined nature", in the words of Prosper. He too refused to convert and was beaten and enslaved. He may have died from exposure. In the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, the

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...

of Arcadius and companions is 13 November. They are listed in the ''Roman Martyrology'', but not the ''

General Roman Calendar The General Roman Calendar is the liturgical calendar that indicates the dates of celebrations of saints and mysteries of the Lord (Jesus Christ) in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, wherever this liturgical rite is in use. These celebra ...

''. They were the first martyrs of the Vandal persecution of Chalcedonians in Africa.

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{refend 437 deaths Romans from Hispania Groups of Christian martyrs of the Roman era Saints from the Vandal Kingdom