MARTYR MENIGNUS

The holy martyr Menignus, or Benignus, suffered for Christ during the reign of Emperor Decius (249–251) in the ancient region of Lycia in the vicinity of the modern Turkish city of Kemer. According to his life, he was a simple artisan. The name of the saint is literally translated as “good, or good by nature.” In his life it turned out to be a prophecy about his outcome.

One morning Menignus heard news of how Christians imprisoned awaiting trial had been miraculously released. For those times when prison was not limited to any time or period but was an indefinite deprivation of liberty under inhuman conditions (cf. Gen. 40:14), such an event was truly supernatural. It recalled the liberation of Peter by an angel in the Book of Acts of the Apostles (Acts 12:11), and other great biblical signs.

By the mysterious predestination of grace (Rom. 8:29), Menignus decided to publicly confess his faith in Christ. Having got an audience with the praetor, he asked him for permission to read the decree on the persecution of Christians and, having received it in his hands, tore it up. This was a most serious crime, for which the saint was unspeakably tortured, and then returned to prison to await execution. In the morning he was beheaded in the presence of his wife, whom the pagans brought to add to his punishment.

However, even before he came to the praetor, the saint, knowing that this road would not lead back home, warned her. Thus, like the Lord Jesus in the Gospel (cf. Matt. 26:53), he, by the gift of grace of becoming like Christ, revealed before everyone that his confession and suffering were not the work of an accident, but were voluntary and conscious.