At Lyon in Gaul, the holy martyrs Pothinus, bishop, and Blandina, together with forty-six companions, whose brave and repeated struggles, in the time of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, are recounted in the letter of the Church of Lyon written to the Churches of Asia and Phrygia. Among them the bishop Pothinus, a man of ninety years, was cast into prison and shortly afterward yielded up his spirit; some likewise died in prison, while others were set in the midst of the arena before countless thousands of people gathered for the spectacle: those found to be Roman citizens were beheaded, but the rest were given over to the beasts. Last of all, Blandina, subjected to longer and more bitter torments and at length slain by the sword, followed to the palm of victory those whom she had urged on.
June 2nd
Saint Pothinus, Blandina, and Companions, Martyrs of Lyon
Latin Original
Lugdüni in Gállia, sanctórum mártyrum Pothini, epíscopi, et Blandínze cum quadragínta et sex sóciis, quorum fórtia et iteráta certámina, témpore Marci Aurélii imperatóris, Ecclesiae Lugdunénsis epístula ad Ecclésias Asiz et Phrygiae scripta recénset. In his Pothínus episcopus nonagenárius, in cárcerem proféctus, paulo post spiritum réddidit; álii páriter in cárcere occubuérunt, álii vero ante innümera mília hóminum ad spectáculum congregatórum in médio arénz statáti: qui cives románi repérti essent, cápite plectebántur, céteri vero béstiis tradebántur. Novíssime Blandína, in diuturnióra et acerbióra certámina data, gládio dénique iuguláta, quos ad palmam hortabátur, céteros secüta est.