Christianity and Islam in Spain, A.D. 756-1031Haines, Charles Reginald
Islamic
Christianity and Islam in Spain, A.D. 756-1031
Haines, Charles Reginald
Christian martyrs -- Spain; Christianity -- Spain; Islam -- Spain
[1] See Eulog., Letter to Alvar, Florez, xi. 295.
[2] Alvar, Life of Eulog., i. sec. 13.
[3] Alvar, "Life of Eulog.," i. secs. 14, 15.
[4] This kind of proselytism was not held to be a capital crime
by the Moslems. See Dozy, ii. 171.
[5] Alvar, "Life of Eul.," v. sec. 15. Fleury v. 548.
On his way to execution, when struck by one of the bystanders on one
cheek, he turned the other meekly to the striker. He was beheaded on
March 11, 859, and Leocritia four days later. Miraculous appearances
honoured the body of the martyred bishop, which was buried in the Church
of St Genesius, whence it was translated in the next year to his own
church of St Zoilus, and in 883 was given up, together with that of
Leocritia, to Alphonso III. (866-910) by express stipulation.
CHAPTER V.
CONTROVERSY CONCERNING THE MARTYRS.
With the death of Eulogius the series of voluntary martyrdoms comes to
an end, and it will be convenient at this point to consider the whole
question of the relation of the Church to the civil power, and how far
those "confessors," who were put to death under the circumstances
already related, were entitled to the name of martyrs. Unfortunately the
evidence we have on the subject is drawn almost entirely from the
apologists of their doings, and therefore may fairly be suspected of
some bias. Yet even from them can be shown conclusively enough that no
real persecution was raging in Mohammedan Spain at this time, such as to
justify the extreme measures adopted by the party of zealots.
If we except the cases of John and Adulphus, and of Nunilo and Alodia,
the date of which is doubtful, there is not a single recorded instance
of a Christian being put to death for his religion by the Arabs in
Spain before the middle of the ninth century. The Muzarabes,[1] as the
Christians living under the Arabs were called, enjoyed a remarkable
degree of freedom in the exercise of their religion--the services and
rites of the Church being conducted as heretofore.[2] In Cordova alone
we find mention of the following churches:[3] the Church of St Acislus,
a former martyr of Cordova; of St Zoilus; of the Three
Martyrs--Faustus, Januarius, Martialis; of St Cyprian; of SS. Genesius
and Eulalia; and of the Virgin Mary.
[1] De Gayangos on Al Makk., i. p. 420, says the word means
"those who try to imitate the Arabs in manners and language."
[2] Eulog. Letter to Alvar. After the death of Flora he says he
spent the ninth hour in prayer, then "auctis tripucliis,
vespertinum, matutinum, missale sacrificium consequenter ad
honorem (Dei) et gloriam nostrarum virginum celebravimus."
[3] Florez, x. 245.
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