Longinus

Longinus, a centurion who had been renamed Primianus in the army, was standing guard with the other soldiers, watching over the Christ who had been crucified.

From the sixth hour to the ninth hour, darkness occurred in all the land.

The centurion stood guard about the ninth hour, watching the cross, and he saw a great light around himself, while darkness was over all the earth.

He also saw a multitude of angels standing by the cross and the whole earth shaking, and the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51).

Additionally, he saw the face of the Lord as lightning.

Before Jesus gave up his spirit, the holy Longinus thought in his heart, saying, 'Truly this one is the Son of God and the redeemer of all the world.'

As he thought these things, he fell upon his face toward the feet of the Lord.

An ecstasy came upon the soldiers, and they were turned into sleep.

The holy Longinus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me; for I believed that you are the Son of God, the Savior of the world.'

Jesus said to him, 'Man, you are born today, and your memorial shall be spoken until the last days.'

Having heard these things, the holy Longinus said to Jesus, 'Lord, I go out of this city because of the threat of the magnates.'

Jesus said to him, 'On your forehead, make the sign of the cross, for I will baptize you with your blood, and go.'

After making the sign of the cross, the centurion was guarding the precious cross with the soldiers.

And Jesus, about the ninth hour, cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani', that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Matthew 27:46).

And he gave up the spirit.

And behold, a great earthquake occurred, and the earth was shaken, and the sun was darkened from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, and the stars of the heaven appeared, and the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the sleeping saints were raised (Matthew 27:51-53).

The centurion, Longinus, who also was Primianus, the one standing by the cross, glorified God over all things that had happened, the wonders, and said, 'Truly the Son of God is this one and the redeemer of the world.'

And all those who were coming together for the viewing, having seen the things that happened, were striking their faces and turned back.

The centurion Longinus, who also had been entrusted with the cross, brought word to the governor about the things that had happened, the wonders.

And having left all things there, he went to his own country, to Cappadocia the second, near Tyanon, to a place called Andrales, which is called Gabrales in Hebrew, and he changed the enclosures of his property, and he was pasturing the sheep.

And having examined the chests, Herod found the holy Longinus mocking the kingdom and rising up against his father and saying to all, 'You must become Christians.'

And having learned exactly from the governor Lucius the account and the confession of the centurion and the endurance, he aroused persecution against the Christians.

And the holy Longinus was being sought by the idolaters.

And when the holy Longinus came to his own place, there was a plundering at that time against all the pious ones, and the king sent three princes with much power to seek the holy Longinus.

And Herod, having summoned the three princes and the soldiers, gave them orders, saying, 'If you do not bring me the head of Longinus the centurion, your heads will be cut off by swords.'

And having taken these orders, they went on the search, grieving exceedingly.

For from Antioch they went and even as far as Rome and Illyricum, having gone around, they did not find him.

And being grieved and having turned back, they were walking about in Cappadocia and having come near Tyanon, they sought the holy Longinus.

And having come to the village of the Andrales, they inquired from those there, and no one gave an answer about him.

For they had held him dear exceedingly.

And not having obtained an answer, the soldiers went out from the village in great grief.

The holy Longinus was near the road, pasturing sheep, through which the sent ones were passing, and he was sitting on the road.

And having seen them from afar coming, he recognized them and stood up.

As the story continues, the holy Longinus was about to face those who were searching for him.