Martyrdom of Longinus
As they approached, they said to him, 'Well have you come, brothers.' However, they did not recognize the one speaking to them, so Longinus asked, 'Why, brothers, are you troubled and wearied as if from a long and arduous journey?' The men explained their situation, saying, 'Hear our plight, for a decree has been issued by King Herod against Longinus the centurion, stating that if we do not bring his head, our own heads will be forfeit to the sword. We have been searching for him for nine months, but to no avail.' They poured out their hearts, sharing the difficulties they had faced, and asked if he knew anything about a centurion named Longinus.
The holy Longinus listened to their tale and then invited them to rest at his home, promising that they could continue their journey the next day. The following morning, he asked them about the reason behind their diligent search for Longinus. They replied that the king was seeking him because Longinus was undermining his authority by persuading people to worship the crucified Christ, the king of the ages. The men were clearly distraught, unsure of what to do next. The holy Longinus, however, offered them words of comfort, saying, 'Do not be troubled or disheartened, brothers, for I am the one you have been searching for – the servant of God and Jesus Christ, Longinus.' Upon hearing this, the men were shocked and left speechless.
The holy Longinus addressed them, saying, 'Do not be disheartened, brothers, but let us eat and drink, and then go to the one who sent you.' He explained that he had sold his body to Christ in order to buy his soul from him. The people, upon hearing this, responded with tears, saying, 'No, we will go and make a defense for you to the one who sent us, for if you are truly Longinus, we will also die with you.'
They assured him that their intention was not to lead him away to the one who sent them. Longinus, seeing that they were compelled by the spirit of God, asked them to have mercy on him and take his head to the king, promising that they would be without care for the rest of their lives. However, they were afraid and did not want to endure. Longinus swore to them, entreating them to do this, and eventually, they agreed. They asked him to intercede for them in his army, so that it would not be reckoned to them as a sin. After he assured them that he would do this, they cut off his head. The tumult of the lawless ceased after the holy Longinus was beheaded, and his head was taken to the king. The head of the holy Longinus was kept by the prefect Lucius, and the men of the village, where the holy one of God was, took the body and placed it in that village.
Greek
αὐτῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· «Καλῶς ἥκατε, ἀδελφοί.» Μὴ ἐπεγνωκότων δὲ αὐτῶν τίς ἂν εἴη ὁ λαλῶν αὐ τοῖς, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Λογγῖνος· «Ἵνα τί, ἀδελφοί, σκυ θρωποὶ καὶ ὡς ἐκ μεγάλης ὁδοιπορίας κεκοπιακότες ἐστέ;» 20 Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· «Ἄκουσον, ἀδελφέ, τὴν ἡμετέραν πικρί αν, ὅτι πρόσταγμα ἐξῆλθεν κατὰ Λογγίνου τοῦ ἑκατοντάρχου ὑπὸ Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως περιέχον οὕτως ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγητε αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλήν, αἱ ὑμῶν κεφαλαὶ ξίφει παραδοθήσονται. Ἡμεῖς οὖν, ἄνθρωπε, ἐννέα μῆνας ἔχομεν ζητοῦντες αὐτὸν καὶ οὐχ εὕραμεν. Ἰδοὺ ἤκουσας τὰ κακὰ τὰ κατειληφότα ἡμῖν. Εἰ οὖν οἶδάς τινα λεγόμενον Λογγῖνον ἐκατόνταρχον, ἀνάγγειλον ἡμῖν.» Ὁ δὲ ἅγιος Λογγῖνος εἶπεν· «Οὐκ οἶδα τὸν ἄνδρα. Εἰσ ελθόντες δὲ εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου μείνατε καὶ αὔριον ἀπελεύσεσθε τὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῶν.» Καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ τοῦ μεῖναι μετ' αὐτοῦ. Ἐγένετο δὲ πρωΐα καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ ἅγιος Λογγῖνος· «Τίς ἡ αἰτία τοῦ Λογγίνου, ὅτι μετὰ τοσαύτης σπου δῆς ζητεῖτε αὐτόν;» Εἶπαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι ζητεῖ ται παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ὅτι αὐτὸς ἀνάστατον ποιεῖ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ, πείθων προσκυνεῖν τῷ σταυρωθέντι Χριστῷ καὶ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων. 21 Καὶ ἦσαν λυπούμενοι καὶ διαλογιζόμενοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους καὶ λέγοντες· «Τί ποιήσωμεν;» Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ ἅγιος Λογγῖνος· «Μὴ ταράσσεσθε, ἀδελφοί, 5 μηδὲ ἀθυμεῖτε· ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὃν ζητεῖτε, ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Λογγῖ νος, πρὸς ὃν ἀπεστάλητε.» Οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες ἀκούσαντες ἐταράχθη σαν καὶ ἐγένοντο ἐννεοί, λαλῆσαι μὴ δυνάμενοι. Καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ ἅγιος Λογγῖνος· «Μὴ ἀθυμεῖτε, ἀδελφοί, ἀλλὰ φάγω μεν καὶ πίωμεν καὶ ἀπέλθωμεν πρὸς τὸν ἀποστείλαντα ὑμᾶς. Ἐγὼ γὰρ πέπρακά μου τὸ σῶμα τῷ Χριστῷ, ἵνα ἀγοράσω τὴν ψυχήν μου παρ' αὐτοῦ.» Οἱ δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες εἶπαν αὐτῷ μετὰ δακρύων· «Μή, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς ἀπελθόντες ἀπολογησόμεθα ὑπὲρ σοῦ τῷ πέμψαντι ἡμᾶς· εἰ γὰρ ὄντως σὺ εἶ ὁ Λογγῖνος, ἀποθνῄσκομεν καὶ ἡμεῖς σὺν σοί. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐ πράττομεν εἰς σὲ τοῦ ἀπαγαγεῖν σε πρὸς τὸν πέμψαντα ἡμᾶς.» 22 Ἰδὼν δὲ ὅτι κατηνύγησαν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· «Εἰ ποιεῖτε ἔλεος μετ' ἐμοῦ, οὕτως ποιή σατε· λάβετε τὴν κεφαλήν μου καὶ ἀπενέγκατε τῷ βασιλεῖ, καὶ ἀμέριμνοι ἔσεσθε πάσας τᾶς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς ὑμῶν.» Οἱ δὲ φοβηθέντες οὐκ ἤθελον ἀνέχεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ ὥρκισεν αὐτοὺς δὶς παρακαλῶν τοῦτο ποιῆσαι. Οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ πολὺ παρακληθέντες τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτόν· «Πρέσβευε οὖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐν τῇ στρατιᾷ σου, τοῦ μὴ λογισθῆναι ἡμῖν εἰς ἁμαρτίαν.» Τοῦ δὲ φήσαντος αὐτοῖς τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, ἀπέτεμον αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφα λήν. Ἀποκεφαλίσαντες τοίνυν τὸν ἅγιον Λογγῖνον, ἐκόμισαν τὴν κεφαλὴν τῷ βασιλεῖ· καὶ ἐπαύσατο ὁ θόρυβος τῶν παρανόμων. Ἦν δὲ ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ ἁγίου Λογγίνου φυλαττομένη παρὰ τῷ ἐπάρχῳ Λουκίῳ. Οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες τῆς κώμης, ἔνθα ἦν ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ, λαβόντες τὸ σῶμα ἔθηκαν ἐν τῇ κώμῃ ἐκείνῃ.
About this text
Hesychius of Jerusalem, Homilia ii in sanctum Longinum centurionem (Greek).
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 93 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.