Gordius

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Gordius ( Latinized from Greek Γόρδιος , transliterated Gordios ) (* in the 3rd century in Caesarea in Cappadocia (today Kayseri in Turkey ); † around 320 in Caesarea) was a Christian martyr . In several Christian denominations he is considered a saint or a memorable witness of faith.

Name meaning

Γόρδιος ( Gordios ) is the Greek expression for "man from Gordion ", the capital of Phrygia .

Life

Basil the Great reported in his work "In Gordium Martyrem" that Gordius was born to Christian parents. He always kept this belief himself. He later joined the Roman army . Due to his bravery and military skills, he rose to the rank of centurion around the time of the Emperor Licinius . Negatively impressed by executions by the Roman state power during the Diocletian persecution of Christians at the beginning of the fourth century, he quit his service in order not to have to participate in the persecution of his fellow believers and to anticipate a corresponding judicial decision.

Afterwards he lived as a hermit in voluntary exile from the year 303 in the Sinai desert on Mount Horeb in order to prepare himself through fasting, prayer, reflection, reading and work to publicly confess Jesus Christ . He is said to have given particular thought to the vanity and worthlessness of everything that people on earth strive for, what aroused in him the desire to die and to enter into eternal life, which is immortal and incorruptible. He had a vision of God and afterwards longed for a revelation even more. He continued to meditate and waited for an opportunity to openly appear as a Christian. Basil's description was clearly based on the prophet Elijah , who in the literature of early Christianity was often understood as the archetype of the ascetic.

Another reason given for Gordius 'departure from the army is Licinius' war against the Christian-friendly Constantine the Great in 314. Licinius wanted to let non-Christians go against his opponent, which is why he removed the Christians from his army beforehand. He also destroyed numerous churches.

In any case, Gordius is said to have unexpectedly returned to Caesarea in 320 to protest against the violation of religious freedom when Licinius continued his pogrom: Gordius is said to have voluntarily stepped into the center of a chariot race in honor of Mars , the god of war , at which the officials were gathered and have criticized the pagan cult. He formulated his confession based on the words in Isa 65,1  LUT and thereby emphasized his voluntariness. Thereupon he was arrested, especially since he is said to have caused a sensation due to his ascetic figure and his unkempt and graceful appearance in terms of hairstyle, beard and clothing and his self-confident demeanor. Then he put himself before the prefect and publicly professed Christianity. His words are given in a translation from 1858 as follows:

“I have returned to show publicly that I do not fear your edicts in the least, but that I loudly confess Jesus Christ as my hope and protector. I understand that you are all beyond cruelty and that is why I came just at this time to fulfill my vows. "

The request of his relatives to at least pretend to sacrifice to the gods fell on deaf ears, according to Basil. He argued to them that death would overtake everyone anyway, but would bear no fruit before God if it came naturally, and instead advised them to also voluntarily martyred. He also did not allow himself to be dissuaded from publicly professing Christianity through threats and severe torture , but rather consoled himself with psalm words. He allegedly even asked for more torture to increase his wages. He is said to have described it as extremely foolish to risk eternal torment and spiritual dangers in order to save his short life in this world. It is said that this behavior led to his condemnation to be executed by beheading . On the way to the place of execution, he is said to have spoken to his executioners about the advantages of knowing Christ. Before the execution he is said to have crossed himself.

Eyewitnesses of Gordius's martyrdom are said to have been among those who listened to Basil's eulogy.

Basilius used the voluntariness of the self-surrender of Gordius in order to present him as exemplary. According to Christel Butterweck (see chapter "Sources"), Basilius was not concerned with a representation of historical reality, but with combining spirituality and social criticism in a certain way, namely in the sense that asceticism does not represent flight from the world, but through reflection to the power of God to give strength for the resistance against unchristian conditions.

Honors

The place Agios Gordios on the west coast of Corfu and the church in the middle of the village are named after Gordius.

Remembrance day

The following churches commemorate Gordius on January 3rd :

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personal data
SURNAME Gordius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Γόρδιος; Gordios
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman officer and Christian martyr
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century
PLACE OF BIRTH Kayseri
DATE OF DEATH at 320
Place of death Kayseri