Temporibus Claudii, praesidente vicario Ulpio Romulo magna persecutio orta est in Christianos. Erat quidam praepositus magisteriae potestatis, et in occulto Christianus, timens Deum, et credens in virtute Domini Iesu Christi, quotidie in absconditis suis orationibus et ieiuniis epulabatur et elaemosynis. Hic ante Claudium aspectum non recedens, sed si quos vidisset e Christianis ad necem trahi, vel ad custodiam publicam, occulte confortabat, et quantum ei, largiebatur victum in carceribus, ministrabat et vinculis et custodiis. Hoc audito Claudius rex iratus iussit eum teneri et ante conspectum suum adduci, cui ita dixit: "Tu es vir ille Censorinus deorum cultor, aeternae maiestatis semper affabilis ? Mansuetudo nostra nullam servientem sibi despexit, sed in culturam deorum semper nos rempublicam gubernantes propagamus." Tunc Censorinus respondens dixit: "Ego testimonium dico de domino Iesu Christo: quia ipse est verus Deus: quia crucifixus est et sepultus: et resurrexit ipsis videntibus, qui eum crucifixerunt: quia praedixerat quod post mortem viveret; et videntibus illis ascendit in coelum. Hic nostris temporibus dignatus est venire a Patre in uterum Virginis: qui quidem sic dignatus est descendere ad terras ut coelum non desereret." Tum iratus Claudius dixit: "Insanis Censurine" et iussit eum propter militiae consortium Hostiae in custodia mancipari. Ille autem in custodia et in vinculis obligatus Deo laudes die noctuque canebat.
During the reign of Claudius II Gothicus, when a vicarius named Ulpius Romulus was in command, a large-scale persecution against the Christians began. There was a certain commander with magisterial power, who was secretly a Christian, fearing God, and believing in the virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ, every day in his secret prayers, and he observed fasting and gave alms. The presence of the Emperor did not deter him, but when he saw that some from the Christian community were dragged to a violent death or to prison, he secretly comforted them, and - as much as he could - catered for their wants in jail and tended to the chains and guards. When king Claudius heard this, he was enraged and ordered that he be arrested and taken to him, and then said to him: "So you are that man Censorinus, worshipper of the gods, always kind to the eternal majesty? There is nothing of service that our clemency has not respected, but through the worship of the gods we always preserve those who govern the state!". Then Censorinus replied and said: "I bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ; because He is the true God; because He was crucified and buried; and He arose from the dead, which was seen by the very people who crucified Him; because He predicted that He would live after dying; and as they watched, He went to heaven. He deemed it worthy to descend from His Father to the womb of the Virgin in our days; but He deemed it worthy to descend to earth in such a way, that He would not leave heaven". Then Claudius, enraged, said: "You are crazy, Censorinus!", and ordered that he be put into custody at the military outpost of Ostia. He however sang the praises of the Lord day and night, in captivity and constrained by chains.
In ea civitate erat quaedam virgo ex genere regiae potestatis nomine Aura: quae multas iam persecutiones experta ex inscriptionibus, fuerat damnata, cum viris religiosis et sacris virginibus in praediolo suo vacabat. Haec quotidie ad sanctum Censurinum die noctuque veniens omnia victualia ministrabat: cuius et vincula manu sua abluens. Oculos et faciam suam lavabat. Erant enim et in eodem loco sanctus Maximus presbyter et Archelaus diaconus: qui quotidie sacrificia Deo cum hyminis et laudibus offerebant. Praeterea Maximus presbyter tanta mirabilia in nomine Domini Iesu Christi exercebat: ut dum quis (l. is ) introisset ad beatum Censurinum: statim vincula de manibus et pedibus ei solvebantur. Tunc aperiens os suum beatus Maximus coepit dicere ad custodes: "Fratres derelinquite daemones et idola varia: et cognoscite Dominum Iesum Christum perpetuum regem: qui fuit ante saecula et est: et venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos et saeculum per ignem. Nam coelum et terra transeunt: Dominus vero meus Iesus Christos nunc et semper et in aeternum erit". Custodes dixerunt ad Maximum presbyterum: "Et quid faciemus, ut cognoscamus hunc, quem tu praedicas ?" Maximus presbyter dixit: "Baptizetur unusquisque vestrum: et credite in Christum Deum: et idola vana derelinquite, et poenitentiam agite: quia nescientes blasphemastis nomen eius sanctum: et multos sanctos ipsius interemistis." Tunc Felix, Maximus, Taurinus, Herculanus, Nevinus, Historacinus, Menna, Commodius, Hermis, Maurus, Eusebius, Rusticus, Monaxius, Armandinus, Olympius, Eipros et Theodorus tribuni (l. tribunus) decem septem miserunt se ad pedes beati Maximi ut baptizarentur: qui mox consuetudinem et baptizati sunt, et acceperunt gratiam Christi. Tunc sanctus Quiriacus episcopus Chrismate Christi eos perunguens signavit illos verbis fidei.
In that city was a certain girl of royal descent called Aura, who had already experienced many persecutions resulting from accusations. She had been condemned, and lived on a small estate that she owned, with God-fearing men and holy women. She visited the holy Censorinus daily, during the daytime and at night, and took care of his livelihood. She cleaned his chains with her own hands, and washed his eyes and face. Now in that same place were also the holy Maximus the presbyter, and Archelaus the deacon, who made daily sacrifices to God in the form of hymns and praises. Moreover Maximus the presbyter worked miracles of such a magnitude in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that as soon as he had joined the blessed Censorinus, the chains were released from his hands and feet instantly. Only then did the blessed Maximus open his mouth, and did he address the guards: "Brothers, abandon the demons and all those idols, and recognize the Lord Jesus Christ, the perpetual king, who has always existed and lives, and who will come to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire. For the sky and the land will pass, but my Lord Jesus Christ will live now and always and for all eternity". The guards asked Maximus the presbyter: "And what should we do, so that we can acknowledge what you preach?" Maximus the presbyter replied: "Let each of you be baptized, and believe in Christ, our God, and abandon the meaningless idols and do penitence, because you have reviled His holy name unknowingly, and killed many of His saints". Then Felix, Maximus, Taurinus, Herculanus, Nevinus, Historacinus, Menna, Commodius, Hermis, Maurus, Eusebius, Rusticus, Monaxius, Armandinus, Olympius, Eipros and Theodorus the tribune, all seventeen of them, threw themselves at the feet of the blessed Maximus, wishing to be baptized. And soon they were baptized in the usual way, and received the grace of Christ. Then the holy Quiriacus the bishop, anointing them with the unction of Christ, made them familiar with the words of the faith.
Sutor autem erat in eodem loco: cuius filius eadem hora mortu fuerat. Transeunte autem beato Quiriaco et Maximo et beata Aura, lamentabatur sutor in morte filii sui. Tunc beatus Maximus presbyter dixit ad sutorem: "Tu crede in Deum Iesum Christum coram omnibus nobis: et tu vives et filium tuum recipies." Ille autem cum lachrymis dixit: "In quo credam: quem a iuventute meo blasphemavi ?" Respondit beatus Maximus: "Poenitentiam age: quia Deus poenitentium est non reddens secundum peccata nostra: sed faciet secundum suam magnam misericordiam." Sutor autem dixit: "Ego credo in Deum Iesum Christum." Tunc beatus Maximus baptizavit eum in nomine Patris et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti: et dum accepisset signum Christi gaudens et exultans deduxit beatum Quiriacum et Maximum presbyterum ad filium suum. Tunc beatus Quiriacus episcopus dixit: "Domine Iesu Christe qui dignatus es formam servi suscipere: ut nos de servitute diaboli liberares: qui Lazarum iam poenitentem (l. foetentem) suscitare dignatus es: et filium unicum viduae redonasti: ostende super hunc famulum tuum tuam misericordiam: ut cognoscat et Deum vivum, et verum, creatorem nostrum in regeneratione sua: quia tu regnas in saecula saeculorum." Et cum omnes respondissent Amen: revixit qui erat mortuus: et coepit loqui dicens: "Ego vidi Deum Iesum Christum reducentem me de tenebris ad lucem." Tunc cathechizavit eum: et cum baptizatus esset et accepisset signum crucis: suscepit eum beata Aura: erat enim annorum decem qui resuscitatus est nomine Faustinus. Eodem tempore nunciatum est Claudio: quia mortuus suscitatus fuisset per orationem sanctorum: et dixit Claudius: "Hoc non est praeter artem magicam." Et vocavit ad se vicarium urbis nomine Ulpium Romulum: cui haec praecepsit dicens: "Sacrilegam Auram quae obscuravit genus regiae potestatis suae: et cum magicis artibus desiderans semper habitare, poenis constringe: ita ut si sacrificaverit et crediderit diis deabusque: vivat et inscriptio mea firmata aboleatur: aut qui inventi fuerint cum ea societate participes simul poenis crucientur."
Now in that same place was a shoemaker, whose son had died at that very moment. The shoemaker was lamenting the death of his son, when the blessed Quiriacus and Maximus and the blessed Aura passed by. Then the blessed Maximus said to the shoemaker: "You there, believe in Jesus Christ our God in the presence of us all, and you will live and receive your son!" But he said in tears: "In what should I believe? In something that I have reviled since my youth?" The blessed Maximus replied: "Do penitence, because God does not respond to our repentance according to our sins, but acts according to his great compassion". Then the shoemaker said: "I believe in Jesus Christ our God". Then the blessed Maximus baptized him in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and when he had received the sign of Christ, delighted and rejoicing, he took the blessed Quiriacus and Maximus the presbyter to his son. Then the blessed Quiriacus the bishop said: "Lord Jesus Christ, who has deemed it worthy to take the shape of a slave, so that you could liberate us from the servitude to the devil, who has deemed it worthy to raise Lazarus, already stinking, from the dead, and who returned to a widow her only son! Bestow your compassion on this servant of yours, so that he may experience the living God, the true God, our Creator, in his own regeneration, for you rule for all eternity". And when all in their turn had said Amen he who was dead lived again, and he started talking and said: "I have seen Jesus Christ our God, taking me back from the darkness to the light". Then they instructed him in the faith, and when he had been baptized and had received the sign of the cross, the blessed Aura took him under her care, because the resuscitated boy, called Faustinus, was ten years old. At the same time it was reported to Claudius that a dead person had been resuscitated through the prayers of the holy ones. And Claudius said: "This can only have been done through magic". And he summoned the vicarius Urbis called Ulpius Romulus, whom he informed, saying: "Hold the sacrilegious Aura in check through punishment. She has beclouded her royal descent, and wishes to live permanently with magical practices. If she will have sacrificed to the gods and goddesses and confided in them, then she will live and the accusation brought by me will be withdrawn. On the other hand, those who will be found to participate in that association will be punished and tortured at once".
Veniens (autem) Ulpius Romulus in civitatem Hostiam iussit omnes sanctos custodia mancipari. Diluculo autem surgens iussit sibi beatam Auram repraesentari: cui sic dixit: "O insania magicae artis quae in te floret: quid egisti ut perderes regiam maiestatem et natales claros obscurares ?" Beata Aura respondit: "Ego obscuravi daemones et deserui idola vana, et manufacta, et cognovi unicum Deum vivum, et verum, et Deum Iesum Christum Filium eius: qui venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos: et patrem tuum diabolum una cum Claudio vos in tenebris habet damnare". Vicarius Romulus dixit: "Inducta ad insania magicae artis desere vanitates istas et consule generositati tuae". Beata Aura insufflavit in faciem vicarii dicens: "Miser si scires Deum creatorem coeli, et terrae: non proferres ex ore tuo blasphemies". Iratus autem Romulus vicarius iussit eam in eculeo suspendi: et cum attraheretur nervis: facie alacris, et speciosa coepit dicere: "Gratias ago tibi Domine Iesu Christe: qui me de inferis ad sublimia caelestia dignatus es sublevare". Et dixit Romulus: "Ubi est ? Quem praedicas Christus tuus liberet te". Beata Aura respondit: "Ego digna non sum, sed ille qui dignatus est me de caligine mundi eripere, potens est te et Claudium destruere". Et dum hoc dixisset confractus est eculuens; et depositam exinde iussit eam fustibus caedi sub voce praeconia dicens: "Sacrilega Aura noli blasphemare deos, et regnum gubernatores". Illa autem dicebat: "Benedictus es Domine Iesu Christe quem ego iam video". Tunc Romulus ad ministros dixit: "Date flammas ad latera eius" et cum applicatae fuissent flammae; gaudens voce clara et facie speciosa dixit ad Romulum: "O infelix! pudor tibi non est conspicere membra genitricis tuae in cospectu ignibus assari ?". Romulus dixit: "Tua infelicitas haec meretur; quae deseruisti deos immortales et regiam potestatem, et desiderasti magicis artibus coinquinari." Tunc semiustam iussit retrudi in custodiam.
Ulpius Romulus went to the city of Ostia and ordered that all the holy ones be put into custody. Getting up at dawn he ordered that the blessed Aura be brought before him. He said to her: "What mad predilection for magic pervades you? Which need has made you squander your royal majesty and becloud your illustrious lineage?" The blessed Aura replied: "I have beclouded the demons and abandoned the man-made, worthless idols, and I have recognized the only living God, the true God, and Jesus Christ, our God, his Son, who will come to judge the living and the dead, and to condemn the devil, your father, who, together with Claudius, holds you in darkness". Romulus the vicarius said: "You have a mad desire for magic! Give up those false beliefs and focus on your nobility!" The blessed Aura blew into the face of the vicarius and said: "You poor man! If you knew God, the creator of heaven and earth, your mouth would not utter such blasphemies". But Romulus the vicarius, enraged, ordered that she be fixed to the wooden horse. And while they stretched her sinews with force she said, with a cheerful and beautiful face: "I thank you Lord Jesus Christ, who has deemed it worthy to lift me from the underworld to the lofty heavens". And Romulus said: "Where is he, your Christ, who according to you will liberate you!" The blessed Aura replied: "I am not worthy, but He who has deemed it worthy to carry me away from the obscurity of the world, has the power to destroy you and Claudius". And when she had said this the wooden horse broke in pieces. When she had been taken down from the apparatus he ordered that she be beaten with clubs, saying, with the volume of a public crier: "Sacrilegious Aura, do not revile the gods and those who govern the state!". But she said: "Blessed is the Lord Jesus Christ whom I can already see!". Then Romulus said to his assistants: "Hold flames next to her sides", and when the flames were burning she said to Romulus, happy, in a clear voice, and with a beautiful face: "Unhappy man! Are you not ashamed to watch how my members are being roasted by fire, when you think of your mother?" Romulus said: "Your unhappiness deserves these things. Because you have abandoned the immortal gods and your royal descent, and because it has been your desire to be contaminated with magic." Then he ordered that she, half-burned, be thrown back into prison.
Et iussit adduci Maximum presbyterum, et Archelaum diaconum; quibus, et dixit: "Per vos et doctrinam vestram blasphemantur nomina deorum, et circumducitis homines, ut non credant secundum morem antiquitatis". Respondit Maximus presbyter et dixit: "Non nos seducimus homines: sed quantum gratia Dei donat per ipsum nostrum Iesum Christum liberamus de errore saeculi; et mancipamus nomini sancto eius". Tunc Romulus dixit: "Isti quidem digni sunt morte". Et iussit Quiriacum episcopum, et Sanctum Maximum presbyterum, et Archelaum diaconum et omnes milites ad arcum ante theatrum capite caedi. Quorum corpora iussit iactari in mare. Quos beatus Eusebius collegit et ad littus maris, et in campo abscondit et sepelivit iuxta urbem in crypta via Hostiense. Taurinum, Herculanum etiam Portu Romano abscondit. Beatum Theodorum tribunum posuit in mausoleo suo et omnes alios collegit, et posuit eos iuxta corpora sanctorum Quiriaci episcopi et Maximi presbyteri.
And he ordered that Maximus the presbyter and Archelaus the deacon be brought before him, and to them he said: "Through you and your teachings people revile the names of the gods, and you deceive people, so that they do not believe according to the ancient customs". Maximus the presbyter replied and said: "It is not us who mislead the people, but as much as the grace of God allows through that very Jesus Christ our God, we liberate from worldly mistakes, and we handle property in His holy name". Then Romulus said: "These men should die". And he ordered that Quiriacus the bishop, the holy Maximus the presbyter, Archelaus the deacon and all the soldiers be beheaded near the arch (of Caracalla) in front of the theatre. He ordered that their bodies be thrown into the sea. The blessed Eusebius collected the bodies, hiding them near the sea-shore, in the fields, and burying them near Rome in the necropolis of the Via Ostiensis. He secretly buried Taurinus and Herculanus in Portus Romae. He put the blessed Theodorus the tribune to rest in his own mausoleum, and collected all the others, and put them to rest near the bodies of the holy Quiriacus the bishop and Maximus the presbyter.
Post dies quinque iussit sibi Romulus beatam Auram repraesentari. Quae cum affuisset aspectibus Romuli gaudens dixit ad eum: "Miser quid perdidisti dies tuos ? Cognosce creatorem tuum Christum Filium Dei et noli adorare lapides vel aes aut aurum vel argentum: sed adora Dominum Iesum Christum Crucifixum: qui resurrexit tertia die et ascendit in caelos: inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos, et saeculum per ignem". Cui respondit Romulus: "Modo videbis Christum tuum: quem credis si non sacrificaveris diis". Beata Aura dixit: "Bene dixisti miser, et aliquando protulisti veritatem ex ore tuo dicens nihil, si non sacrificavero daemoniis fuerat victus." Iussit ut lapide maxillae eius coederentur diutissime. Clamabat autem Beata Aura dicens: "Gloria tibi Domine Iesu Christe, quia merui inter servos tuos cognominari". Romulus dixit: "Iam consule generositati tuae, et adora deos, et sacrifica et accipe virum saecundum natales tuos". Cui fiducialiter Beata Aura voce clara dixit: "Ego virum habeo dominum coeli et terrae Iesum Christum, quem tu miser negasti te scire, sed cognoscis daemones qui cor tuum insania et rabie impleverunt". Iratius Romulus eadem hora iussit ante conspectum suum plumbatis eam deficere. Quae cum diu caederetur magis confortabatur, et dedit in eam sententiam, lapidem magnum ligari iussit ad collum eius, et praecipitari in mare. Cuius corpus sanctus pervenit ad littus. Beatus vero Nonnus collegit corpus eius et sepelivit in praedio ipsius, ubi habitaverat foras muros portae Hostiae nono Calendis Septembris.
After five days Romulus ordered that the blessed Aura be brought before him. When she was standing in front of him she rejoiced and said: "Unhappy man, why have you been wasting your days? Recognize your creator Christ the Son of God, and do not worship stones, bronze, silver or gold, but worship the Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified, who rose from the grave on the third day and ascended to heaven, from where he will come to judge the living and the dead, and the world through fire". Romulus replied: "In a moment you will see your Christ, in whom you believe if you will not have sacrificed to the gods". The blessed Aura said: "Well spoken, unhappy man, and for once the truth has come from your mouth, when you say that he was not overcome at all, if I will not have sacrificed to the demons". He ordered that her jaws be beaten with a stone for a long time. The blessed Aura cried out: "Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ, because I have deserved to be called one of your servants!". Romulus said: "Now focus on your nobility, worship the gods, sacrifice, and accept a man in accordance with your descent". Confidently and with a clear voice the blessed Aura said to him: "I have a man, the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus Christ, whom you, unhappy man, have refused to know. Instead you recognize demons, who have filled your heart with madness and rage". Romulus, enraged, ordered that she be disheartened by the scourge with lead balls, immediately, in his presence. But the longer she was beaten the more she was strengthened. And he sentenced her, ordered that a large stone be tied around her neck, and that she be thrown into the sea. Her holy body washed ashore. But the blessed Nonnus collected her body and buried her on her own estate, where she had lived, outside the walls and the gate of Ostia, on 24 August.
Tum Romulus tenuit Sabinianum quendam agricolam loci illius, et coepit ab eo quaerere facultates Beatae Aurae dicens: "Sacrilega Aura quae magis elegit per magicas artes mori quam vita nobiscum frui, tuae amicitiae semper fuit communis. Thesaurum eius vel ornamenta ante conspectum nostrum declarare festina, et sacrificia diis, et vive et humiliare secundum iussa principum". Sabinianus dixit: "Ego vero semper humilitates doctus sum a Sancta Beata Aura, quae me docuit confiteri dominum meum Iesum Christum, qui natus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Vergine. Nam aurum aut argentum vel margaritas non me habere scias, nisi dominum Iesum Christum". Romulus dixit: "Succurre tibi, et occultos thesauros principum redde, et sacrifica diis, et recede ab insania falsa". Sabinianus dixit: "Ego quidem mereor caedi pro peccatis meis, sed gratias ago Domino meo Iesu Christo, et credo me idoneum esse ad cognoscendam eius misericordiam, etiam qui mihi dignatus est sua gratiam in baptismo donare. Nam hoc scias aurum temporale me non habere, ac daemoniis cervices meas non flectere. Fac quod vis". Iratus Romulus iussit ut cum plumbatis cervices eius tunderentur, sub voce praeconia: "Deos et deas principum blasphemare noli".
Then Romulus detained Sabinianus, a farmer from her estate, and he started demanding from him her fortune, saying: "The sacrilegious Aura, who preferred to die through magic, rather than to enjoy life with us, has always enjoyed your friendship. Now quickly bring to our presence her fortune and jewels, and sacrifice to the gods, and live and be humble according to the Imperial orders". Sabinianus said: "But I have always been taught to be humble by the holy, blessed Aura, who taught me to acknowledge my Lord, Jesus Christ, who was born from the virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit. And you should know that I do not have gold or silver or pearls, except for the Lord Jesus Christ". Romulus said: "Do yourself a favour, and return the hidden treasure of the Emperor, and sacrifice to the gods, and give up the false madness". Sabinianus said: "No, I deserve to be beaten for my sins, but I thank my Lord Jesus Christ, and I believe that I am capable of recognizing his compassion, He who has even deemed it worthy to bestow his grace on me through baptism. And you should know that I do not have this temporal gold, and that my neck does not bow for demons. Do what you want". Romulus, enraged, ordered that his neck be beaten by the scourge with lead balls, and in a very loud voice said: "Do not revile the gods and goddesses of the Emperors!"
Eodem die audiens hoc beatus Hyppolitus senex obtulit se in conspectu Romuli, cui ita voce clara dixit: "O miser si scires, non cruciatibus dares cervices sanctorum, sed te ipsum humiliares, et crederes Deo, et Domino Iesu Christo, et servis eius, et non lapidibus vanis, et metallis". Iratus Romulus praecepit, ut pedibus et manibus legatis in foveam vivus mergeretur. Beatus vero Hyppolitus dum mersus fuisset in foveam ante muros Portus Romani, vox audita est per spatium horae unius, quasi infantium clamantium, deo gratias. Romulus dixit: "Hoc insania magicae artis esse cognosco".
On the same day the blessed Hippolytus, by now an old man, who had heard this, visited Romulus, to whom he spoke as follows, in a clear voice: "Unhappy man, if only you knew, you would not torture the necks of the holy ones, but be humble yourself, and believe in God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and his servants, and not in fruitless stones and metal". Romulus, enraged, gave instructions that he be plunged alive into a pit, with shackled hands and feet. But when the blessed Hippolytus had been thrown into a pit in front of the walls of Portus Romae, a noise was heard during a period of one hour, sounding like children thanking God aloud. Romulus said: "I recognize this as the madness of magic".
Tunc cum furore clamante coepit dicere: "Hic Sabinianus qui captus est cupiditate magicae artis, et libidine thesaurorum in momento eum confringam, aut avellam a terra, si non se humiliaverit diis, et sacrificaverit eis". Quibus dictis iussit eum fustibus caedi, sub voce praeconia: "Redde thesauros principum, et humilia te diis a quibus gubernatur res publica". Ille autem dicebat: "Gratias ago tibi Domine Iesu Christe, qui dignatus es me cum servis tuis sociare". Cum vero diu caederetur, firma et alacris facies eius esse videbatur. Iratus Romulus iussit eum in eculeo levari, et cum attraheretur nervis sub voce praeconia, nihil aliud agebat nisi gratias Domino Iesu Christo. Romulus dixit: "Insanit et securus est de magicis consiliis", et iussit ut flammis ureretur. Et cum applicuissent flammas ad eius latera, coepit Romulus clamans dicere: "Iam consule tibi, et redde thesauros". Beatus Sabinianus gratias agebat Deo dicens: "Domine accipe spiritum meum", et hoc cum dixisset, emissit spiritum. Cuius corpus iussit in puteum iactari. Eodem tempore veniens quidam Concordius presbyter noctu levavit corpus de puteo et sociavit beatae Aurae sub die quinto Calendas Ianuarias. Regnante Domino Nostro Iesu Christo, cui est gloria, et imperium in saeculo saeculorum. Amen.
Then, enraged, he started shouting and said: "This Sabinianus who is consumed by a desire for magic and a longing for riches, soon I will break him in pieces or tear him away from the earth, if he will not have been humble before the gods, and will not have sacrificed to them". After having said this he ordered that he be beaten with clubs, and said in a very loud voice: "Hand over the treasure of the Emperor, and be humble in front of the gods who govern the state". But he said: "I thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, who has deemed it worthy that I join your servants". And although he was beaten for a long time, his face remained steadfast and cheerful. Romulus, enraged, ordered that he be hoisted on the wooden horse, and while his sinews were stretched with force and Romulus was shouting at him, he kept thanking the Lord Jesus Christ. Romulus said: "He is mad and happy with his magical plans", and ordered that he burned by flames. And when they had taken the flames to his sides, Romulus started shouting and said: "Now do yourself a favour, and hand over the treasure!" The blessed Sabinianus thanked God and said: "Lord accept my spirit". And when he had said this, his spirit left his body. Romulus ordered that his body be thrown into a well. At that time a certain presbyter called Concordius arrived, who lifted his body from the well and placed it next to the body of the blessed Aura on 28 December. This happened during the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power, forever. Amen.
'In Memoriam' card from the church of S. Aurea in modern Ostia Antica.