Βαβύλας

Bishop of Antioch↗. When Numerianus -- or some say Decius¹ -- was prompted by some demon to go into a crowded church,² Babylas stood in front of the door and kept him from coming in, saying that as far as it was in his power he would not allow the wolf to go in among the flock.³ Numerianus at once backed off from the door, either sensing the sedition in the crowd or changing his mind for some other reason. But he was not happy about the bishop's opposition, so after he went back to his quarters at the palace he summoned him to his presence and brought an accusation against him for hindering him. He then ordered Babylas to sacrifice to the deities if he wanted to avoid a trial on this charge. The bishop spoke in his own defense against the charge and responded to the challenge, first of all, that for him as a shepherd it was entirely appropriate feel strongly about his flock. Moreover, he said that he would not turn away from the real God and sacrifice to destructive falsely-named deities. Then Numerianus, seeing that Babylas was not persuaded, ordered that he be bound by chains and fetters and taken off to his death by beheading. As Babylas was being led off to die, he answered in the words of the Psalm: "My soul, turn to your rest, for the Lord has made you prosper."⁴ They also say that there were three boys, brothers by birth, all very young, that had grown up in Babylas's household. The Emperor seized them also and, because they refused to sacrifice even though induced to by all kinds of threats, the Emperor ordered that they should be beheaded. When they came to the appointed place, Babylas stood before them and encouraged them not to tremble or to draw back from their deaths. And he proclaimed as they were being beheaded, "Look, I and the children God has given to me."⁵ Then he offered his own neck to the sword, bidding those who collected the bodies to bury the chains and fetters with him, "so that they may adorn me as I lie there," he said. And they say these [chains] are still with him.