25 October - Chrysanthe was the son of an illustrious man from Alexandria, Senator Polemius, who moved with him to Rome at the time of the Emperor Numerus. Having completed his elementary studies, Chrysanthe began to study philosophy. But remaining dissatisfied with what he found there, he discovered with wonder the Gospel, the book of Wisdom personified.
Guided by Providence, he soon found the guide he was looking for in the person of the priest Carpophorus who was hiding in a cave because of persecution. He was initiated by him into the mysteries of the Faith and received the new birth through Baptism. After returning to the city seven days later, he began to preach Christ, much to the displeasure of his parents. Polemius first tried to change his mind with the promises of pleasures and riches; then, having failed, he locked him up in a dark dungeon, hoping to defeat his will through hunger. As he saw his son strengthened by fasting and retreat, on the advice of a friend, he installed him in a beautifully decorated room and sent young girls to defeat him with their kisses and caresses. But Chrysanthe remained insensitive to their charms, invoking God for help and reminding her of the example of the chastity of Patriarch Joseph. And every time the fornicating girls approached, they were overwhelmed with a heavy sleep. Polemius was then recommended a young and beautiful virgin, from Athens and skilled in philosophy, named Daria. She was presented to Chrysanthe, adorned in magnificent finery, and she tried to catch him in his net of charming speeches. Chrysanthe responded by presenting her with the prospect of death and the Last Judgement; then, as she tried to remind him of the honour due to the gods, the true philosopher easily refuted her arguments by showing her that there is nothing more contrary to reason than to worship the elements, earth, water and fire, giving them human forms. On hearing these words, Daria also fell in love with true wisdom, and they decided to simulate a marriage, so that they could live in virginity until death and prepare for a chaste marriage in heaven. Then they began to preach fervently to the youth of Rome, leading many young men and women to keep their virginity for God.
The pagans became alarmed and denounced them to the prefect Celerinus, who ordered their arrest and handed Chrysanthe over to the tribune Claudius. Taken before the temple of Jupiter, he refused to sacrifice and was bound with nerves of oxen soaked in water, so that as they dried they slowly penetrated to the bones. But God delivered him and miraculously saved him from other torments imagined by his oppressors. He was thrown into a dungeon, and the dungeon shone with divine light. He was subjected to the rods, and they became as soft as feathers caressing him. Claudius then recognised the power of God with all his family: his wife Hilaria, and his sons Jason and Maur, as well as the soldiers who were under his command, and he asked the saint to instruct them. They prepared for baptism by giving thanks to God and declared themselves ready to suffer all kinds of torments for His Name. On hearing this angry Numerian ordered Claudius to be thrown into the sea with a stone around his neck, and to behead his sons and soldiers. Some Christians laid the bodies of the holy martyrs in an underground place near the Via Salaria, where Hilaria set up night-lights and prayed in front of their tombs. When soldiers came to arrest her, she asked them to go and pray one last time before the graves of the Holy Martyrs and there she gave her soul back to the Lord. Her servants buried her there and later built a small church.
Fearing that conversions would multiply, the emperor had Chrysanthe locked up in the terrible Mamertine prison, filthy and full of filth, and sent Daria to a bawdy house. But the Lord visited his saints once again, surrounding Chrysanthe with light and unspeakable perfume, and sending a lion to protect Daria from the assaults of fornicators. The Saint prevented the beast from devouring the first of them and, appealing to her reason with gentleness, she succeeded in converting him to Christ, while the lion stood guard at the door. Other men were brought in by the lion, and they too were converted when they heard the words of Daria. After that, as Celerinus had set the entrance on fire, Daria sent the animal back into the wild and stood ready for his final battle.
Chrysanthe and Daria were subjected to new torments, without any result, and were finally thrown alive into a pit and covered with stones and earth. This is how they completed their martyrdom and joined the Kingdom of Heaven. The following year, as Christians gathered on the spot to celebrate the memory of their birth in heaven, Numérien ordered the entrance to the grotto where they had gathered to attend the Holy Liturgy celebrated by the priest Diodorus and the deacon Marien to be blocked off. They all received Holy Communion while the soldiers filled the place with earth from above, thus joyfully joining Chrysanthe, Daria and their companions.
