Martyr Pamphilius the Presbyter and his Companions at Caesarea

Biblical Scholar and the Library of Caesarea

Rather than composing original works of his own, Pamphilius dedicated himself to producing accurate copies of the Scriptures and the texts of Origen, transcribing the greater part of Origen's works with his own hand. He worked on New Testament manuscripts that were distributed widely, and his labors converted many pagans to Christianity.

At Caesarea he founded a renowned theological library, described as second in size only to that of Alexandria. By later report it held more than thirty thousand manuscripts, among them works of Origen, a Hebrew (Aramaic) text known as the Gospel according to the Hebrews, and Origen's Hexapla — believed to be the only complete copy ever made. The collection drew prominent scholars to study there, including, in later generations, Gregory Nazianzus, Basil the Great, and Jerome, who greatly valued his manuscripts. The library was restored by later bishops after the persecutions but did not long survive the capture of Caesarea in the seventh century.

Friendship with Eusebius

Pamphilius's partnership with the historian Eusebius of Caesarea was so close that Eusebius adopted the surname "Pamphili" as a tribute to him. During Pamphilius's two-year imprisonment the two collaborated on an Apology for Origen in five books; only the first book survives, in a Latin translation by Rufinus. Eusebius also recorded the details of Pamphilius's life in a three-book account that has since been lost, but which preserved much of what is known of him.

The Companions

The commemoration honors twelve martyrs together. Valens, a deacon of Jerusalem, was an elderly man well-versed in the Holy Scriptures who had assisted Pamphilius. Paul was ardent in his faith and love for Christ. These three were imprisoned for two years before their martyrdom.

Five young men — Samuel, Elias, Daniel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah — had accompanied a company of Christians condemned to the gold mines of Cilicia; returning toward Egypt, they were detained at Caesarea. Taking the names of Old Testament prophets and declaring themselves citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem when interrogated, they were tortured at length under the governor Firmilian and condemned with the others.

Several more were drawn into martyrdom by their reverence for the condemned. Porphyrios, an eighteen-year-old servant of Pamphilius, asked permission to bury the martyrs' bodies and was burned alive. Seleukos, a former soldier, publicly praised the martyrs and was beheaded. Theodoulos, a man of venerable age and a secret Christian, embraced the condemned and was crucified. Julian, from Cappadocia, venerated the unburied bodies and was burned alive.

Veneration and Legacy

Pamphilius is honored as a saint in both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches; his feast is kept on 16 February. He is remembered above all as a martyr-scholar whose careful copying of the Scriptures and whose library shaped Christian learning for generations after his death.