prison, full of comfort and cheer, ending with these most
touching and admirable words: "Take heed, my beloved
father, and change not your resolution because of us".^5
When Leonidas was martyred, his possessions were
confiscated, a customary practice with the Romans. Origin,
his mother and his brothers were left penniless. Again
Providence intervened. A rich and remarkable woman,
whose name is unknown, took them under her wing, and
enabled Origen and his six brothers to continue their studies.^6
- At the age of eighteen, the martyr's son attained
manhood. His precocious mind was already ripe, and his
heart overflowed with tenderness. Young as he was, Abba
Demetrius appointed him Dean of the School of Alexandria.
He transformed it into a veritable School of Martyrs. Those
of his disciples who sealed their faith with their blood were
countless. The young teacher visited them in their prison,
accompanied them to the tribunal of their persecutors, and
followed them to the very spot of their martyrdom, then
under the very eyes of their executioners, gave them the Kiss
of Peace, remaining by their sides until they commended
their spirits into the Hands of the Father.^7
The enemies of the Faith were so stupefied at such
courage that they did nothing to him. Yet one day they
dared lay hands on him and carried him into the temple of
Serapis. There they shaved his head for him after the fashion
of the pagan priests, then, putting some palm branches in his
arms ordered him to distribute them among those present.
The young Christian hero took the palm branches and with a
firm loud voice declared: "Come, receive these palms, not as
the palms of a temple consecrated to the service of idols, but
as the palms of Jesus the Christ”.^8 He escaped death by a
miracle, God preserving him for other works and other
combats.