resolved to go together and try to deliver their Pope from the
hands of the relentless Romans. Rising, in one accord, they
went to the house where they were told he had been detained
and boldly assailed it, shouting and causing an uproar.
Amidst the tumult and the confusion that followed, some of
them went straight in and carried Abba Dionysius away.
Taking him to the house where the wedding was to be held
they entreated him to go to safety, telling him that his Church
and his people were in need of his valuable life. Accordingly,
he chose two companions from among them and together
they retired into the desert. There he remained until the fury
of the Emperor was spent.
- While in seclusion, Abba Dionysius remained secretly
in touch with his own Church as well as sister Churches. His
friends brought him news of the strife, and carried back with
them his comforting messages to his sorely afflicted people.
He learned through his trustworthy messengers that, to add
to the physical tortures, the Emperor had given strict orders
to dismiss all Christians from government of ices, regardless
of their rank, their intelligence or their efficiency.
Writing about the persecutions to Fabius, Bishop of
Antioch, he told him sadly about those who are apostatised
through terror, but added: "Many are those also who
remained stalwart witnesses to the glory of the Son of God
to the very end, and thus became pillars in the House of our
God; and the strong foundation on which the Egyptian
Church will ever stand".^5 The intent of this letter was to
strengthen the hearts of the bishop and his people and to
fortify them against what similar torture might befall them. - From his desert abode, Abba Dionysius also
addressed an exhortation on "Martyrdom" to Origen, who
was then imprisoned in Tyre, where he was being tortured, in