13, verse 5, he said: "There was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given
unto him to continue forty and two months". And what he
had predicted came to pass. Three and a half years after
Emperor Valerianus had started persecuting the Christians,
he was taken prisoner by Sapor, king of Persia, after a battle
on the borders of the Persian empire. He was most
inhumanly treated, then flayed alive. Thus he met his death
in a horrible way.
- The persecutions ceased with the death of
Valerianus, but Alexandria was left a prey to famine and
plague. And to make matters worse, two prefects disputed
the Augustal honour. Thus civil strife was added to the
already stricken people.
Easter was approaching, and, having returned to
Alexandria Abba Dionysius sent his Paschal letter to
Christians everywhere.l3 In this letter he lauded the Christian
charity that had been shown by many priests and laymen
toward: the afflicted, both Christian and non-Christian, of
Alexandria He described their works as "a light in the
darkness of misery and deprivation". Then he went on to
exhort his flock to celebrate the Resurrection in a spirit of
more love and kindliness, and greater compassion, in
obedience to the injunctions of the Risen Lord.l4 - By this time Abba Dionysius had become quite worn
out with all the hardships he had to endure, the continuous
and valiant struggle he had to put up to keep the ire of the
Christian faith burning. Also, he was getting on in years.
Like old Simon, in Luke 2:29, he desired to depart in peace.
But there still remained for him another defence to
accomplish before his mission on earth would be ended.
Paul of Samosata, a native of Alexandria, was raised to the