OF EIGHT SEVERE PERSECUTIONS INSTITUTED AGAINST CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS, FROM A. D. 622 TO THE CLOSE OF THIS CENTURYIt behooves us to record here, that from A. D. 622, to the close of this century, various other persecutions and severe oppressions were instituted against those who were called Christian believers, among whom, to all appearance, there were here and there, some who died upon a pure confession of faith; of which persecutions and oppressions of the Christian believers, among others, eight are enumerated, which we will briefly extract from A. Mellinus. Having spoken of the chronology of the Turks or Mohammedans, he proceeds to the year 622, and says Quot;In Italy a new persecution arose against the Christians who resided there, under the Arian King of the Longobards. Quot;In France also some (namely, Christian believers) were made martyrs. Quot;Constantine, the son of Heraclius, having reigned four months, and Heracleonas six months, Constant, the son of Constantine, became Emperor, and reigned for twenty-seven years. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Heraclius, in espousing the cause of the Monothelites, and for the sake of this sect carried on a severe persecution (namely, against those Christians who held different views). 4."In the twenty-eight years during which said three Emperors reigned, the Arabians or Saracens conquered many countries and cities, and put to death a countless number of Christians (namely, of those who lived under said reign). There was also considerable commotion in France and England (understand, on account of the Christian religion). He afterwards says: 5."But in France, during the seventeen years of his reign several were put to death as martyrs."; After this, he speaks of the persecutions which, during the twenty-seven years comprising the reign of Justinian II, and the time of Leontius and Tiberius Apsimarus, arose against the Christians, through the Longobards as well as the Saracens. Finally he says, "Also in France, 6. in England, 7. in Germany, and in Spain 8. many became martyrs at this time." A. Mell., 2nd book, fol. 303, col. 1, 2. What has been remarked concerning the martyrdom of those slain in the years 614 and 628, applies also to the eight persecutions just mentioned; hence, see the above-mentioned notice.
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