Saint of the Day – 5 May – St Maximus (Died c350) Bishop of Jerusalem and Confessor, Defender of the Faith. He was the third Maximus to become the Bishop of the See of Jerusalem. Also known as – Maximus III (of Jerusalem)..
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Jerusalem, the Bishop and confessor, whom the Caesar, Maximian Galerius, condemned to work in the mines, after having plucked out one of his eyes and branded him on the foot with a redhot iron.”
Our Saint today St Maximus, lived during a turbulent period for the early Church, under the reign of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. In a climate of fierce persecution against Christians, he did not hesitate to publicly confess his faith, drawing upon himself the wrath of the persecutors.
He was a Priest in Jerusalem and it is said that he was so popular among the people for good character and for being a confessor that, when Saint Macarius attempted to appoint him as the Bishop of Lydda, the populace insisted upon his retention in Jerusalem. Upon St Macarius’ death, Maximus became the Bishop of Jerusalem and was present in 335 at the first Council of Tyre. During St Athanasius’ return from exile, circa 346, Maximus convoked a Council in Jerusalem of sixteen Bishops who welcomed Athanasius. Socrates Scholasticus recorded that Maximus “restored communion and rank” to Athanasius, Athanasius receiving support against the Arians and Maximus advancing the desire of the Bishops of Jerusalem to have their See become equal in status, to the metropolitan See of Caesarea, a desire later achieved in 451.
For his unshakable faith, Maximus was subjected to cruel torture – one of his eyes was gouged out and one of his feet burned with a redhot iron. Despite the atrocious suffering, he would never renounce his faith in Jesus Christ, truly demonstrating admirable strength of spirit and resistance.
With the advent of the Constantinian peace, Maximus was finally freed from slavery and able to return to Jerusalem. In recognition of his heroic resistance, he was elected Bishop of the City, succeeding St Macarius (St Macarius is he who accompanied St Helena in her search for the True Cross and arranged and superintended all in relation to the True Cross. See image below). His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/10/saint-of-the-day-10-march-saint-macarius-died-c-335/
During his Episcopate, Maximus found himself facing the theological controversies of the time, in particular the Arian heresy. At first, he was a little deceived by the heretical positions of Arius but soon, thanks to careful study and judgement, he realised the serious error contained in the Arian position on the Natures of Christ and the Trinity.
Saint Maximus died in peace in Jerusalem in c350, leaving as a legacy to the Church, a shining example of fidelity to Christ and courage in the face of persecution. His memory is venerated on 5 May, the day of his Liturgical Feast.
St Jerome says Maximus’ intended successor was Heraclius, whom Maximus had named upon his death bed but that Acacius (the Arian Bishop of Caesarea) and St Cyril deposed Heraclius and Ordained St Cyril as the Bishop. Regardless of how the succession came about, St Cyril and St Acacius would become bitter enemies during the next few years, disagreeing both in the Arian controversy and in terms of the precedence and rights of each See.
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