Nor was this irksome onesto the boy, but he was eager and diligent per these studies

These and other things like them are related onesto Origen when a boy

WHEN Severus began to persecute the churches, glorious testimonies were given everywhere by the athletes of religion. This was especially the case mediante Alexandria, onesto which city, as to a most prominent theater, athletes of God were brought from Egypt and all Thebais according to their merit, and won crowns from God through their great patience under many tortures and every mode of death. Among these was Leonides, who was called the father of Origen, and who was beheaded while his affranchit was still young. How remarkable the predilection of this affranchit was for the Divine Word, sopra consequence of his father’s instruction, it will not be amiss preciso state briefly, as his aspirazione has been very greatly celebrated by many.

MANY things paf casino might be said sopra attempting preciso describe the life of the man while mediante school; but this subject chiazza would require a separate treatise. Nevertheless, for the present, abridging most things, we shall state verso few facts concerning him as briefly as possible, gathering them from excretion letters, and from the statement of persons still living who were acquainted with him. What they report of Origen seems puro me worthy of mention, even, so onesto speak, from his swathing-bands.

It was the tenth year of the reign of Severus, while Laetus was governor of Alexandria and the rest of Egypt, and Demetrius had lately received the episcopate of the parishes there, as successor of ed of persecution had been kindled greatly, and multitudes had gained the crown of martyrdom, such desire for martyrdom seized the soul of Origen, although yet a boy, that he went close to danger, springing forward and rushing esatto the conflict in his eagerness. And truly the termination of his life had been very near had not the divine and heavenly Providence, for the benefit of many, prevented his desire through the agency of his mother. For, at first, entreating him, she begged him to have compassion on her motherly feelings toward him; but finding, that when he had learned that his father had been seized and imprisoned, he was set the more resolutely, and completely carried away with his zeal for martyrdom, she hid all his clothing, and thus compelled him onesto remain at home. But, as there was nothing else that he could do, and his zeal beyond his age would not suffer him esatto be quiet, he sent onesto his father an encouraging letter on martyrdom, per which he exhorted him, saying, “Take heed not onesto change your mind on our account.” This may be recorded as the first evidence of Origen’s youthful wisdom and of his genuine love for piety. For even then he had stored up giammai small resources con the words of the faith, having been trained sopra the Divine Scriptures from childhood. And he had not studied them with indifference, for his father, besides giving him the usual liberal education, had made them per matter of in nessun caso secondary importance. First of all, before inducting him into the Greek sciences, he drilled him durante sacred studies, requiring him to learn and recite every day. And he was not satisfied with learning what was simple and obvious per the sacred words, but sought for something more, and even at that age busied himself with deeper speculations.

So that he puzzled his father with inquiries for the true meaning of the inspired Scriptures

And his father rebuked him seemingly esatto his face, telling him not onesto search beyond his age, or further than the manifest meaning. But by himself he rejoiced greatly and thanked God, the author of all good, that he had deemed him worthy preciso be the father of such per child. And they say that often, standing by the boy when asleep, he uncovered his breast as if the Divine Spirit were enshrined within it, and kisses it reverently; considering himself blessed con his goodly offspring. But when his father ended his life mediante martyrdom, he was left with his mother and six younger brothers when he was not quite seventeen years old. And the poverty of his father being confiscated preciso the royal treasury, he and his family were per want of the necessaries of life. But he was deemed worthy of Divine care. And he found welcome and rest with per woman of great wealth, and distinguished sopra her manner of life and durante other respects. She was treating with great honor per famous heretic then mediante Alexandria; who, however, was born durante Antioch. He was with her as an adopted son, and she treated him with the greatest kindness. But although Origen was under the necessity of associating with him, he nevertheless gave from this time on strong evidences of his orthodoxy durante the faith. For when on account of the apparent skill mediante argument of Paul — for this was the man’s name — per great multitude came to him, not only of heretics but also of our people, Origen could never be induced sicuro join with him in prayer; for he held, although per boy, the rule of the Church, and abominated, as he somewhere expresses it, heretical teachings. Having been instructed durante the sciences of the Greeks by his father, he devoted him after his death more assiduously and exclusively puro the study of literature, so that he obtained considerable preparation per philology ad was able not long after the death of his father, by devoting himself onesto that subject, to earn verso compensation amply sufficient for his needs at his age.