 SIGNO VINCES |
of the Order of Centurions I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works |
 OPERARE IUSTITIAM |
| SIGNO VINCES |
of the Order of Centurions I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works |
OPERARE IUSTITIAM |
HISTORY OF THE ORDER The Order was established on Michaelmas MMIII as an association of Christians to resist the corruption and error found in the world. It sought to guard the simple Apostolic Faith as had been formulated in the Early Church and was articulated in the early statements of belief and Scripture, to encourage the practice of a simple, ancient form of worship; and encourage members to live by the plain Word of Scripture. The Order follows in the tradition of Constantine's "Torquati", 50 Roman citizen warriors who were called out to form the honor guard for the Labarum - the symbol of Christ's sovereignty in the Legion. Membership in the Torquati was not based on class or family heritage, but upon calling and duty. Membership of the Order, likewise, was designed to be open to anyone who answered the call in accordance with Peter's statement concerning Cornelius the Centurion, "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." The Internet Chapel of the Centurions was consecrated on Michaelmas MMIV. The the Service Branch of the Labarum Guard was activated on 28 October MMV, the Anniversary of the Battle of Saxa Ruba (Milvian Bridge). Finally, the Academy of Centurions Theological School was activated on Michaelmas MMVIII, the Order's fifth anniversary.
HISTORY OF THE CENTURIONS
Many Roman soldiers were Christians. Indeed, the Christian faith spread rapidly in the Army and the XII Legion was known to be the Christian Legion. The earliest known church in the Holy Land is the Chapel of the Centurion of Megiddo. Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the burning of Rome and the persecutions of Christians became policy. From time to time persecutions would come up, other times there was relative peace for Christians. In the persecutions, there were centurions and legionaries who were martyred for the faith. Constantine ended the persecutions, restored Church property, and made Christianity a legal religion; there was a special oath for Christians soldiers in which they pledged allegiance first to the Trinity.
"The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are uniformly spoken of in terms of praise, whether in the Gospels or in the Acts. It is interesting to compare this with the statement of Polybius (vi 24), that the centurions were chosen by merit and so were men remarkable not so much for their daring courage as for their deliberation, constancy, and strength of mind." [Dr. Maclear's NT History].
Shown below are Bible verses about the New Testament centurions. There are also links to additional sites. Following these verses, there are links to "centurions" throughout history.
Cornelius - Centurion of Caesarea Phillipi · Cornelius of Caesarea. (In the Book of Acts beginning in the 10th Chapter and the 1st Verse it is written:) "At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly." [Simon Peter said of Cornelius] "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to him." Commentary
Centurion of Capernaum
· Centurion of Capernaum. ( In The Gospel of St. Matthew beginning in the 8th Chapter and the 5th Verse it is written:) When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion answered, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and the slave does it." When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, "Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you according to your faith." And the servant was healed in that hour. (In the Gospel of Luke beginning in the 7th Chapter and the 1st Verse it is written:( "Then the Pharisees and some of the Scribes came to [Jesus] saying [the Centurion] was deserving for he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue." Scripture Study
Centurion at Calvary
· Centurion at Calvary (Gaius or Lucius Cassius called "Longinus" by tradition.) In the Gospel of St. Luke beginning in the 15th Chapter and the 39th Verse it is written, "So when the centurion saw that [Jesus] had breathed his last he said, 'Truly, this was the Son of God." And in the Gospel of St. Luke beginning in the 23rd Chapter and the 47th Verse it is written, "When the centurion saw what had happened he glorified God, saying, "Certainly, this [Jesus] was a righteous Man" Commentary, The Word of a Warrior, St Longinus
Philippian Jailer
· Philippian Jailer ( The Jailer was likely a veteran soldier who had retired in Philippi and commanded the guards of the city prison. In the Book of Acts beginning in the 16th Chapter and the 23rd verse it is written:) The jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.
In addition to the Centurions and soldiers above who acknowledged Jesus as Lord, the Book of Acts records other Roman soldiers who played important roles in their official capacity in guarding and protecting Paul in his odyssey to Rome. They are part of the great drama of the Early Church and their accounts are shown below.
Julius - Centurion of the Augustan Cohort
· Julius - Centurion of the Augustan Cohort and Paul When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for....(The Storm) The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. [Acts 27] Commentary
Centurion with Prisoners in route to Rome
Tribune Claudius Lysias at Jerusalem
CC-Art.comfs· Tribune Claudius Lysias and Paul (Extract of Acts 22:1 through 26:30] A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea... and took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ (Paul later accosted in the temple and rescued by the tribune Lysias)...When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks. That night the Lord stood near [Paul] and said, "Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.".... ( Lysias, who had initially had Paul bound and ordered his flogging before discovering Paul was a Roman citizen, sent Paul to the Governor under heavy guard to protect him from an ambush. Lysias) wrote a letter to this effect: Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman citizen, I came with the guard and rescued him. Since I wanted to know the charge for which they accused him, I had him brought to their council. I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him"...(at the trial later, the Governor,) Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case." Commentary
The noble army of Martyrs praise thee
"Centurions" Roster by year
See Calendar for selected centurions by day
Michael, Archangel Militant - 29 September - In the beginning
Joshua, Warrior and Judge - ca. BC 1700
Debroah, Prophetess and Leader - ca. BC 1650
Gideon, Warrior and Judge - ca. BC 1400
David, Warrior and King - ca. BC 1063
King David's Mighty Men BC 1063
Nehemiah, Military Governor - ca BC 445
Centurion at Capernaum - [June 22] ca 33
Longinus - Centurion at Calvary - ca 34 [March 15]
Cornelius - Centurion of Caesarea - ca 50 [February 2]
Philippian Jailer, Veteran, - ca 50 [ 19 July ]
Julius - Centurion of the Augustan Cohort ca 59 [October 5]
Thundering Legion - 174
Eustachius - 188 [September 20]
Julian of Brioude (Auvergne), Centurion, Martyr - c.250 [August 28]
Gaianus, Centurion of the Armageddon Chapel - [ca 225]
Maximilian, soldier, martyr March 12, [274]
Ursus and Victory, Soldier of Theban Legion, Martyrs - c. 286 [Sept 30]
Sebastian, Soldier, Martyr - +286 [January 20]
Andrew, Tribune, Martyr and his Men - +286 [August 19]
Maurice and the Thaban Legion - 286 [September 22]
Candice & Exiuperious
Florian Lauriacum in Noricum - May 4 Diocletian Era
Callistratus - September 27th - rule of Diocletian
Luxurius, Camerinus, and Cisellus - August 21 Diocletian Era
Maximilliam of Tebessa in Africa Pronsularis - c 295 [March 12]
Marcellus the Centurion - 298 [October 30]
Achilleus and Nereus, Legionaries, Martyrs - c.300 [ May 12th]
Julius, Soldier, Martyr - +302 [May 27]
Acacius (Agathus), Centurion - 303 [May 8]
Mennas, Legionary & Martyr - 303 [November 11]
Fidelis, Exantus, and Carpophorus - October 28 - rule of Maximiamus
Demetrius of Thessolonica - October 26 - rule of Maximillias
Centurions Sergios and Bacchus - Oct 7 303
Adrian - 304 [March 4]
George the Tribune, Martyr - 313 [April 23]
Theodore Stratelates - 319
Centurio Sempronius & the 40 Martyrs of Sabaste - 320 [March 10]
Theagenes of Parium - c 320 [January 3]
Mercurius of Caesarea in Cappadocia - [November 25th]
Typasius of Tigava - [Jan 11]
Constantine - 337 [May 22]
Legionary Pachomius [May 9] [346]
Victricus, Soldier, Bishop - ca. 404 [August 7]
Maximinus of the Imperial Guard Antioch, Martyr - 25 January 363
Victor or Milan [May 8]
Martin of Tours - 397 [November 11]
Boniface, General - 417 [June 15]
Alexander (Akimetes) Centurion, Abbot - 430 [January 15]
Emeterius and Chelidonius of Calahorra, Spain - March 3
Flavitus, Prisioner of War, Priest and Hermit - +630
Sigebert, Martyr - +637 [September 27]
King Oswald & Aidan 642 [August 5]
60 Martyrs of Gaza - c. 650 [December 17]
another account here
Guthlac, Soldier, Priest and Monk - c. 673-714 [April 11]
Joannicius, Soldier, Abbot - c.754-846 [November 4]
Theophilus the Younger - Prisoner of War, Martyr - 790 [July 22]
Anthemius, Chaplain to the Crusades & Bishop - 8th Century [December 3]
Edmund, King and Martyr - 840-870 [Nov 20]
Alfred, King & Warrior - 849-899 [Oct 26]
Ratho Grafrath of Andechs, Knight, Monk - + 953 [May 17]
Guilbert, Soldier, Monk +962 [May 31]
Henry, Emperor - 972-1024 [July 13]
Ladislas of Hungary, King - 1040-1095 [June 27]
Rodrigo Diaz, "El Cid Campeador" 1043-1099 [July 10]
Peter of Burgo de Osma, Soldier, Bishop - +1109 [August 2]
Hugh of Canefro Genoa, Chaplain, Knights of St John - 1168-1230 [October 8]
Gerald of Villamagna, Crusader, Hermit - c. 1200-1245 [May 13]
Francis, Knight of Assisi 1226
Louis ix, King 1297 [August 25]
Nonius, Knight, Prior - 1360-1431 [April 1]
Ferdinand of Portugal, Knight Crusader, Prince - 1402-1443 [June 5]
John of Capistrano, Prisoner of War, Crusader - 1456 [October 23]
Nicholas von der Flue, Soldier and Hermit - 1417-1487 [March 22]
Jerome Emiliani - Prisioner of War - 1481-1537 [ February 8]
Joan of Arc, Commander, 1431 [May 30]
Ignatius of Loyola, Soldier, Priest and Religious - 1491-1556 [July 31]
Ulrich Zwingli, Minister, Soldier 1531 [11 October]
William the Silent - 1584 [July 10th]
Caspar de Bono, Soldier, Priest and Religious - 1530-1604
Camillus of Lellis, Soldier, Priest - 1614 [July 18]
Peter Muhlenburg, Pastor, Soldier, Statesman - 1807 [October 1]
Lieutenant General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, CSA - 1863 [May 5]
Major General Leonidas Polk, "The Fighting Bishop" - 1864
General Robert E. Lee, America's Finest
Colonel Benjamin E. Caudill, CSA -- Evangelist and Peacemaker AD 1899
Major General Lew Wallace, General, Evangelist - February 15 1905
Sergeant Elijah P. Marrs -- Educator and Minister - 1910
Florence Nightingale, Nurse to Combatants - August 13, 1910
Lt Col John McCrae of Candada
and Remembrance-Veterans Day - November 11th, 1918
Enrico Rebuschini, Soldier, Priest and Religious - 1860-1938 [May 10]
Chaplains of the USAT Dorchester 1943 [February 3]
Bonhoeffer, Von Stauffenburg, & Martyrs, 1945 [May 6th]
Luigi Lorenzi, Lieutenant, Martyr, Italy - 1945 [May 4th]
Chaplain Vasily Martysz - 1945 [4 May] Angelia Maria Tam - Martyr, 1945 [May 6th]
George S. Patton, III - 1945 [December 9th]
2LT CS Lewis: Christian Apologist - 1963 [November 21]
Sergeant Alvin C. York - Christian Hero of the Great War 1964 [September 2]
Chaplain (Ltjg USN) Fogery of the USS New Orleans [December 7]
Major Audie Murphy - Christian Hero of WWII 1971 [May 28]
Captain Sir Edward "Weary" Dunlop, POW, Australian Army Surgeon, WWII
* Dunlop Medical Research Foundation and Biography
Roman, Soldier, Othrodox Monk - 1994 [October 2nd]
Captain Leroy Homer and the Martyrs of the Attack on America, 2001 [September 11]
Private Evgeny of Chechnya - 2002 [August 20th]
Sergeant John R. Cash 2003 [September 12th]
Captain Ronald Reagan - WWII, CiC Cold War - 2004
Lieutenant William F. Buckley, WWII Era, Jounralist & Apologist - 2008
Copyright 2003-2008 | Order of Centurions
