Desire for Martyrdom
The ardent, lifelong desire to seal one's faith with blood, as exemplified by Cornelius a Lapide and by Basil's readiness to die. Lapide's desire for martyrdom was "divinely implanted from his very first novitiate" and persisted throughout his life. He distinguished four martyrdoms: religious life, sicknesses, studies, and blood.
Preliminaries
-
THE LIFE OF CORNELIUS A LAPIDE.
— Lapide's desire for martyrdom, "divinely implanted from his very first novitiate," persisted throughout his life.
"The most ardent desire to undergo martyrdom, divinely implanted from his very first novitiate, he always so persistently retained that he unceasingly besought that crown for himself with all his vows."
-
THE LIFE OF CORNELIUS A LAPIDE.
— In 1604, Lapide nearly achieved martyrdom at Aspromont when Dutch cavalry attacked; he was saved while carrying the Eucharist to protect it from heretics.
"He had almost already clasped it in his hands in the year 1604, when, staying near the shrine of Our Lady of Aspromont... a Dutch cavalry unit fell upon the place unexpectedly on the very feast of the Nativity of Our Lady"
-
THE LIFE OF CORNELIUS A LAPIDE.
— Lapide's prayer to the Prophets asking them to obtain for him "the fourth martyrdom, that of blood" after bearing three other martyrdoms.
"obtain for me, I beseech you, as a crowning gift the fourth martyrdom, that of blood. I have exhausted for you my vital and animal spirits; I shall exhaust my blood also."
-
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Basil welcomed death and even torture: fire, sword, wild beasts, and claws are "a pleasure and a delight rather than a terror."
"Death, moreover, will be a benefit to me: it will send me more quickly to God, for whom I live and in whose service I am engaged"