3 - Great Sabbath

Summary

Two of the earliest martyr narratives, both of which appear to be substantially authentic, place their martyrdoms in Smyrna at a time described as “Great Sabbath”:

Mart. Polycarpi:

1. 8.1: ὄντος σαββάτου μεγάλου

2. 21: σαββάτῳ μεγάλῳ (dated 23 February)

Mart. Pionii:

1. 2: ἐνισταμένου σαββάτου μεγάλου (dated 23 February)

2. 3.6: ἐγεμίσθη πᾰσα ἡ ἀγορὰ καὶ αἱ ὑπερῷαι στοαὶ Ἑλλήνων τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων καὶ γυναικѽν̇ ἐσχόλαζον γὰρ διὰ τὸ εἶναι μέγα σάββατον.

The interpretation of this festal date has long been a subject of controversy, as can be readily discerned from two recent and important discussions: W. Rordorf, “Zum Problem des Großen Sabbats im Polykarp- und Pioniosmartyrium,” in Pietas: Festschrift für Bernhard Kötting, Jahrb. f. Ant. u. Christ. Ergänzungsbd. 8 (Münster, 1980), pp. 245–9; and P. Devos, “Μέγα Σáβατον chez Saint Epiphane,” Anal. Bolland. 108 (1990), 293–306.