Sergius and Bacchus - Saints and Lovers

[thoth_moon]

Way better than Romeo and Juliet, in my opinion.  And my latest ammunition against "Christians" who say God doesn't like homosexuality (confused the hell out of my grandmother when I mentioned them to her- hehe, maybe I'll have a chance for further elaboration next weekend).  Learn your fucking history, dumbasses!

http://www.mysticcottage.org/tradition/sergius.html

Sergius and Bacchus - Saints and Lovers

October 7th is the Feast Day for Saints Sergius and Bacchus. Within the Christian traditions these two saints are among the most unusual. They burst many beliefs of today.
Saints and Lovers

In approximately the year 303 in the Common Era, two young roman officers joined a new faith. The followers of this faith were referred to as Christos. Without knowing it, they would become an important part of a world religion and shine a light on a tolerance, which once was part of the Christian church. The names of the two lovers were Sergius and Bacchus. Their joy and freedom in the new faith were however short lived. They were soon to suffer a martyr’s death. Their Feast Day is celebrated every year on October 7th.

Today they are revered throughout the Mediterranean. Christian Arab nomads view them as their patron saints. For many hundreds of years, they were the official saints of the Byzantine army.

In several early manuscripts they were referred to as erastai, or gay lovers. They had every thing they could want.  They were privileged young men with officers’ ranks in the Roman army. They were citizens with Roman names. They were popular with the leadership. Sergius and Bacchus had everything two frontier officers could want in far off Syria.

Then they found a faith that they felt could take them deeper and closer to God. They forsook the many gods of the Romans, and one day, refused to attend sacrifices to one of the gods, Jupiter. This enraged the leadership who ordered their belts, insignia and tunics to be cut off and removed.

In women’s garb, as a traditional form of humiliation, they were paraded through the streets with heavy chains. As they suffered their humiliation and pain, they chanted, “We have denied ungodliness and lust. We have left the old form of man behind. We stand naked and rejoice in you, because you have placed upon us the garment of salvation. You have made us your brides with these women’s gowns, and you have joined the two of us together through our faith in you.”

They were scourged by flails and staffs to the point that Bacchus died. Sergius was thrown into a cell for the night. Bloodied and beaten, without his beloved Bacchus near, his faith began to waiver. In his desolation he cried, “Oh my dearest partner in life, I will never again sing with you the hymns we used to sing. Separated from me, you have left me behind on this lonely earth.”

An early biographer wrote that Bacchus then appeared to Sergius, radiant and beautiful. He spoke these words, “My beloved, why do you mourn? My body is not here, but with the bond of my love, I am still with you. Be strong, so you can earn me as your reward in heaven. After this, you will be my crown of justice.”

Torture, and finally beheading, joined the two soldiers who later were to become Saint Sergius and Saint Bacchus.

The language and the actions of these two saints became the foundation for the early liturgy in same sex unions. As these two lovers forsook their lust for all others, it became the ideal for all who entered into this union, as blessed by priests and bishops in the early church. It took a thousand years for the church to end same sex unions, culminating with the ordered prohibitions of these ceremonies by the bishops in the 17th century.

They're not the only ones, but I believe that they are possibly the most famous.  And they support my theory that many modern-day Christians are grossly ignorant about the history of their faith.  These guys were among those who died in those first few centuries, and without whom Christianity may not have gotten off the ground- so how can people who claim to be Christian then turn around and completely condemn people like that?  Wow, what a fucking interesting expression of gratitude, huh?