St. Gregory the Great
Dialogues
The Fourth Book › Chapter Twenty-three: Of the Departure of a Deacon Belonging to the Church of the Marsori.
Chapter Twenty-three: of the departure of a Deacon belonging to the church of the Marsori.[4:26]
Another Deacon also there was in the province of the Marsori, a man of holy life, whom the Lombards had taken, and one with his sword had cut off his head. But as his body fell to the ground, he that slew him was possessed by a devil, and so he fell down at the holy man's feet, shewing thereby that he was delivered to the enemy of God, because he had so cruelly slain the friend of God.
PETER. What is the reason, I beseech you, that almighty God suffereth them to be put to death: whom afterward he doth make known to the world, that they were holy men and his dear servants?
Edition notes (Gardner / P.W.)
[4:26] Chapter XXIII. p. 203. For "Marsori" read "Marsi" (Ecclesia Marsorum). The district indicated is the modern Abruzzi.
Source: Dialogues (Tertullian.org)