On the Holy Armenian Martyrs
PARTHENUS, QUINTIANUS, VICTOR, SECUNDUS.
G. H.
CommentaryParthenus, Martyr in Armenia (Saint)
Quintianus, Martyr in Armenia (Saint)
Victor, Martyr in Armenia (Saint)
Secundus, Martyr in Armenia (Saint)
The beginning of this month is taken in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome from various Martyrs, distributed into four bands or classes; of which the first contains four Martyrs, who suffered in Armenia. The name of the first of these is Partenus, Parthenius, Partherus, Partinus, Pastinus; and, what departs further, These Martyrs Fortunus. The second is called Quintianus, Quintinianus, and Quiricianus, but very rarely. The third and fourth, in ancient manuscripts. Victor and Secundus, with constant reading. The two first, Parthenus and Quintianus, are referred to in the manuscripts Cassinensis, Altempsianus, of the Vatican of St Peter, of Paris communicated by Philippe Labbé, of Augsburg, and Corbeiensis. But Parthenus and Victor are celebrated by Canisius in the German Martyrology. These two, with Quintianus interposed, are mentioned in the manuscripts of Reichenau, Rheinau, the Trier manuscript of Saint Maximinus, and another of Altempsianus; with whom almost agrees Greven in his supplement to Usuard. All four are referred to by Notker and Bellinus, published at Paris in the year 1521; in favor of whom stand various copies of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome; and in the Epternach one, indeed, inscribed nearly a thousand years ago, these things are read: "In Lesser Armenia, of Partenus, Quintianus, Victor, Secundus." Victor being omitted, the other three are mentioned in the manuscripts Barberinianus, the Ado of Liège of Saint Laurence, and in the Florarium of the Saints.
[2] Thus far with great consensus these Martyrs are reported as having suffered in Armenia: indeed in our manuscript, alone but most ancient, they are distinctly located in Lesser Armenia. Some manuscripts mix them with others. Thus the Aachen manuscript: "The birthday of Saint Quintianus Martyr, in Armenia, of Venantius and Anastasius the Martyrs, of Pastinus, Victor." Of which Quintianus, Pastinus, and Victor pertain here. Of Saint Venantius we have treated separately. In the Trier manuscript of Saint Martin, Quintianus, Venantius, and Anastasius are also joined; and in the Utrecht manuscript of the Church of Saint Mary, Quintianus and Anastasius. The matter appears difficult to us, with Anastasius, placed in three manuscripts in which Secundus is lacking, and in two Partenus and Victor; whether Anastasius is to be joined namely whether Anastasius has perhaps been intruded in the place of these. A similar controversy is with Galesinius, who has this: "In Armenia of the holy Martyrs Quintianus and Irenaeus"; and in the Notes a Greek codex is alleged. But we find no similar one anywhere, and we reckon that through a slip of the pen or some other fault of the scribe it has been so written. and Irenaeus? Perhaps "Greek Codex" crept in for "manuscript Codex," in which Irenaeus, from the Heraclean Martyrs of whom we shall presently treat, was transferred here. Meanwhile Baronius, following Galesinius, and citing the Menology, joined the same, and assigned them to Armenia. If anyone wishes to join Irenaeus and Anastasius to the others, so far as we are concerned, it is permitted.