On the Holy Martyrs of Heraclea,
VICTOR, CHIONIA, AGAPE, HERENEUS, CASTUS.
CommentaryVictor, Martyr at Heraclea (Saint)
Chionia, Martyr at Heraclea (Saint)
Agape, Martyr at Heraclea (Saint)
Hereneus, Martyr at Heraclea (Saint)
Castus, Martyr at Heraclea (Saint)
G. H.
This is the second class of Martyrs, proposed in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome in these words: "In the city of Heraclea likewise of Victor, Chionia, Agape or Agapes, Hereneus." To which is added Castus in the Corbeiensis copy, printed at Paris. For Heraclea also Eraclea and Eracla is read; but where it is situated is not indicated: Ferrarius in his Lexicon enumerates fourteen cities of this name. Many were afflicted with martyrdom at Heraclea in Pontus, and at Heraclea in Thrace, with whom these perhaps are to be joined. In the Reichenau manuscript this is read: "And at Heraclia of Victor, Agape, and Hereneus." In the Labbé manuscript, the city being omitted, is read: "Elsewhere of Victor, Agape, Names of the Martyrs: Irenaeus." For Agape, that Agapitus is reported in the old Calendar of the Canons of Lucca, Florentini relates in his Notes on the Martyrology of Saint Jerome. So also in the Martyrology of Saint Cyriacus, Agapitus and Victor are read: but they are attributed to Thessalonica: where Saints Agape and Chionia, sisters, suffered under Diocletian, who on this day are referred to in the genuine Martyrology of Bede, Rabanus, Wandalbert, and many others, concerning whom with the Roman Martyrology, Usuard, Ado, Notker, and others we shall treat on April 3. Concerning Saint Irenaeus, transferred from here to the Martyrs of Armenia, we have just treated in the preceding class. If it seems to anyone that this class should be omitted, as if Victor belonged to the preceding, and Chionia, Agape, and Irene (for whom the name of Irenaeus was intruded) were sisters who suffered under Diocletian at Thessalonica, so far as we are concerned, it is permitted; whether some confusion is to be feared? especially if it is said that the following class, which is attributed to Thessalonica, should be placed at Heraclea. But until more certain things are produced from ancient monuments, we treat of these here as distinct, both on account of the antiquity of the Martyrologies cited, and chiefly because the three sisters Chionia, Agape, and Irene, afflicted with martyrdom at Thessalonica, are referred to in the said ancient copies of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome on the Nones of April itself. In the Cassinensis Martyrology on April 2 are found Saints Hereneus and Agapitus: whom we think ought to be placed here, leaving it free to the reader to decide otherwise concerning them.