ON STS. DIDYMUS THE PRESBYTER, QUINTUS, PANCRATUS, AND SUCCESSUS,
MARTYRS AT ALEXANDRIA.
CommentaryDidymus, Presbyter, Martyr at Alexandria (St.)
Quintus, Martyr at Alexandria (St.)
Pancratus, Martyr at Alexandria (St.)
Successus, Martyr at Alexandria (St.)
G. H.
This is another band of Martyrs, concerning whom in the Martyrology of St. Jerome printed at Paris these things are read: At Alexandria, the birthday of Saints Didymus the Presbyter, Memorial in ancient Martyrologies. and elsewhere Quintus, Panchratus, Successus. The same is held in the apographs of Echternach, Blumian, and Lucca of the same St. Jerome, omitting the words "Birthday of the Saints," and Pancratus, not Panchratus, is written. In the very ancient MS. Barberini Martyrology these things are handed down: At Alexandria of Saints Didymus the Presbyter, Quiricus, Pancratus, Successus: but "Quinti" is better said in the MS. Ado of St. Laurence at Liège and in the MS. Florarium: omitting everywhere the interpolation "and elsewhere," perhaps better, because the word "Saints" placed before in the Paris edition indicates that companions are to be assigned, at least one. In the MS. of Aachen, with the place omitted, they are joined thus: Didymi, Quinti, Pancrati, Successi. In the MS. of Tamlacht the same four are referred to; and Didymus is called Presbyter, who alone is referred to by Notker and in the MS. of Reichenau, and is assigned to Alexandria with three others. Galesinus begins this day thus: Claudianus is not to be joined to them, On the Nones of April, In Egypt of the Holy Martyrs Didymus, Quintus, Claudianus and others. He cites MS. Codices and Annals of the Saints which we have already said he had in a very corrupt form, when we treated of St. Claudianus and his companions who suffered at Nicomedia: St. Jerome, placing them in the first position, added in his Martyrology those who suffered in Egypt, Sts. Marcianus, Nicanor, and Apollonius, whom, together with the Roman Martyrology and the Greeks and other Latins, we have deferred to June 5: then in the third place are referred these Saints who suffered at Alexandria. But Galesinius made out of these three bands one confused mixture, not without confusion. Galesinius's error was carried over into the second edition of the German Martyrology: nor Marcianus, and another Claudianus is left who suffered at Nicomedia: which does not please. Greven took Marcianus from the said second class; and called Didymus, not Presbyter, but Confessor: and to these two he added Quintus. Only Didymus and Quintus are held in the MSS. of St. Udalric of Augsburg, and of Paris communicated to us by Labbaeus.