ON ST. CAELESTINA THE VIRGIN, AND 800 OTHER MARTYRS.
CommentaryCaelestina, Virgin and Martyr (Saint)
Eight hundred others, Martyrs (Saints)
G. H.
We add this distinguished troop from ancient Martyrologies, one of which was formerly in use in the collegiate church of Saint Mary at Utrecht: in this the following is found: "Likewise Saint Caelestina the Virgin with eight hundred others." The same is found in the Trier manuscript of Saint Martin, and the number 800 is expressed in Roman numerals: for which number Greven in his Additions to Usuard reads only "eighty others." But Canisius in both editions adds only "8 others" in Arabic numerals. Ferrari follows Canisius in the General Catalogue of Saints who are not in the Roman Martyrology.
ON THE 120 OR 150 HOLY MARTYRS,
IN PERSIA, UNDER KING SAPOR.
ABOUT 342.
Commentary120 or 150 Martyrs, in Persia, under King Sapor (Saints)
G. H.
[1] A Greek manuscript Synaxarium of the Paris college of Clermont of the Society of Jesus begins the fifth day of April thus: "Ἄθλησις τῶν ἁγίων ἕκατον ἐίκοσι Μαρτύρων, τῶν ἐν Περσίδι τελειωθὲντων" (The contest of the holy one hundred twenty Martyrs, completed in Persia). The same is read in the printed and manuscript Menaia and in Maximus Cytherius on this 6th of April, and is rendered into Latin by Cardinal Sirlet in his Greek Menology thus: Assigned to April 5 and 6. "Of the holy hundred and twenty Martyrs, crowned in Persia"; to which it is added in the Chiflet manuscript Menaia that they were extinguished by fire. The printed Menaia indicate the same through this distich: cast into the fire.
"If you count those whom the Persian fire consumes, You will find them to be four times and three times ten."
But since four and three times ten only makes seventy, we think something here is corrupt, and the last verse is to be read thus:
"You will find them to be three times four times ten."
And under this correction we render the whole distich in Latin thus, so that they may be 120:
"If you would number those whom the Persian pyre has burned, You will have ten three times four times."
[2] The time and manner of the martyrdom is more fully indicated in the manuscript Menology of the Emperor Basil Porphyrogenitus in these words: captives led away from the Roman Empire, "The martyrdom of the holy hundred and fifty Martyrs, crowned in Persia. Sapor the impious King of the Persians harassed the Empire of the Romans, in the time of Constantius Emperor of the Romans, God permitting this, on account of the stirring up of the heresy of foolish Arius, which the Emperor himself had embraced, with Eusebius, leader of the Arians, urging him. King Sapor therefore, overturning many towns and regions, led away many Christians captive: of whom some were slaughtered, others perished on the journey. Only one hundred and fifty survivors were brought into Persia, bound with chains, and cast into prison, and worn down by constant afflictions for very many days. Then Sapor, having obtained a time free from vain business, ordered a huge heap of wood to be kindled and the holy men to be brought out from prison, and commanded them to deny Christ and worship fire. When they had firmly refused, he ordered them to be cast into the fire, and thus they happily consummated their martyrdom."
[3] Whether indicated by Sozomen, Thus far the Greeks, whom Galesini and Baronius following have inscribed in their Martyrologies in these few words: "In Persia, of the holy hundred and twenty Martyrs." The Menology of the Greeks edited by Sirleto is cited by Baronius: and it is added that they suffered in the region of the Adiabeni, which is in Assyria: that Sozomen treats of these in book 2, chapter 11, at the end, where these words are recorded: "When the edict of Sapor had been confirmed, that only the Priests and Doctors of the Christian faith should be seized, the Magi and their Princes going throughout all Persia afflicted the Bishops and Priests with grievous hardships, both in other places, and most of all in the region of the Adiabeni, or rather by Theophanes? which is a part of Persia wholly devoted to the Christian faith." Thus far there. But here it is not a question of the Bishops and Priests dwelling in Persia; but of Christians led away from the Roman Empire, about whom these words of Theophanes, in the year of Christ 343, 6 of Constantius, seem rather to be understood: "In this year Constantius triumphed over the Assyrians whom he had defeated. But King Sapor added this to his former crimes, that he persecuted his Christian subjects cruelly: and these were the times when the Emperor Constantius showed himself a most zealous patron of the Arian heresy, and Eusebius the Bishop of Nicomedia presided over the conventicle held at Antioch, in which Saint Athanasius was expelled from the See of Alexandria
and George the Cappadocian was substituted in his place. Whether they were 150 or 120. These remarks concern the time; but concerning the number, the controversy remains whether with the accurate description of the Menology of the Emperor Basil the Martyrs are to be reckoned at one hundred and fifty, or with the Menaia at only one hundred and twenty: which we leave to the judgment of the reader. Indeed, many more seem to have been slain in the region of the Romans, Whether more should be added? or to have perished on the journey: concerning whom, because so manifest a profession of the Christian faith in martyrdom is not certain, silence is kept. Concerning the two hundred and fifty Clerics killed under Sapor, besides various Bishops, Priests, and Deacons expressed by their names, we treat below on April 22.