ON THE HOLY NICOMEDIAN MARTYRS: FIRMUS,
HERENAEUS THE BISHOP, HIMNARUS, SOLUTOR, QUIRIACUS, MOSES, ROMANUS, SUCCESSUS,
QUARTILLA, ROMANA, DONATUS, SIXTUS, VICTOR, QUIRIACA, GAGUS, SATYRUS.
CommentaryFirmus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Herenaeus, Bishop and Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Himmarus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Solutor, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Quirinius, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Moses, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Romanus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Successus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Quartilla, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Romana, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Donatus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Sixtus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Victor, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Quiriaca, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Gagus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Satyrus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
G. H.
This illustrious troop of Martyrs is placed in the first position in the ancient Martyrologies, the name of one of whom is expressed in the manuscript of Utrecht of the Collegiate Church of Saint Mary, in these words: Firmus "At Nicomedia, Firmus, Bishop and Martyr, and twenty-eight others." In some, Firminus. In the Trier manuscript he is called Firminus: the rest agree. Greven in the Supplement to Usuard, and Canisius likewise name him Firminus, and assign him twenty-five companions: but many of these seem to belong to the following classes. In other Martyrologies not Firmus, but his next companion, is called Bishop; and the Vatican manuscript of the church of Saint Peter, the Cassino manuscript, and the Maximinian express this thus: "At Nicomedia, Firmus, Herenaeus the Bishop," who in the Barberini manuscript is written Berenaeus, Herenaeus, or Berenaeus in the Corbie manuscript Aerenaeus: in the Augsburg manuscript of Saint Ulric other companions are joined in these words: "At Nicomedia, Firmus, Herenneus, Romanus, Donatus, Quiriacus." In the Paris manuscript, communicated to us by Philippe Labbe, the second is called Beronnaeus, Romanus, Donatus, Quiriacus, and in both codices four others, who pertain to various classes of Martyrs that follow shortly, are added, omitted here. The memory of Firmus, Romanus, and Donatus is inserted in the Martyrology of Aachen. In the Rheinau manuscript, Solutor and Quiriacus are joined to Firmus. In the Reichenau manuscript Moses is added, Solutor or Salvator, Moses, and the former is written Salvator. Greven, after reporting Saint Firminus with twenty-five companions, commemorates various Saints, and then records these: "Likewise Saints Berenneus, Romanus, Donatus, Clusus, Quiriacus." Concerning Clusus, the Alexandrian priest, we shall treat below. There is also a Donatus Martyr among the African Martyrs, referred to this day but to be placed on the following day with Usuard and the Roman Martyrology.
[2] And thus far we have expressed seven Martyrs by their names from various Martyrologies, to whom others are joined in the Corbie transcript of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, printed thus at Paris: Himnarus, Sixtus, Victor, Gagus. "On the 8th day before the Ides of April. At Nicomedia, Firmus, Heneus the Bishop, Himnarus, Solutor, Quiriacus, Moses, Romanus, Donatus, Sixtus, Victor, Gagus, Satyrus." But with Satyrus omitted, four others are added in the Blumian manuscript in this order: "At Nicomedia, Firmus, Hereneus the Bishop, Himnarus, Salutor, Quiriacus, Moses, Romanus, Successus, Quartilla, Romana, Successus, Quartilla, Romana, Quiriaca. Donata, Xistus, Victor, Quiriacus, Gagus." The same are reported by Florentini from the Lucca codex. But in place of Hereneus is written Hermeus; and the next-to-last is called Quiriaca. In the Epternach transcript Donatus is retained, and in place of Firmus, Himnarus, and Victor, we read Sirmus, Imanus, and Victurus, and again the name Sirmus is interposed, for which "In Sirmio" is to be read, as will be clear from the following class. Therefore, Firmus is to be reckoned the leader of these Martyrs, wrongly called Firminus and Sirmus by others: to whom first is subjoined Bishop Herenaeus, by some Bereneus, and (what we approve less) Hermeus and Heneus. The third is Himnarus, also called Imarus, more rightly perhaps to be written Hymnarus from a Greek origin, then Solutor, by others Salutor and Salvator. He who in most is Donatus, Satyrus. is also read Donata, as for Quiriaca placed at the end, another Quiriacus is also placed. Saturus is added in the single Corbie codex. In the manuscript Calendar prefixed to the works of Saint Isidore of Seville, preserved at Rome among the Fathers of the Congregation of the Oratory in the Vallicella, to Saint Firmus is joined Leontius the Bishop: who either by a grosser carelessness of the copyists was put in place of Herenaeus; or, if he is another, is not yet elsewhere observed by us. In the Irish manuscript of the Church of Tamlacht the memory is recalled of Saints Hereneus, Bereneus, Firmus, Solutor, Quartila, Ciriacius, Moses: and with others interposed, Romanus, Gaius, Donatus, Victor, Sixtus.
Saint Herenaeus, or Irenaeus, Bishop of Sirmium and Martyr, reported by us on the 25th of March, is referred by some to this day, as we suggested above among those Passed Over and deferred to other days. Galesini, with Ecclesiastical Annals cited (but which ones he is silent), has this, not sufficiently proved: "At Nicaea in Bithynia, Saints Firmus, Romanus, Donatus, and Clunius: who under Julian the Emperor, a most bitter enemy of the faith, for the victory of the Christian religion were given the crown of Martyrdom." Ferrari in his General Catalogue copies Galesini. Jacobilli, On the Relics of this City of Terni, writes that the head of this Firmus is preserved at Terni in Umbria in the Cathedral Church.