ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS,
EPIPHANIUS BISHOP, DONATUS, RUFINUS, MODESTUS, AND ELEVEN OTHERS.
APRIL 6 AND 7
CommentaryEpiphanius, Bishop, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Donatus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Sixtus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Rufinus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Modestus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Eleven Others, Martyrs in Africa (Saints)
G. H.
Illustrious is the memory of these Martyrs, and
on April 6 and 7: and on the former day Saint Epiphanius, Bishop in Africa, as the leader and standard-bearer of the rest, On the former day Epiphanius the Priest is commemorated is reported in the very ancient Martyrology of Reichenau, or Augia Dives: who is called a Martyr with 13 companions joined to him in the Martyrology of Saint Martin of Trier, or 14 in the Fasti of Rheinau: but concerning this number we must treat when the others have been indicated by their names. In the Manuscript Codex of the monastery of Saint Cyriacus, Rufinus alone is joined, Rufinus, but by error it is written "Epiphania"; since the rest of the Fasti have Epiphanius the Bishop. The Manuscript of Queen Christina of Sweden, cited by Holstenius, has Epiphanius the Bishop, Donatus, Donatus, and 13 others. In the Prague Manuscript these things are found: "Of Epiphanius the Bishop, Donatus, Rufinus, Modestus, and 40 others." In the Barberini Manuscript and the supplement to Bede these things are read: "In Africa the birthday of Saint Epiphanius the Bishop, Donatus, Rufinus, Modestus, and others," Modestus, who in the Manuscripts of Laet and of Saint Martin of Tournai are indicated as eleven, but Rufinus is omitted. In the very ancient transcript of the Martyrology of Jerome, with another Martyr added, these things are reported: "In Africa of Epiphanius the Bishop, Sixtus, Donatus, Sixtus, Rufinus, Modestus, and ten others," who are said to be eleven in the Blumian and Corbie transcripts printed at Paris: for which number in the Lucca codex and the aforementioned Prague one, forty are wrongly written: just as also "Modesta" is in the Corbie one, in all others "Modestus." Notker mentions all the same with eleven companions: who are indicated as twelve in the Liège Manuscripts of Saint Lambert and Saint Lawrence. In the Tamlacht Manuscript are mentioned Epiphanius, Rufinianus, Modestus.
[2] But on this April 7 Usuard begins thus: "In Africa the birthday of Saints Epiphanius the Bishop, Also reported on April 7, Donatus, and thirteen others." The same things are read in Bellinus, Greven, Maurolycus, Felicius, Canisius, Galesinius, and in very many Manuscripts, in some of which fourteen companions are read, as also in the Martyrologies of Cologne and Lübeck printed in the year 1490, and in Peter de Natalibus book 11, number 113. In the present-day Roman Martyrology these things are read in the first place: "In Africa of the holy Martyrs Epiphanius the Bishop, Donatus, Rufinus, and thirteen others." But if Sixtus and Modestus are joined with these other Martyrologies indicated above, with the same it will more correctly be kept to eleven companions only. Baronius adds in his Notes that of what city Epiphanius was Bishop, or when he suffered, he was never able to find. In the Roman Manuscript of the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican are celebrated Epiphanius the Bishop, Donatus, and thirteen others Martyrs in Africa. Masinus, in Bononia Perlustrata, reports on this day that some relics of Saint Rufinus the Martyr are held at Bologna in the church of Saint Dominic: but I would say they are of another, just as also the part of a leg which under the name of Epiphanius Bishop and Martyr is said to have been brought to Prague from Tuscany by the Emperor Charles IV in the year 1370, in the Diary of Relics of the Metropolitan Church of Saint Vitus, recently published by the Dean of the same church.