Martyrs

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

DONATUS, CYRIL, EUGENIUS, EUSEBIUS AND MARINUS

Donatus, Martyr (Saint)

Cyril, Martyr (Saint)

Eugenius, Martyr (Saint)

Eusebius, Martyr (Saint)

Marinus, Martyr (Saint)

G. H.

We have long hesitated in doubt concerning these Martyrs, because various Martyrs of these names are found on other days throughout the year. But since nowhere else are they joined together, we at last determined to set them before the reader, on account of the authority of the very ancient Martyrology, which in an ancient Lombardic hand we found and caused to be transcribed at the most celebrated archmonastery of Monte Cassino of the entire Benedictine Order. In it these things alone are read on this day: "On the seventh day before the Ides of April the Birthday of the holy Martyrs Donatus, Cyril, Eugenius, Eusebius and Marinus the Martyr." Whether the last is to be separated from the rest on account of the name "Martyr"; or whether this was added by later hands, is not clear. There will perhaps be those who obtain similar Martyrologies, even fuller with added time and place of martyrdom, from which greater light may be shed on these Martyrs. Others from the said Martyrology we give on April 9 and 10.

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

RUFINUS THE WONDERWORKER DEACON, AQUILINA THE YOUNGER AND 200 SOLDIERS,

AT SINOPE ON THE EUXINE SEA,

ABOUT THE YEAR 310

Rufinus the Wonderworker, Martyr at Sinope in Cilicia (Saint)

Aquilina the Younger, Martyr at Sinope in Cilicia (Saint)

Two Hundred Soldiers, Martyrs at Sinope in Cilicia (Saints)

BY G. H.

After Diocletian and Maximian Herculeus, having exercised the highest slaughter upon Christians, abdicated the Empire in the year of Christ 304; the Emperors and Augusti became Julius Constantius Chlorus and Galerius Maximian Herculeus; of whom the former was content with the Gauls and Britains, the latter possessed the rest of the Roman world, and took as partner in his cares and Empire Severus and Galerius Maximinus, In the persecution of Maximinus these Martyrs suffered, the son of his sister. Italy was handed over to Severus; the East was permitted to Maximinus. He stirred up a most cruel persecution against Christians, in which the Saints mentioned in the title are handed down to have attained the glorious crown of martyrdom in the very ancient Menology of the Emperor Basil Porphyrogenitus, and on April 7 these things are read.

[2] Rufinus the Deacon, On the same day the Contest of the holy Martyrs Rufinus the Deacon and his companions. Under the reign of the impious Maximinus, with a grave persecution stirred up against the Christians, whoever confessed Christ, having been apprehended by the worshipers of idols, and tormented with many tortures, was at length delivered to death. At that time there was Rufinus, a Deacon of the Church of Christ, who, when he was teaching many the name and faith of Christ, was thrown into bonds, Aquilina, and cast into prison. But a certain Christian matron, named Aquilina, when she was caring for him and providing for him, was also held in prison. These two, brought before the Governor, were afflicted with various tortures. But when they performed many miracles, 200 soldiers. they incited two hundred soldiers to embrace the faith of Christ. Wherefore the Governor burning with anger ordered all to be killed with the sword. Then the lictors led all of them bound to the place of execution, and cut off the head of each, who even to the end gave thanks to God.

[3] Thus far the Menology of the Emperor Basil, from which the rest of the Menaea and Greek Fasti borrow much light, and in turn confer something, when they treat of individual matters consequently. And firstly they begin from Saint Rufinus, Rufinus beheaded, whom they name a holy Martyr Deacon in the great Menaea both manuscript and printed, together with Maximus Bishop of Cythera ἐν βίοις ἁγίων. In the printed Menaea these verses are joined:

Σφαγῆς λογιθεὶς ὡς πρόβατον Ρὁυφῖνος, Σφάττει παλαιὸν, τὸν διαβόλον, λὺκον.

Counted a sheep for slaughter, Rufinus Glories in having slain the ancient wolf, the devil.

[4] The second is the Holy Martyr Aquilina the Younger, with hands bound behind her back, and burned with flames. Aquilina scorched, As is handed down in the said Menaea and in Maximus of Cythera. Why she is called "the Younger" or ἡ νέα, will be more conveniently said below. For the rest, the various tortures with which she was afflicted are set forth through flames, by which the front part of the body, namely the chest, breasts, etc., was scorched: whether her martyrdom was then consummated by having her head cut off, is not clear. The scorching aforesaid is alluded to in these verses copied from the Menaea:

Ὀπισθόχειρα σχινίοις στρεβλουμένην Ἐμπροσθίως φλέγουσι τὴν Ἀκυλίναν

With her hands twisted behind with hard ropes, From the front they scorch Aquilina with flames.

[5] In the third place are placed in the same Menaea and in Cytheraeus, the holy two hundred Martyrs, who at Sinope, struck by the sword, ended their lives. 200 Martyrs struck with the sword: These alone Martyrs Sirletus inscribed in his Menology, and with him cited they are reported in the present-day tables of the Roman Martyrology. Galesinius with this eulogy

adorns them: "In the town of Sinope, of the most blessed Martyrs, two hundred in number: who after many labors of the contest endured, at length struck with the sword, for their notable testimony of faith were granted the eternal reward." These things taken from Galesinius are extant in the second edition of the Martyrology published in German by Canisius. And these are adorned with a distich in the Menaea in this manner:

Ἀνεῖλεν ἀνδρῶν ἐικάδας δέκα ξίφος, Οἷς ἀνδρικὸς νοῦς, ἀνδρικὴ καὶ καρδία

The sword took away ten times twenty men, Who had a manly mind and a manly heart.

[6] In the Manuscript Synaxary of Paris of the Clermont College of the Society of Jesus, joined together, and in the manuscript Menaea preserved at Milan in the Ambrosian library and marked with the letter O and number 148, they are joined together thus: "On the same day the contest of the holy Rufinus the Wonderworker, and of the holy Martyr Aquilina, and of the holy two hundred Martyrs who suffered with her." The time has been indicated above, under the reign and persecution of Maximinus. suffered at Sinope, The place is said to be the formerly episcopal city of Sinope, situated on the Euxine Sea, by some ascribed to Paphlagonia, by others to the province of Helenopontus.

[7] From these two hundred, and from the Aquilina named with them, are altogether different those concerning whom in a double manuscript codex of the Menaea, preserved at Turin in the library of the Duke of Savoy, we found and transcribed the following: "And the contest of the holy Martyr Rufinus the Deacon, other 200 soldiers with Aquilina under Decius, and of the holy Martyr Aquilina and of the two hundred Saints who completed martyrdom with her. These had been sent by the impious Emperor Decius to apprehend the holy Martyr of Christ Christopher: but seeing the miracles which this Saint was performing, they believed in Christ, and confessing his divinity before the tyrant, by his command were beheaded." Which are more fully set forth in the Great Menaea on May 9 in the eulogy of Saint Christopher: converted by Saint Christopher "Two hundred Imperial guards having been sent to him, he was taken, and while he was being led to the Emperor, he carried a staff in his hand, which beyond all expectation suddenly began to sprout. The soldiers had failed on the way for provisions, which Christopher, when an Angel appeared, supplied abundantly to his guards: by which miracle all were converted to the Christian faith, and together with Saint Christopher were baptized at Antioch by the most sacred Martyr Babylas, where Christopher was called from Reprobus. When they had come to the Emperor, he ordered two harlots, Aquilina and Callinica, to enter to Christopher, that they might draw him to lasciviousness and the worship of idols. But the contrary was done. For they, taught the Christian faith by Christopher, abandoned the idols, and openly professing Christ before the Emperor, having been cruelly scourged and having overcome other torments, bore away the crown of martyrdom. Then sentence of capital punishment having been pronounced on the two hundred soldiers, when they had fallen reverently at the feet of the Saint, all were struck with the ax."

[8] Thus there, but, as I said, plainly of other Saints than those celebrated on this day at Sinope on the Euxine Sea under Maximinus about the year of Christ 310, likewise another Aquilina on June 13. since Saint Christopher and others in Lycia near the Mediterranean Sea under Decius about the year 250 were crowned with martyrdom. Although, however, this Aquilina converted by Christopher (of whom and Saint Nicaea the Roman Martyrology makes mention on the 24th, and to whom the Latin Acts of Saint Christopher join only forty soldiers) — although I say this Aquilina is about sixty years earlier than she whom the Menaea call the Younger: on whose account the first is called the Younger. yet we think this surname was added by reason of another Aquilina, only about twenty years earlier, who in the year of Diocletian 7, of Christ 290, under the Proconsul Volusianus, after various tortures was beheaded, venerated on June 13. For of this Aquilina there exist proper Acts, and her cult is most celebrated among the Greeks: but the memory of the first one under Decius hangs entirely on Saint Christopher, who by the fame of his name brought it about that the names of the women converted by him and crowned before him should not be altogether obscure; yet this does not seem sufficient, that in such regard another Martyr, very famous in her own right, should have been called the Younger: and therefore we more willingly compare her with that more celebrated one who has her own proper office and feast in the Greek Church.