ON THE HOLY MARTYRS CELERINUS, LAURENCE, IGNATIUS, MAGNUS, AND MILIANUS.
CommentaryCelerinus, Martyr (Saint) Laurence, Martyr (Saint) Ignatius, Martyr (Saint) Magnus, Martyr (Saint) Milianus, Martyr (Saint)
G. H.
An ancient Martyrology, discovered by us in the Archmonastery of Cassino, written in Lombard characters, today exhibits to us these Saints in these words: "The birth of the holy Martyrs Celerinus, Laurence, Ignatius, Magnus, and Milianus." We celebrated on February 3 Saints Celerina, Ignatius and Laurentinus, Martyrs in Africa, and Saint Celerinus the Deacon Confessor, and we remain in doubt whether the same are here recounted, with two others Magnus and Milianus added—for which perhaps Aemilianus should be substituted, of which name several Saints are found. Aemilian Martyrs in Africa have been related by us on January 26 and February 9. Under the name of "Magnus" various Martyrs also occur throughout the year, but whether these are the same, we cannot divine. Such veneration, then, as these five Martyrs have on this day in the most ancient calendars, that we leave to them with this observation.
ON SAINTS ELEUTHERIUS THE PERSIAN, THEODOSIUS, AND ZOILUS, MARTYRS UNDER KING SAPOR.
FOURTH CENTURY.
CommentaryEleutherius, Martyr, under King Sapor (Saint) Theodosius, Martyr, under King Sapor (Saint) Zoilus, Martyr, under King Sapor (Saint)
The elogium of this Saint the ancient Greek Menology, which by command of the Emperor Basil Porphyrogenitus was published in the 10th century of Christ, exhibits, Saint Eleutherius originating from Persia and is of this kind: "On the same day, April 13. Contest of the holy Martyr Eleutherius the Persian. Eleutherius Martyr of Christ was originating from the region of Persia: and since he was a Christian and loved Christ much, instructed by Saint Simeon, he approached Saint Simeon the Bishop, and from him was more perfectly taught the word of truth. Then, having returned to his own home, he himself also taught others who came to him the things that pertain to the Incarnation of Christ: in what manner, namely, God, not in need of us, wished to become man, that He might save man: he teaches others: and did not on that account change His own essence, because He united it to human nature; but while remaining wholly God, became wholly man. But when Saint Eleutherius was teaching these things, and was converting and baptizing many of the unbelievers to Christ, this came to the notice of the Persians, captured and constant in the faith, who worshipped fire: and by them he was denounced to the King. He was therefore seized, and brought to him. When the King had interrogated him and known his constancy, he delivered him to the Archmagi, commanding them to persuade Saint Eleutherius and induce him to deny Christ. They tortured him with very many torments, variously tortured, he is beheaded. and when they could not turn him from Christ, they cut off his head." Thus far the Menology of Emperor Basil.
[2] In the printed Menaea a memory is made of the holy Martyr Eleutherius the Persian, and in the distich added, with an allusion to the name of Eleutherius (which means "free"), it is said that he could not be reduced to servitude by the deception of others, and so again stood free before the sword:
Ἐλευθέριος οὐκ ἐδουλώθη πλάνῃ Ἐλεύθερος δὲ πρὸς ξίφους ἔστη πάλιν.
Galesinius, citing the Greeks, adds two companions with this elogium: "On the same day, of the blessed Martyrs Eleutherius the Persian, companions are joined Theodosius and Zoilus, who fighting for Christ, obtained the reward of the contest they had so bravely undertaken, having been completed." The same, but from Galesinius, Ferrari celebrates in his general Catalogue. The Milan manuscript Menaea of the Ambrosian library marked with letter O and number 148, and the Turin ones of the Duke of Savoy in a twofold codex, have these: "Day 13 of April. Contest of the holy Martyr Eleutherius the Persian and of Saint Zoilus the Roman, and of the holy Martyrs Theodosia, Basil, and Gerontius." In the manuscript Synaxarium at Paris of the College of Clermont of the Society of Jesus, on the following day April 14, the following is handed down in this way: "Contest of the holy Martyr Eleutherius the Persian and of Zoilus the Roman, and of the holy Martyrs Theodosius, Basilides, and Gerontius." Concerning Saints Basilides and Gerontius, who suffered Martyrdom among the Greeks, we have treated on April 1, and above among the "Passed Over" to that day we have referred these Saints. The printed Menaea congratulate Theodosius Saint Theodosius by the sword, because, unwilling to be persuaded by any reason to offer gifts to the Gods, he was led to receive his reward by the sword, namely the crown of Martyrdom: but to Zoilus the same Menaea applaud because, pierced with darts on a tree, he pierced him who through wood brought corruption or death into the world, namely the demon. In the first there is an allusion to the name Theodosius, and Zoilus slain by arrows, composed from the words Θεὸς and δόσις (God and gift): nor is the second distich without a charming play on words: both sound thus in the Greek:
Θεοῖς προσοίσειν μηδαμῶς πεισθεὶς δόσιν, Ἤχθης, Θεοδόσιε, τὴν ἐπὶ ξίφους δόσιν.
Τόξου βελῶν, Ζώιλε, πληχθεὶς ἐν ξύλῳ, Πλήττεις τὸν εἰσάξαντα τὴν φθορὰν ξύλῳ.
But Zoilus is called "the Roman," because, unlike Eleutherius, he was not born under Sapor, but under the Roman Emperors, as those near Persia were accustomed to be called Romans. Concerning Saint Simeon the Bishop and Martyr, and his fellow athletes, who are also recounted on this day in the Milan and Turin manuscripts, we shall treat with the Roman Martyrology on April 21, and then more fully concerning this persecution stirred up by King Sapor.
[3] Thus far following more certain monuments, we had put an end,
when, about to treat of Saint Hermenegild, we found these same Martyrs transferred into Spain, in vain transferred to Spain and to the times of Nero. and not to any King Sapor, but to Emperor Nero. Tamajus Salazar in his Spanish Martyrology first takes his argument from a certain Greek Menology, taken from the library of Garsia de Loaysa, in which it is read thus: "On the same day, of Saints Eleutherius, Theodosius, and Zoilus, soldiers, who, having left earthly warfare, came to heavenly." The surname "Persian" given to Eleutherius is omitted, and "the Roman" attributed to Zoilus: although Eleutherius is recognized as a Persian in the Chronicles fabricated under the name of Dexter and Julian. In Dexter at the year 290 these things are read: "At Tela, a city of Spain, the holy Martyrs Eleutherius the Persian, Theodosius, and Zoilus." Thus Bivarius printed it: but Tamajus wishes the word "are venerated" to be understood, because in Julianus Petri in the Adversaria, no. 97, these things are read: "In the borders of Celtiberia, in the city of Alce, the holy Martyr Eleutherius with his companions of Munda and Certima (which cities are near Alce), in the persecution of Nero, having suffered for Christ on the Ides of April, exchanged earthly warfare for heavenly. For they were in the garrison of the most ancient city of Alce, placed there by Claudius and Tiberius, of the Third Gallic Legion. Eleutherius was a Persian Primipilus." Tamajus inveighs both against the gloss of Bivarius, because he put Tela in place of Alce, and against the hallucination of Rodericus Carus, because he holds Tela and Alce to be one and the same. We are not moved by these novelties and fictions, and we retain unchanged what we have collected from the ancient monuments.