ON STS. APOLLONIUS, EPHEBUS, OPTATUS, PATUS, SATURNINUS, FRONTINUS, MACARIA OR MARCIA, CORNELIUS, CONDITOR, TITULUS, PROCULUS, VALENTINUS, PRODUCTUS, LAURINUS, DOMNINA, AND COMPANION VIRGINS AND ST. VALERIAN.
MARTYRS AT INTERAMNA IN UMBRIA.
ABOUT THE YEAR 272.
CommentaryApollonius, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Ephebus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Optatus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Patus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Saturninus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Frontinus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Macaria, or Marcia, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Cornelius, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Conditor, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Titulus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Proculus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Valentinus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Productus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Laurinus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Domnina, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
Companion Virgins, Martyrs at Interamna in Umbria (SS.) Valerianus, Martyr at Interamna in Umbria (St.)
BY G. H.
[1] Ferdinand Ughelli, in volume 1 of Italia Sacra, in the Bishops of Interamna, number 4, while he treats of St. Proculus the first Bishop (whom he asserts is venerated on this April 14, Difficulty arising in these Saints. as we shall see below), adds that writers usually so heedlessly confuse one with another, and the Acts of one with those of another, that what they bring forward generally seems to be more the dreams of a sick head than something from which the truth can be sought. Then, after inserting some things, he says that Ferrari, while he tries to reconcile the writers, spreads denser darkness over the truth. We, on account of the many difficulties that occur about the Saints of Interamna on this day, fearing that we may be sprinkled with a similar stain, first set forth what we find about them in older calendars.
[2] The most ancient Epternach copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology, Names set forth from the Martyrology of St. Jerome. which we have hitherto often produced, after setting forth the first class of the Roman Martyrs, Tiburtius, Valerian, Maximus, Cyriacus, Diocletian, Symphronius and Docimus, of whom we have already treated, adds a second class in these words: "At Interamna, of Apollonius, Fevus, Optatus, Patus, Saturninus, Macaria, Cornelia, Conditor, Titulus, Proculus, Valentinus, Productus, Livinus, Domna the Virgin with her Virgins, Saint Valerianus." In the later copies of the same Hieronymian Martyrology, after the memorial of the Roman Martyrs Tiburtius, Valerian, Maximus, Quiriacus had been set forth, consequently these things are held: "Of Optatus, Patus, Saturninus, Marcia, Frontina, Cornelia, Conditor, Titulus. At Interamna, of Proculus, Valentinus, Prosducus, Laurinus, Domnina the Virgin with her Virgins crowned together, and Saint Valerian." Thus the MS. Corbiense published at Paris. With this the MS. Blumianum agrees; in which, in place of Laurinus, there is Uvinus, who in the earlier copy is Vurnus: with which also Domina, in place of Domnina, is written. In the Lucca copy Pertina, Tatulus and Domna are read, in place of Frontina, Titulus and Domnina or Domina. Absent in these are Apollonius and Fevus, who in the earlier copy occupy the first place. In the same codex also Macaria, Frontinus and Productus are held: in others Marcia, Frontina and Prosducus. And hitherto the Martyrology of St. Jerome in four copies.
[3] Memorial in other Martyrologies. From the aforesaid Martyrs these names, without the place being indicated, are inserted in the very ancient MS. Martyrology of Tallaght in Ireland, namely Fiœbus, Apatus, Patius, Saturninus, Prontius, Martia, Cornelia, Conditor, Titulus, Proculus, Valens, Producus, Liurnus, Domnina with her Virgins crowned, Valerian. Only Apollonius is missing, in whose place Apatus seems to be written erroneously: and the remaining names, inscribed here and there not accurately, can easily be compared with others. In other MSS. some of their names are: and indeed in the MS. Richenoviense of Apollonius, Proculus, Valentinus, Marcia. Only Apollonius is in the MS. Rhinoviense. In the Augsburg MS. of St. Udalricus and in Labbe's Paris MS. is the memorial of Proculus, Optatus, Cornelia. In the MS. of Trier of St. Maximinus, of Valerianus and Optatus. In another of the same monastery, of Saturninus. In the MS. Barberiniano, after Bede's elogium of SS. Tiburtius, Valerian and Maximus, the memorial of Valerianus and Optatus is added, and then it is said: "At Interamna, of Proculus, Valentinus." In the Martyrologies of Cologne and Lübeck, published in the year 1490, these things are held: "At Interamna, of BB. Proculus, and Mephibius and Apollonius, disciples of St. Valentine the Bishop and Martyr, decapitated under the Consular Hennucius." These same things are nearly read in Greven in his Additions to Usuard. He who is here called Mephibius is in others Ephebus; also called Phebus, Fiœbus and Fevus. St. Valentine is venerated on February 14, by whom the said SS. Apollonius, Ephebus and Proculus were converted, whose Acts we gave on February 16: when they are venerated with solemn office in the Church of Interamna.
[4] Concerning SS. Proculus and Domnina, Usuard, Ado, and Notker hold these things: "At Interamna, of St. Proculus the Martyr. Likewise of St. Domnina the Virgin, crowned with her companion Virgins." Very many MSS. agree: and particularly SS. Proculus and Domnina, but Domnina is also written Domna, Donna, Domina, and more erroneously in the MS. of the Carmel of Cologne Dympnia Virgo, "with companions in the fires," in place of "with Virgins," crowned. The same things are held by Peter de Natalibus, Bellinus, Maurolycus, Felicius, Galesinius, Canisius with the Roman Martyrology published in the year 1586. In whose later editions, with the title of Bishop added, it is thus read: "At Interamna, St. Proculus Bishop and Martyr. Likewise St. Domnina Virgin and Martyr, crowned with her companion Virgins." But the Martyrologies hitherto produced stand against this, in which that Proculus is placed who was killed with Apollonius and Ephebus, and
with them (unless we are much mistaken) the others enumerated here; whom we therefore keep together in the title. For, since in the ancient Life of St. Valentine the Bishop, illustrated on February 14, it was treated of the baptism of SS. Proculus, Ephebus and Apollonius, it is added in number 10, that through these a multitude of scholars flowed together to Christ, so that Abundius, the son of the Prefect of the City, was drawn in mind, and with all fullness of faith proclaimed himself with public voice to be a servant of Christ. Then the indignation of nearly all the Senators was inflamed: and St. Valentine was seized, and beaten with rods … was decapitated, by order of the furious Placidus, Prefect of the City. In this furious indignation, two months after the Martyrdom of St. Valentine, they were killed about the year 272. we think these Martyrs were killed on this April 14 about the year 272. Five hundred bodies of holy Martyrs are preserved in the church of St. Valentine, Iacobilli writes in his Index of the Relics of Umbria, page 53.
[5] Baronius in his Notes on this day thinks that there ought to be two Valentines Bishops of Interamna, and likewise two Proculi: "for the other Valentine," he says, "is found to have suffered in the times of the Gentile Emperors, as is clear from his Acts, in which mention is made of Proculus and his companions." So it is: Of St. Proculus the Bishop, we must treat elsewhere. but he is said to have come from Greece to Latin studies, and is nowhere called a Bishop, of whom and his companions we treat here. We said on the Kalends of January, among those passed over, that St. Proculus the Bishop of Interamna is referred to that day by Galesinius and Ferrari; and that he is venerated at Bologna on June 1 with another Proculus the soldier; but at Interamna on December 1, because on such a day the translation of his body was made, and we promised to treat of him on the Kalends of June, when it will be further permitted to inquire whether two Proculi are to be established as Bishops of Interamna, which, after the doubt proposed by Baronius, began to be done first by some; and Ferrari wishes the second Proculus to be celebrated on this day, against whom Ughelli contends that on this day the first Proculus must be venerated.
[6] So that an end might be put to this quarrel, in the recently fabricated Chronicle of Dexter the aforesaid Martyrs are attributed to Spain in the years 160 and 175, Controversy from Pseudo-Dexter. whence these words Tamayo Salazar brings forward in the Spanish Martyrology: "At Interamnium Flavium in Spain, the passion of SS. Proculus, Domnina the Virgin with some other Virgins, who embraced martyrdom with the faith most fiercely defended": and he diligently seeks how that town is now called. But we are unwilling to adhere to these little fables.
[7] Cultus of St. Domnina April 15 Ferrari in the General Catalogue, from the tables and Martyrology of Interamna, on April 15 holds these things: "At Interamna in Umbria, of St. Domnina the Virgin and her companion Martyrs." We have treated this city more at length on February 14.