ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF MELITENE
HERMOGENES, CAIUS, EXPEDITUS, ARISTONICUS, RUFUS, GALATA, MITINA,
ARMINIA, RUFUS, HILARIUS, ARISTONICUS, FORTUNATUS, CAIUS, DONATUS, MAVILINUS,
CommentaryHermogenes, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Caius, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Expeditus, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Aristonicus, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Rufus, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Galata, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Mitina, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Arminia, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Rufus, another, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Hilarius, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Aristonicus, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Fortunatus, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Caius, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Donatus, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
Mavilinus, Martyr, at Melitene in Armenia (St.)
G. H.
The Latin calendars present an excellent agreement concerning the veneration of the first six Martyrs: whom the three latter manuscripts of the Hieronymian Martyrology indicate thus: On the 13th day before the Kalends of May. Cultus of the six Martyrs in nearly all sacred calendars, In the city of Militana of Armenia, of Hermogenes, Gagius, Expeditus, Aristonicus, Rufus, Galata, crowned on one day. These same things are read in the Martyrologies of Usuard, Ado, Notker, Bellinus, Maurolycus, and of other more recent writers along with the present Roman Martyrology. Indeed Wandelbert, older than Usuard and Ado, concluded all the same in his verses thus:
Gaius, Aristonicus, Rufus, Hermogenes, and Galata.
The thirteenth shines together with Expeditus and the Martyr:
The very ancient Casinese Martyrology lists all, without the place of martyrdom: Birthday of Saints Hermogenes, Gaius, Expeditus, Aristonicus and Rufus. In another Casinese and Altempsian, in place of Rufus, is written Rugus. The Ms. of the Queen of Sweden praised by Holstenius has the following: In the city of Militana of Armenia, the birthday of Saints Hermogenes, Gagius with four others. Thus Gagus, Gaius, and Caius are written interchangeably here and elsewhere, as also the city Melitina, Militina and Militana: which elsewhere we have more often observed. Peter de Natalibus book 11 chapter 130, n. 123 has this: Hermogenes, Caius, Expeditus, Aristonicus, Rufus, Galatas, Martyrs were crowned on one day in Armenia, in the city of Mylittana, namely on the 13th day before the Kalends of May. The Bolognese celebrate (and perhaps with reference to these Martyrs) Saint Caius in the church of Saint James Major on the square of Saint Donatus, whether the relics of this Saint Caius are at Bologna? and in the Confraternity of the poor in honor of the Queen of Heaven, and some of his relics are said by Masini, in his survey of Bologna, to be preserved there.
[2] So far we have treated of the six Martyrs: to whom in the most ancient manuscript of the Hieronymian Martyrology, (which we cited at the beginning of the work, in others 14 are listed? and we have found more accurate than others) eight others are added, and in them that clause "crowned on one day" is absent, but consequently all from the beginning are indicated thus: On the 13th day before the Kalends of May, In Armenia, in the city of Militana, of Hermogenes, Gagius, Expeditus, Aristonicus, Rufus, Galata, Mitina, Arminia, Rufus, Hilary, Aristonicus, Fortunatus, Gagius, Donatus. The Trier Ms. Martyrology agrees in these words: In Militana of Armenia of Hermogenes with twelve others: nay thirteen; since in all there are fourteen. In three other manuscripts of the Hieronymian Martyrology after those words "crowned on one day," the same names are added, but the first is changed, and in place of Mitina is placed Militida, the rest fully agree in the Luccan and Blumian manuscripts, but in the Corbie, printed at Paris, at the end is added Mavilanus. In the Ms. of Aachen the memory of Hermogenes, Gagius, Rufus, Donatus is celebrated. or even 15. And of Fortunatus in the Mss. Augustan and Labbean. In the Ms. Barberini of Rufus and Antonicus, in the writing of the Appendix of the Carthusians of Brussels added to Greven of Antonius, but he above is called Aristonicus.