African Martyrs

ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS

SERVANUS, ARAIACUS, SILVANUS OR SILVANIANUS, FORTUNATUS, JOHN, HONORATUS OR ORATUS, DONATUS, MARCIA, GEMMA, COMELIA, GEMINA, CORNELIA, FORTUNATA, VINCENTIA.

Servanus, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Araicus, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Silvanus or Silvanianus, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (St.)

John, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Honoratus or Oratus, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Donatus, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Marcia, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Gemma, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Comelia, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Gemina, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Cornelia, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Fortunata, Martyr in Africa (St.)

Vincentia, Martyr in Africa (St.)

By G. H.

This is the second class of Martyrs in the aforesaid copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology, so indicated: "In Africa, the natal day of Saints Silvanus, Fortunatus, John, Honoratus, Donatus, Names in the ancient Martyrologies of Saint Jerome Marcia, Gemma, Cornelia, Fortunata." In three other copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology the two Alexandrian Martyrs already referred to were lacking, and far more African Martyrs are enumerated in this fashion, taken from the Lucca codex: "The 12th day before the Kalends of May. In Africa, the natal day of Saints Servanus, Arajacus, Silvanianus, Fortunatus, John, Oratus, Donatus, Marcia, Gemma, Cornelia, Gemina, Cornelia, Fortunata." The Blumian copy has, in place of Arajacus and Cornelia, Aralacus and Concilia; variety in spelling in the rest it agrees. The Corbie copy printed at Paris gives the same Saints with some variety of spelling, and in place of Servanus, Oratus, Cornelia, Fortunata is read Servianus, Oratis, Cornelia, Fortunatus, and then Vincentia is added, which name is lacking in others; and so there are thirteen or fourteen names of Martyrs in the later copies, whereas in the most ancient Epternach copy there are only nine: for in this the two first names are lacking, Servanus and Arajacus, and then in place of Silvanianus, Oratus, Gemina, is read Silvanus, Honoratus, Gemma; also lacking there are two other names, namely Comelia, Cornelia or Concilia, and Gemina, and present are the two last, Cornelia and Fortunata, to which in the Corbie codex the name of Vincentia is added.

[2] Names in other calendars In the manuscript codex of the Queen of Sweden, which Holstenius skimmed through in his Annotations on the Roman Martyrology, these things are read: "In Africa, the natal day of Saints Silvanus, Fortunatus, John with eight others." The Trier manuscript of Saint Martin sets forth this: "In Africa, of Silvanus Martyr with ten others." In the manuscript of Saint Sabinus in the territory of Tarbes the passion of Saint Donatus is referred to. Universally, therefore, eleven are noted as having been in the said Martyrologies. The Barberini manuscript indicates some in this manner: "In Africa, the natal day of Servanus, Silvanus, Fortunatus, John." There is also the name of John in the Trier manuscript of Saint Maximin, a small but very ancient one, and in Greven's Appendix. The Augsburg manuscript of Saint Ulric and the Parisian of Labbé furnish only three: "Africa, of Servianus, Aricatius, or Arnatus, and John." The name of Servianus is handed down in the first place in the Aachen and Corbie manuscripts; but Silvanus is added in the Reichenau and Rheinau manuscripts. All things considered, we propose in the title the names of fourteen Martyrs, that the reader may pass judgment on all by himself.

ON SAINTS VICTOR THE BISHOP, FELIX, ALEXANDER, AND PAPIAS, MARTYRS WHO SUFFERED AT ROME.

Victor, Martyr who suffered at Rome (St.)

Felix, Martyr who suffered at Rome (St.)

Alexander, Martyr who suffered at Rome (St.)

Papias, Martyr who suffered at Rome (St.)

By G. H.

The third class of Martyrs in the very often praised Epternach copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology is set forth in these words: "At Rome, of Victor the Bishop, Sacred cult in ancient calendars Felix, Alexander, Papias." In three other copies of the same Hieronymian Martyrology, namely the Lucca, the Blumian, and the Corbie printed at Paris, a little more fully is read: "At Rome, the deposition of Saint Victor the Bishop, Felix, Alexander, Papias." The very ancient manuscripts—the Vatican of the Church of Saint Peter, another Roman one of Cardinal Barberini and of the Duke of Altemps, the Cassinese in Lombard script, and the Reichenau or Augia-dives near Constance in Swabia—with the last omitted, deliver this: "At Rome, the deposition of Victor the Bishop, Felix, Alexander." With Alexander also omitted, the rest is contained in the Rheinau manuscript. But the manuscript of the Queen of Sweden, also printed by Holstenius, has only this: "At Rome, of Saint Victor the Bishop." But "At Rome, of Victor" is read in the Augsburg manuscript of Saint Ulric and the Parisian of Labbé. In the manuscript of Saint Cyriacus, often praised by Baronius in the Notes to the Martyrology, it is found: "Of the protection of Victor the Bishop," perhaps through the fault of the copyists, and it should be written "the deposition of Victor the Bishop," as it is read in the manuscripts of Arras, Tournai, and Saint Sabinus in the territory of Tarbes. In the Trier manuscript of Saint Martin also, without combat, Victor the Bishop, and in the Aachen, Victor is recalled. And these are the more ancient Martyrologies composed either before the times of Usuard and Ado, or certainly without knowledge of them. Again on April 21 in four copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology these things are found: "And elsewhere, of Victor, Papias, Felix." Which, with the last omitted, are delivered in the Reichenau manuscript. Concerning these we doubt whether they are the same who are more accurately referred to on this day.

[4] In this whole work we give many Bishops crowned with martyrdom at Rome, Nicomedia, Alexandria, Whether Saint Victor was elsewhere a Bishop and led to Rome and Carthage, who were not Bishops of those cities but were led to them from elsewhere. Thus on April 18 we gave a class of 14 Martyrs from four copies of the said Hieronymian Martyrology, with this beginning: "At Rome, the natal day of Saints Eleutherius the Bishop and Anthia his mother." Who would not judge this to be Saint Eleutherius, the 14th Pontiff of Rome, if the Acts did not exist from which it is established that he was Bishop of Aeca in Apulia and was led to Rome for the sake of martyrdom? To Saint Eleutherius the Pope succeeded Saint Victor, whom the ancient Catalogues of Popes compiled in the 6th and 7th centuries, and augmented by Anastasius the Librarian, along with the Pontifical Book, ancient Breviaries and various Martyrologies, hand down as buried beside the body of Blessed Peter on the 5th day before the Kalends of August, and his cult hitherto constantly perseveres on the said July 28. All these things being compared with the Martyrologies mentioned above, it seems not improbable that Victor the Bishop, who on this day suffered martyrdom at Rome with his companions, was led from elsewhere in order to suffer there.

[3] Meanwhile, some half-learned person might have arisen who, having found a Victor Bishop and Martyr at Rome, immediately thinking nothing further, judged him to be Roman Pontiff: Saint Victor Pope referred to by some and the opinion pleased Usuard, who thus writes under this day: "At Rome, the natal day of Saint Victor the Pope, who after Blessed Peter ruled the Church as fifteenth for ten years, and under the Emperor Severus was crowned with martyrdom." Similar things have Ado, Notker, the Author of the martyrology falsely ascribed to Bede, and by these he is wrongly called the thirteenth after Blessed Peter. Moreover, he ruled the Church about twelve years, as we establish elsewhere from the death of Saint Eleutherius, and from the Consuls Commodus V and Glabrio, under whom he began, and Lateranus and Rufinus, under whom he finished his Pontificate. The very ancient Martyrology, which exists written out in the monastery of Saint Savin of Lavedan in the Pyrenees (whence Saussay, page 1248, had and published extracts pertaining to Gaul), speaks thus: "On the same day, April 20, the deposition of Saint Victor the Bishop, and the passion of Saint Donatus the Martyr"; of which words the first part is also read in the old manuscript of the Vatican church of Saint Peter, and "at Rome" is added, so that there also a Roman Bishop seems to be understood, concerning whose martyrdom the more ancient Catalogues are silent; the latter part seems to pertain to Saint Donata, also having suffered at Rome, of whom presently below: who in the Corbie manuscript is also called Donatus.

ON SAINTS SILVANUS OR SALVIANUS, ASAIACUS OR AIARICUS, DONATA, AND QUINTA, MARTYRS AT ROME ON THE VIA NOMENTANA.

Silvanus or Salvianus, Martyr at Rome on the Via Nomentana (St.)

Asaiacus or Aiaricus, Martyr at Rome on the Via Nomentana (St.)

Donata, Martyr at Rome on the Via Nomentana (St.)

Quinta, Martyr at Rome on the Via Nomentana (St.)

By G. H.

The Via Nomentana, named so because it stretched to Nomentum, an ancient town of the Sabines, was once celebrated both for the various monuments of the pagan Romans and for the various cemeteries of the Christian Martyrs constructed along it. The Vatican manuscript of the basilica of Saint Peter, from which and from others we have published the genuine Martyrology of Bede, whose name it bore, has these words on this day: "The 12th day before the Kalends of May, at Rome, the deposition of Saint Victor the Bishop, Felix, Alexander," of whom we have spoken above. "And in the cemetery of the Martyrs, beside the Via Nomentana, of Salvianus, Aragacus." The same from the said manuscript Paolo Aringhi cites, book 4 of his Roma Subterranea, chapter 26. The Cassinese and Altemps manuscripts supply this: "In the cemetery of the Martyrs, beside the Via Nomentana, of Aralarus, Donata." Which thus reads in the manuscript of the Vatican library marked number 5949: "At Rome, on the Via Numentana, of Saints Aralacus and Donata." In the Roman manuscript of Cardinal Barberini, three Martyrs are indicated: "In the cemetery on the Via Numentana, the natal day of Saints Silvanus, Aiaracus, Donata." Which in the most ancient Epternach copy of the Hieronymian martyrology is written thus: "Likewise at Rome, of Silvanus, Asajacus, Donata." The Lucca manuscript gives this: "In the military cemetery on the Via Montana, the natal day of Saints Silvianus, Aiaricus." In the Blumian codex: "On the Via Momentana, the natal day of Saints Salvianus and Aiaricus." In the Corbie manuscript printed at Paris, no mention being made of places, the names are indicated: "Silvianus, Tiaracus, Donatus, Quintus." Behold how great is the diversity in all. The Via Nomentana, or Numentana, is wrongly called Momentana and Montana. The Cemetery of the Martyrs, or called the Military, because there very many were endowed with the crown of martyrdom, and among them Papias and Maurus the soldiers excelled. The first of the Martyrs is called Silvanus, Silvianus, and even Salvianus. The second is written with the greatest variety: Aiaracus, Alaracus, Aiaricus, Aragacus, and Asajacus. In the third place is generally Donata, and once Donatus is found. In the fourth place, in the single Corbie manuscript, Quintus is added. Of these, in the Augsburg manuscript of Saint Ulric are mentioned Ageracius, Salvianus, Donatus. The first of these in the Parisian manuscript of Labbé is called Aiaracus; to the other two the same name is assigned. Donatus is referred to above among the African Martyrs, whence his name was easily transcribed here for Donata.