ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS
SERVANUS, ARAIACUS, SILVANUS OR SILVANIANUS, FORTUNATUS, JOHN, HONORATUS OR ORATUS, DONATUS, MARCIA, GEMMA, COMELIA, GEMINA, CORNELIA, FORTUNATA, VINCENTIA.
CommentaryServanus, 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.