ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF ALEXANDRIA
ARATOR THE PRIEST, FORTUNATUS, FELIX, SILVIUS, VITALIS.
CommentaryArator, Priest, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (Saint)
Fortunatus, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (Saint)
Silvius, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (Saint)
Vitalis, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (Saint)
G. H.
Four ancient copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology begin this April 21 with these words: On the 11th day before the Kalends of May, in the city of Alexandria the birthday of SS. Fortunatus, Arator the Priest, Memory in the ancient calendars, Felix, Silvius,
Vitalis. In place of Fortunatus, in two copies is read Fortunata; thus in place of Arator, in the Lucensis is Orator; and in place of Silvius, in the Corbey is filius; and at the end is added "resting in prison," as though this pertained to Vitalis alone; but in the Lucensis and Blumian Mss. it is read "resting in prison." In the most ancient Echternach codex it has "resting in cessar." In the Martyrology of Cardinal Barberini, as a supplement to the genuine Bede, these things are noted: At Alexandria the birthday of SS. Fortunata, Arator the Priest, Felix, Silvius, Vitalis, resting in prison. In the Martyrology of Ado they are expressed thus: At Alexandria SS. Fortunatus, Arator the Priest, Felix, Silvius, Vitalis: who rested in prison. The same is found in Notker, the author of the Martyrology published under the name of Bede, and in various Mss. of these. Usuard produces them in this order: At Alexandria SS. Arator the Priest, Fortunus, Felix, Silvius, Vitalis, who rested in prison. In this order they are also reported in today's Roman Martyrology, but with Fortunatus restored from others in place of Fortunus. But without the place of contest being indicated, in the very ancient Casinese Martyrology these things are handed down: Birthday of the holy Martyrs Arator, Felix, Fortunus, Silvius, and Vitalis. But in the ancient Mss. Rhinoviensis, Ricbenoviensis, and another Corbey, these words appear: At Alexandria Fortunatus and Arator the Priest: In place of "Priest" Vitalis is added in the Augsburg Ms. of St Ulrich and the Parisian Ms. of Labbé.
[2] The memory of Vitalis the Martyr is celebrated at Bologna, according to Masini's survey, whether the relics of this Vitalis are at Bologna. because some relics of St Vitalis the Martyr are preserved in the church of St Francis, and in the church of St James the Greater in the square of St Donatus; but it would be difficult to prove that these belong to this Alexandrian Martyr. In the Lucensis codex, in the second place is set the name John. But since it is lacking in all other Martyrologies, whether John the Martyr should be added. we fear that this name was wrongly transferred hither from the preceding day, and therefore we have omitted it in the title, until greater light should shine from elsewhere. Vitalis the Martyr is commemorated on April 19 in the Augsburg and Labbé Martyrologies cited above, likewise in the Aachen and in the Auctarium of Greven.