Martyrs

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

ZENO, EUSEBIUS, NEON, VITALIUS,

AT CORCYRA IN THE IONIAN SEA.

AROUND THE YEAR 100.

Zeno, Martyr, at Corcyra in the Ionian Sea (Saint) Eusebius, Martyr, at Corcyra in the Ionian Sea (Saint) Neon, Martyr, at Corcyra in the Ionian Sea (Saint) Vitalius, Martyr, at Corcyra in the Ionian Sea (Saint)

By G. H.

Corcyra is an island in the Ionian Sea, and on it a city of the same name, archiepiscopal, under the dominion of the Republic of Venice, commonly Corfu. It is also called Cercyra by Dionysius in his Periegesis. But Eustathius observes that the spelling of this island's name is doubtful, At Corcyra namely it is called both Κέρκυραν and Κόρκυραν. That it received the first light of the Gospel from Saints Sosipater and Jason, disciples of the Apostles, the Greeks commonly report—indeed, that they were put to death there by a certain one of their Kings (more truly a petty king or viceroy or governor). Slain under a petty king or governor Saint Sosipater is venerated by the Latins on June 25, and Jason on July 12, when those matters will be more accurately discussed. Both are mentioned by the Greeks in the Menaia on April 29; but in the Menology of the Emperor Basil Porphyrogenitus, on the 27th of the same month April, and on the 28th, these four Martyrs converted by them are reported with this encomium: Encomium from the Menology of Emperor Basil "The contest of the holy Martyr Zeno and his companions. Zeno, Martyr of Christ, and together with him the holy Eusebius, Neon, and Vitalius, from the island of Cercyra, instructed by the holy Apostles Jason and Sosipater, believed in Christ; and accordingly, being accused before Cercilinus, the petty king of the island, were by his order seized, and by the worshippers of idols bound with heavy chains and brought before him. When, being interrogated by him, they had confessed Christ, they were first stripped of their clothes and stretched on the ground; then, bound hand and foot, they were cruelly beaten for many hours with rods made of ropes, that they might be forced to deny Christ and sacrifice to idols. When they had steadfastly refused this, and had not even by a word consented to adore demons, they were again thrust back into prison nearly dead; and afterwards, a huge furnace having been kindled, they were led out of prison and cast into the fire, and consummated their martyrdom."

Thus far the Menology of Emperor Basil. These same are venerated on this day in the manuscript Chifletian Menaia, which are preserved at Dijon; and concerning Saint Neon these things are handed down: "On the same day the holy Martyr Neon ended his life by fire"; and this distich is added:

"Refusing to serve the gods of the Greeks, Burned, Neon overthrew the faith of the Greeks."

Of the other three the same things are read in the said Menaia, which on the following day, April 29, are found in the printed Menaia and in Maximus of Cythera; And on April 29 in other writings Saints Zeno and Vitalius and of the two this is said jointly: "On the same day of the holy Martyrs Zeno and Vitalius, consumed by fire," as Sirletus rendered in his Menology; but the one who is Vitalius to others is called Vitalis to him—by which same name Galesinius also uses, with this encomium added: "In Greece, of the holy Martyrs Zeno and Vitalius, who bore clear witness to the faith of Christ which they had embraced, being burned with fire." In the Menaia are added these verses, in which Saint Vitalius is encouraged by Saint Zeno in these words:

"Do not fear the flame, Vitalius; For I, Zeno, will lead the way and enter before you."

And Saint Eusebius The fourth remaining is Saint Eusebius, concerning whom in the Menaia and in Maximus Bishop of Cythera the Greeks report: "On the same day the holy Martyr Eusebius is consumed by fire." Which Sirletus in his Menology expounded thus: "On the same day the holy Martyr Eusebius, consummated by martyrdom for the Christian confession"—omitting, namely, the torment of fire, into which, having been cast with the rest, he gained the palm of martyrdom; which these verses in the Menaia confirm:

"Since the flame wiped away every stain from you, You are found, Eusebius, gold proved unto Christ."

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

ALEXANDER, FIRMIANUS, PRIMIANUS, TELLURIUS,

AT LESINA IN APULIA.

Alexander, Martyr, at Lesina in Apulia (Saint) Firmianus, Martyr, at Lesina in Apulia (Saint) Primianus, Martyr, at Lesina in Apulia (Saint) Tellurius, Martyr, at Lesina in Apulia (Saint)

Lesina, once a flourishing ancient city of Apulia, now destroyed, was described by us on February 9, in Saints Sabinus and Eunomius, from Leander Alberti. Here lay buried the bodies of the holy Martyrs Alexander, Firmianus, Primianus, and Tellurius until the year 1597, in the cathedral church, The bodies are buried at Lesina in the church of Saint Primianus which, dedicated to one of them, namely Saint Primianus, was supported by a crypt of elegant form and ancient workmanship, held up by marble columns. It was adorned with its own altars and sculpted images of the individual Saints, beside whose sides letters contracted in abbreviation expressed the names of the Martyrs; and from the vault, darkened by smoke, an iron hook hung to support a lamp, the upper temple having long since collapsed into ruins, and retaining almost nothing but a trace of itself. This church, together with another which is called of the Annunciation, by the gift of Margaret of Durazzo, widow of Charles III, King of Naples, came to the possessions of the house of the Annunciation of Naples, whose administrators in the year 1597 sent from Naples the priest Aurelius Marra, a nobleman, to Lesina, to attend to the repairs of the ruinous church and other things there. When the state or rather the destruction of the building seemed greater to him than would admit any interpolation or renovation, he turned himself to the task of investigating the bodies of the Saints buried there, soon to be brought to Naples for due veneration.

[2] In the month of November of that year, having entered the said crypt, They are dug up partly in the year 1597 whose door removed, opened, breathed the sweetest fragrance to those standing outside, he first found a wooden box on the middle altar, in which was seen an image of the same material representing Saint Primianus, clothed in a long robe and carrying a palm branch in his hand. Digging then into the ground, after he had done so at the altar there, on the 24th of the same month he found the body of Saint Paschasius; and on the 25th, those of Saints Sabinus and Eunomius; and removing the earth again, under the altar under which the Relics of Saint Paschasius had been found, on the 26th he came upon a marble box containing the bones of Saints Alexander and Ursula, whose lid removed, he saw these words engraved on the lower part: "S. Alex. et S. Urs. Virg. et Mart." which words were also read engraved in a lead tablet placed over the sacred bones. On the 27th of the same month, digging toward the right corner under the same altar, in a marble box likewise he found the body of Saint Tellurius; on the lid, in old characters, was engraved "S. Tellurius." And these things are taken from the account of Aurelius Marra himself, which we published on February 9 in Saints Sabinus and Eunomius.

[3] The bodies of Saints Primianus and Firmianus were found in the year 1598, Partly in 1598 and at last with the others were borne with solemn pomp to Naples to the church of the Annunciation: of which event the same Marra narrates the series in the cited place in these words: "On the 2nd day of March 1598, about the 16th hour, one of the governors of the said Neapolitan house arrived at Lesina, with the orders of the Apostolic Nuncio, which it behooved him and me to execute. When I had shown him the Relics described above, laid exactly in the same manner in which they had been found, in the presence of many witnesses and those very ones who had been present at the first discovery, the rest of the middle altar, as had been begun by me, was broken up. And the earth being dug to four palms, a marble box was found, three palms long, two wide, of a different form from the others, similar to a chest, They are taken to Naples in which the bones of Saints Primianus and Firmianus were found, and on the lower part of the lid were engraved these words: 'S. Primianus, S. Firmianus'; and likewise on a lead tablet 'SS. Primianus et Firmianus.' With signs of religious alacrity and joy being shown, as with the other Relics, for the same reason, these also were covered and hidden again."

[4] Where they are placed in the church of the Annunciation "On the 4th of March all the Relics were taken up, yet leaving in the same confession or crypt some part of each; and with many of the Capuchin family and others singing together, and carrying lighted candles in their hands, with as great solemnity as could be performed in that place, they were placed in three cases distinguished by an arched lid, lined within with white linen, brought from Naples for this purpose; and being taken to Naples, they were deposited in the church of Pietà at the steps of San Giovanni in Carbonara, until a supplication should be instituted with greater preparation, so that to the church of the Annunciation, with the Roman Pontiff consenting,

they might be transferred; and also, in public testimony of the matter now narrated, the very marble boxes in which the Relics had been found were brought to Naples." So he writes.

[5] They are venerated with a semidouble rite They are venerated at Naples with a semidouble Office: so the Catalog of Saints to be celebrated in the Church and diocese of Naples, published in 1619 by order of the most illustrious and reverend Decius, Cardinal Caraffa, Archbishop of Naples, in which in the month of April these are read: "April 28, Saints Alexander, Firmianus, Primianus, and Tellurius, Martyrs. Semidouble. All from the Common of many Martyrs in Paschal time. Mass from the Common without Credo. Prayer: O God, who grantest that we should observe the natal day of your holy Martyrs Alexander, Firmianus, Primianus, and Tellurius, grant that we may rejoice in their fellowship in eternal blessedness. Through our Lord, etc." To these the following in smaller characters is added: "The Acts and natal day of these holy Martyrs are not held, and so they are to be celebrated on the day of translation. Their sacred Relics are preserved in the church of the most holy Annunciation, thither transferred on this day, with the city of Lesina destroyed, by permission of the Apostolic See; and the Acts of the finding and translation of them exist."