ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF ALEXANDRIA.
DOROTHEUS PRIEST, RODOCIANUS DEACON, VIATOR, TERENTIUS, MARTINUS, MAJORICA, VICTOR, CLAUDIUS, SILVANUS, CLEMENS OR ORIMENTUS, HONORATUS, LIKEWISE VICTOR, REDUCTUS, LIKEWISE HONORATUS, TELESFORUS, PRIMOSUS, ROGATUS, FELIX LIKEWISE FELIX, LUCIANUS, COLOSUS, LIKEWISE ROGATUS, REVOCATUS, SEVERUS, COTIDIA, FORTUNUS, SPINICA, JOCUNDUS, DEMETRIUS, JULIUS, SECUNDINUS BISHOP, MERITUS, HONORUS, LIKEWISE SILVANUS, SATURNINUS, EMILIANUS, SATURNINA, APHRODISIUS PRIEST, DUGDUS PASTOR BISHOP.
CommentaryDorotheus, Priest, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Rodocianus, Deacon, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Viator, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Terentius, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Martinus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Majorica, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Victor, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Claudius, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Silvanus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Clemens, or Orimentus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Honoratus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Victor, another, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Reductus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Honoratus, another, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Telesforus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Primosus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Rogatus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Felix, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Felix, another, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Lucianus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Colosus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Rogatus, another, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Revocatus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Severus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Cotidia, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Fortunus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Spinica, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Iocandus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Demetrius, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Iulius, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Secundinus, Bishop, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Meritus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Silvanus, another, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Saturninus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Emilianus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Saturnina, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Aprodisius, Priest, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Dugdus, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
Pastor, Bishop, Martyr at Alexandria (Saint)
BY G. H.
After so various and illustrious Martyrs of Christ, whom we have shown throughout this whole month of April to have merited and carried off the triumph with their blood, Many Martyrs in the Martyrologies of Saint Jerome, on this last day an easy hundred and thirty noble athletes close the ranks, of whom ninety make the sacred Fasti more noble by their names. These are indicated in four copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology, and are best arranged in their classes in a most ancient codex, written nearly a thousand years ago in the Teutonic character, which, received from the monastery of Epternach, we have hitherto produced throughout this whole work: their names on April 30 in the older codex, and thus there the first class is indicated. "On the day before the Kalends of May at Alexandria of Dorotheus the Priest, Rodocianus the Deacon, Viator, Terentius, Martinus, Majorica, Victurus, Silvanus, Orimentus, Honoratus, Victorinus, Reductus, likewise Honoratus, Talesforus, Primusus, Rogatus, Felix, likewise Felix, Lucianus, Colisus, Revocatus, Severus, Cotia, Fortunus, Spinica, Jocundus, Julius, Emeritus, Honorius, Silvanus, Saturninus, Emelianus, Saturnina, Afrodus, compared with others: Dugdus, Partor the Bishop." Thus far the primary copy: from which three other copies do not far disagree, namely the Corbey one printed at Paris, the Lucca one published by Florentinius, and the manuscript Blumian: in these "Rodocianus" is written, and "Victor" in the Corbey instead of "Viator," "Malorica" and "Claudius" in the Blumian, "Clemens" instead of "Orimentus" in the Lucca and Blumian. But by fault of the copyist, thence to Julius eighteen Martyrs' names are missing in the Parisian edition; and in place of all of them is placed the name of Demetrius, of whom no mention is made in the others. In the other two are written "Victori, Thelefori, Primosi, Colesi," which above are the names of Victorinus, Talesforus, Primusus, Colisus; and in the Lucca one the other Felix is omitted; and in place of Revocatus, in both is placed "likewise Rogatus." Likewise after Severus, the order being transposed, are placed the names Spica, Cotidia, Fortunus, Jucundus: which above in the Epternach are Cotia, Fortunus, Spinica, Jocundus. And here the names of the Martyrs are resumed in the Parisian edition: and after Julius is inserted in three copies Secundinus the Bishop, lacking in the Epternach one: in this also "Emeritus," in them is "Meritus." But "Emellianus" is "Emelianus" and "Emilianus" in others, in the Parisian is omitted. Also instead of "Afrodus," "Affrodus" and "Afferodus" are written; but in place of "Partoris," better is read in others "Pastoris" Bishop.
[2] various in other Martyrologies: Several of these are expressed in other Martyrologies. In the ancient Barberini, with which we have also compared the genuine Martyrology of Bede, and in the Trier manuscript of Saint Maximinus, these are read: "In Alexandria of Dorotheus the Priest, Rodocianus the Deacon, Clemens, Honoratus, Reductus, Secundinus the Bishop." The same, with the last omitted, are in the Prague manuscript of the metropolitan church; and there "Redactus" is written, who in others is "Reductus." In the Reichenau manuscript are expressed the names "Dorotheus the Priest, Rodocianus the Deacon, Viator, Martinus, Majoricus, Victor": of these the second to last is called "Majorica" in others. In the manuscript of the Queen of Sweden, also praised by Holstenius in his Animadversions on the Roman Martyrology, these things are held: "In Alexandria the birthday of Saints Dorotheus the Priest, Rodocianus the Deacon, Terentius, Martinus with 52 others." But these belong to several classes. In the Cologne manuscript of Saint Mary ad Gradus these are repeated from the preceding: among whom is Saint Pastor, Bishop. "In Alexandria the birthday of Saints Dorotheus the Priest, Rodolianus the Deacon, Clemens, Reductus." In other manuscripts Dorotheus alone is named, or is conjoined with the Saints of the following classes. In the Roman manuscript of the Duke of Altemps toward the end are reported these names: "Secundinus the Bishop, Pastor the Bishop." In the small but most ancient Trier manuscript of Saint Maximinus, these things are held: "Pastor the Priest; Demetrius, Quirinus the Bishop, Saturninus." Of Quirinus we treat separately below. The Trier manuscript of Saint Martin and the Utrecht one of Saint Mary with Usuard add the kind of martyrdom in these words: "In Alexandria of Pastor the Bishop, with 24 others burnt with fire and drowned in the sea": and these same words on March 30 are had in Greven and Canisius. But these 24 are rather to be referred to the third order of Martyrs.
[3] Finally, the one who above is written "Afrodus, Affrodus or Afferodus," seems to be called by others "Aphrodisius the Priest." Thus Rabanus: "In Alexandria the birthday of Afrodisius the Priest with thirty others." and Saint Aphrodisius the Priest. The same has Notker, and the author of the Martyrology falsely given under the name of Bede, but the latter calls him "Ephrodisius"; but "Effrodisius" is said by Greven and Canisius and in the Aachen manuscript. In the Reichenau and Rheinau manuscripts: "At Alexandria of Frodilus the Priest." Finally, in today's Roman Martyrology: "At Alexandria of the holy Martyrs Aphrodisius the Priest and thirty others." We do not affix the number thirty for the companions, because besides Aphrodisius thirty-nine are expressed by their names. On March 22 is venerated Saint Afrodisius, Bishop of Béziers: another than Saint Aphrodisius, Bishop of Béziers. whose Life Peter Calo of the Order of Preachers wrote, and with a title not duly expressed the day April 30 was assigned for his cult, whence we had set down that Life to be given on this day: but we now lay it aside for the Supplement to March 22, if perhaps some miracles may seem to be brought to light from it. For concerning the Life it is the same fabulous narrative, which we have there and above on April 28 refuted as related from Peter Calo and Peter de Natalibus. Concerning Saint Secundinus the Bishop, omitted in the Epternach copy, and Saint Secundinus the Bishop. but related in the other three copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology, likewise in the Roman Barberini and Altemps manuscripts and Trier of Saint Maximinus, it was doubtful for us whether he is the one who is venerated below with Saint Agapius, who suffered at Cirta in Numidia: whose Acts of martyrdom are soon subjoined, inserted in the Acts of Saints Marianus and Jacobus: and whether rather he is to be joined with these; or finally whether he is the same as the one adjoined to the third class. With this admonition made, we leave him, found among these Martyrs.