ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF CÓRDOBA
AMATOR THE PRIEST, PETER AND LUDOVICUS
YEAR 855
CommentaryAmator, Priest, Martyr at Córdoba in Spain (Saint)
Peter, monk, Martyr at Córdoba in Spain (Saint)
Ludovicus, Martyr at Córdoba in Spain (Saint)
D. P.
The Memorial of the Saints who sealed the faith of Christ either by constancy of confession or also by the shedding of blood, under the tyranny of the Moors, most faithfully written by Saint Eulogius, who himself also at last fell as a Martyr, praises in book 3 chapter 13 the three champions proposed in the title, with these words: Passion from Saint Eulogius "A certain young Priest, named Amator, who long ago from the town of Tuccum with his father and brothers had come to Córdoba for the sake of learning, and Peter the monk, and Ludovicus our fellow tribesman and brother of Paul the Deacon, whose martyrdom the second book sets forth, born of citizens of Córdoba, joining themselves in one agreement, fitted themselves to preach the Gospel truth; and therefore quickly under the profession of those preceding they were slain on the 2nd of the Kalends of May, Era 893. Whose bodies immersed in river pools, with God favoring, after some days are exposed on the shore: and while the holy Priest gave no knowledge at all of his rest; yet the other Saints remain venerably deposited in pre-known places. For Blessed Peter is entombed in the monastery of Pinna Mellaria, Ludovicus worthily rests in the village of the Italian province named Palma, which presides over the river Singilion." Thus Eulogius. The Era 893 falls in the year 855.
[2] Since Eulogius so clearly noted the year and day of death, surviving the Saints by only four years, names in the Martyrology: it is wonderful that Usuard, who from that recent work added so many illustrious names to his Martyrology, passed over the memory of these. First Galesinius noticed and supplied the defect, thus proposing them: "In Spain of the Blessed Martyrs Amator the Priest, Peter the Monk, and Ludovicus: who, joined in one agreement of Gospel preaching, on that account seized, most constant in the confession of the faith, were slain by the Arabs." Galesinius's judgment was confirmed by greater authority, after in the tables of today's Roman Martyrology it began to be read thus: "At Córdoba of the Holy Martyrs Amator the Priest, cult at Córdoba. Peter the monk, and Ludovicus." Moved by this authority, the Church of Córdoba rightly judged that they should be venerated with Ecclesiastical Office on this same day, under the rite of Semi-Double, as the Order of reciting the divine office printed at Madrid in the year 1640 and in others following testifies to us; which if Tamayo had inspected, he would not have thought, publishing his April ten years after, that the people of Córdoba should be excused for such a passing over. We rather marvel with reason, that in those places to which God granted the bodies of these Saints, their veneration has so cooled, that so many more recent writers treating of them have found nothing worth noting: which raises suspicion in us, that they were long ago taken away, or obscured by the ruins of the places themselves. The Baetis, the river flowing past Córdoba, had received them; one mile below which was the monastery of Saint Salvador, places of burial. commonly called Peña de la Miel, which deserved to have Saint Peter. The body of Saint Ludovicus, carried further to about ten Spanish miles, below the mouths of the Singilion, was received at Palma; whose Counts, because they are frequently called Ludovici, Martin Roa in the History of the Saints of Córdoba thinks it is done in honor of that Martyr. The same says that the homeland of Saint Amator is today called Martos, and so makes it different from old Tuccum, which Rodrigo Caro book 3 Chorography of Seville thinks is today called Tosina, and is twice nearer to Seville than to Córdoba.
[3] To these some join John, To those three Tamayo and other more recent writers join John, a notable Confessor indeed, and perhaps also after Eulogius's death a Martyr: nor do they hesitate to apply the title of Saint to him, and indeed on this day, with no argument brought forward why they should do this. We recognize nothing, beyond a custom upheld by the right of immemorable time or the express prerogative of Pontifical approbation, through which it might be lawful for us to call anyone a Saint, however much commended for virtue even in death. Neither of these supports enrolling John among the Saints: nor have we found anything about his death: yet we shall not hesitate to append his contest from the aforesaid Eulogius book 1, where he speaks thus: "Not to be lightly esteemed is the renownworthy constancy of that most invincible John: accused by the Muhammadans who, enduring with strong spirit amid dire and cruel scourges, by his example incited very many to martyrdom. Against whom the enemies of the living God, bringing false testimony before the judge, laid such a charge against him: 'We know this man, O judge, always to persist in mockery of our teacher, and to attack him irreverently with reviling words; so that when perchance he would exercise the business of his trade in the market, by no other way can he entice buyers, except when the most subtle mocker has proposed our sacrament with paltry sayings. Of this matter we are witnesses, and in truth we confess him worthy of death.' But because he was attacked by the accusation of unworthy witnesses, nor could the objection of their testimony inflict death on the accused; the servant of God is condemned to more severe lashes, and being torn with cruel stripes was compelled to deny Christ. and for the cause of faith cruelly beaten and paraded. He however, not only confessed that he was not liable to such accusations, but even cried that he would not desert the religion of the Crucified even unto death. At whose obstinacy the judge, moved with vehement fury, handing him over to be tormented with 500 and more lashes, ordered them to persist with beatings, until half-dead he should fall into the seat among the hands of those striking: and so half-alive, scarcely quivering, placed backwards on a donkey, he made him go around the whole city and square, with the sacrilegious voice of the herald going before, saying: 'Such a one shall deserve to suffer, the reviler of our prophet and mocker of his worship.' After they had done such things in vengeance of their teacher; at length with the heaviest burden of iron he was confined and consigned to a dungeon: whom we found there still bound, with the stripes still fresh on his back, and we received him into our company during the same time we were imprisoned."