ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF PERGA IN PAMPHYLIA: LEONTIUS, ATTIUS, ALEXANDER, CINDEUS, MNESITHEUS, CYRIACUS, MENAEUS, CATUNUS AND EUCLAEUS.
From the Greek Menology.
Under Diocletian.
CommentaryLeontius, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Attius, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Alexander, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Cindeus, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Mnesitheus, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Cyriacus, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Menaeus, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Catunus, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
Euclaeus, Martyr, at Perga in Pamphylia (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
By that Menology here I understand the one which Cardinal Sirletus, often mentioned by us, translated from the Greek, from which into today's Roman Martyrology very many Saints, hitherto plainly unknown to all the Latin Martyrologies or Kalendars, the most eminent Baronius transferred, as has been observed not once in this our work. The names from the Menology of Sirletus, Whether always sufficiently aptly, I do not here dispute; that the opinions of Sirletus were in more than enough veneration with him is sufficiently established from elsewhere. For the rest, he formed his announcement in this manner: At Perga in Pamphylia, of the holy martyrs Leontius, Attius, Alexander and six other husbandmen, who in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Flavianus, were beheaded: where you see that not the names of all are expressed, although in the Menology itself all are distinctly enumerated. Baronius had nothing to add about their deeds in the Annals at the year 305, number 17; nor indeed do any other monuments supply me from which either their age, or condition, or Acts can be illustrated, besides the very words of the said Menology, which, since they are related in the same sense in the Basilian, we have judged should hence be taken.
[2] Thus there it is read: Leontius and Alexander, martyrs of Christ, the elogium from the Basilian. with their sacred company, sprung from diverse places of the province of Pamphylia, Diocletian reigning, all bore the same mind and affection (inasmuch as sprung from Christian ancestors) toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Their counsels therefore being conferred among themselves, and the things of this life held for nothing, they invaded the shrine of Diana, and in it overthrew all the idols. So known and apprehended, they were cruelly beaten, and torn with iron claws, and after their eyes were put out with awls, consigned to custody, Col. 022D remained there many days without food, until, led out of prison, they were exposed to beasts. But when the beasts did not touch them, sentence of undergoing the sword being pronounced, they were beheaded. The Menaea add several kinds of torments, in amplifying and rhetorically adorning which we know their authors to be most lavish. Let the things suffice which are adduced here, and which indeed I could wish supported by a little greater authority.
[3] Menaeus with Menas. That in this our same class of the Perga Martyrs is also related Menaeus, who in the Menology of Sirletus is wrongly formed Mencius, is manifest. This one, in the vulgate Greek Menaea, being confounded with a certain Menas—I know not with what synonym—is joined on this very day: not because both together, or with the prefixed class of champions, were crowned with martyrdom, but because the sacred remains of each were at some time exposed to veneration in the same place, namely in the temple of Biglantius sacred to the most blessed Virgin, which of old, as our Rader testifies, was most noble at Constantinople.