THE SECOND DAY OF AUGUST.

THE SAINTS WHO ARE VENERATED ON THE FOURTH OF THE NONES OF AUGUST.

St. Maximus, Bishop and Confessor, at Padua in Italy.

St. Stephen, Pope I and Martyr, at Rome.

St. Rutilius, Martyr in Africa.

St. Theodota, at Nicaea in Bithynia.

Her Sons, Martyrs, at Nicaea in Bithynia.

St. Felix, Martyr, at Verona in Italy.

St. Nicetius, Martyr, at Verona in Italy.

The Holy Seven Anonymous Martyrs at Nicomedia.

St. Auspicius, Bishop of Apt (Apta Julia) in the Province of Gaul.

St. Serenus, Bishop and Confessor, of Biandrate in Insubria in Italy.

St. Betharius, Bishop of Chartres in Gaul.

St. Etheldritha, Virgin Recluse in England.

St. Gundecharus, Bishop and Confessor, at Eichstätt in Germany.

St. Peter, Bishop and Confessor, at Osma in Spain.

Bl. Walter, Confessor, at Guimarães in Portugal.

PASSED OVER AND DEFERRED TO OTHER DAYS.

St. Catherine, daughter of St. Bridget, is marked in some places on this day, but belongs to 22 March.

The finding of the relics of the holy martyrs Maximus, Dadas and Quintilian is inscribed in the great Menaea of the Greeks, published in print. But of these Saints we have long since treated on 13 April.

Of St. Gregory, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, bishop of Ostia, the first, Bucelinus heaped up many things on this day, not in their place. He belongs to the day on which treatment has long since been given of him, 9 May.

The translation of the body of St. Rictrude into a new shrine is adorned with many words by Saussay. See what was said of her at sufficient length on the day on which she is venerated, 12 May.

Alric, Ailric, or Ethelric, hermit, who died near Durham in the north of England about the year of Christ 1107, is not undeservedly called, on account of the holiness of his life, "a holy Man" in the Life of St. Godric in Matthew Paris at the year 1170, and in Capgrave, folio 168. But of his public cult we have so far been able to learn nothing anywhere. He is entered indeed on this day in Ferrarius in the general Catalogue of the Saints; but only from the English Martyrology, namely Wilson's; and Wilson himself, in the first edition of his Martyrology, does not enter him on this day except under the title of a commemoration, and with an asterisk placed in the margin: by which he indicates clearly enough, according to the notice placed in the preface of the Martyrology at number 3, that he had nowhere found his feast noted; and accordingly, according to number 4 in the same place, that he wished neither to assert nor to introduce his public cult. Further, whatever could be said here of his life, death and burial has all been said already in the Life of St. Godric, chapter 1, number 6, on the day 21 May.

The finding of the body of St. Albinus, protomartyr of the English, is indicated on this day in the Usuardine codex of Altemps, where Alban would better be noted, of whom treatment has long since been given on 22 June.

Severinus, Pope, the Usuardine codex of the Strozzi entered among the Saints from I know not where, praising him, besides other things, also for this, that in his times the most Christian emperor Heraclius, having destroyed Chosroes, brought back the Cross of the Lord to Jerusalem: where we noted that it is indeed true that this was done in the time of Severinus, but that it is falsely asserted that he was Pope at that time. Nor have we known him so far to be entered among the Saints.

The finding of Sts. Alcas, Celsinus, Auspicius and Ursus, bishops of Toul, is entered on this day by Saussay. Of each, treatment either has already been given or will be given in their places.

Stephen III, Pope, who is otherwise II, our predecessors long since entered among the Passed Over on 26 and 27 April: on this day (perhaps on the occasion of St. Stephen I, Pope and martyr) you will find the same marked in Greven, Canisius, Wion and Ferrarius. Equilinus enters him in book 7, chapter 12. He is praised by Platina as a most holy Man, well deserving of God, of his country, of his fellow citizens, of all Christians. Ciaconius asserts that he is to be compared with Gregory the Great. I subscribe to them all; but since he was unknown to Baronius no less than to us, and Baronius himself, who summoned so many others from elsewhere, did not dare to inscribe this Roman Pontiff in the sacred Fasti, and since we do not find his cult at Rome or elsewhere, we do not think it lawful for us to anticipate the judgement of the Church.

Of Stephen IV, called III, treatment was also given in the series of the Passed Over on 31 January, as one who is called a Saint on that day by Ferrarius, Dorganius and Menard; where I find it noted that it had not been established at that time that he was openly held as a Saint. Why he was announced on that day, I confess I do not sufficiently understand, just as I do not sufficiently see why he is entered on this day by Greven, Canisius, Wion, Maurolycus and Ferrarius, as also in Equilinus, book 7, chapter 13. He is praised by Oldoini from the Martyrologists already cited; but no signs occur to us from which he is held openly as a Saint today any more than ninety years and more ago. Certainly Piazza, in his Hemerologium, no more found this Stephen venerated at Rome than the one of the same name immediately preceding.

Stephen, the illustrious Prior in the monastery of Obazine among the Lemovices, is announced on this day in the Cistercian Kalendar, and with an eulogy by Henriquez and Chalemot, indeed also by Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology, who altogether abstains from the title of Blessed, which his own brethren in religion give him.

William of the same Order, a most praised man, is put forward by Henriquez alone, and is also proclaimed Blessed with a remarkable eulogy; by which, however, I do not so far see it proved that the honours of the Saints were ever lawfully ascribed to him. You have a few things about him on 12 January, page 728, where Bl. Aelred is treated of.

Of the venerable John Forbes, of happy memory, who, enrolled in the family of the Capuchin Fathers, was called Archangel, Raissius brings forward a good many wonderful things in the Auctarium to the natales of the Saints of Belgium; but prudently abstains from every title of sanctity.

Sts. Nemesius, Lucilla, Olympius, Exsuperia and Theodulus have already more than once given us annoyance, as may be seen in the Observations on Usuard on 26 July and 31 October; and then in the Acta, volume VI of July, at the said 26th day. I do not know how it occurred to the author of the Ms. Florarium of the Saints to enter them here together today; whence they also occupy a place on this day in the Usuardine auctaria of Brussels and Cologne. It will be enough to repeat here what we noted there in a few words: "Of these treatment is given in the Acts of St. Stephen, but they belong to other days. The first two will be entered on 31 October" (from the Usuardine text itself). See what we said of the others on 26 July, in both places already cited.

St. Basil of Moscow, reduced for Christ to madness, that is, to ecstasy, a Wonderworker, is recorded by the Slavo-Russian Menologium of Sparwenfeld; the rest is unknown to us.

A commemoration of the emperor Justinian of pious memory, in the sacred building of the Holy Apostles, is found in the great Menaea published in print, and among those things which we keep copied from the Turin codex. Baronius gives his praises and his censures in the Annals, volume 7, at the year 565: where he also writes from Nicephorus of the memory celebrated after his death at Constantinople and at Ephesus, as also of his burial in the church of the Apostles. These things it has seemed good to indicate briefly here.

Malchus, bishop, is noted in our Syriac or Chaldaic Kalendar.

The dedication of the divine church of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, the Theologian, near the great most holy church (that of Sophia at Constantinople; on which see Du Cange, book 4, page 113), is noted in the great printed Menaea; of which also among our transcripts from the Turin codex. But the affairs of that holy Apostle belong to the day 27 December.

The memory of the holy Martyr Phocas is found in the great printed Menaea, and in our transcripts from the Turin codex. A martyr of the same name at Antioch in Syria you have with us on 5 March; and the bishop of Sinope in Pontus on 14 July, on which occasion treatment was given of various others of the same name. Where today's belongs is uncertain, since he is in any case known by name alone.

Placidus, lay brother, Bucelinus marked on this day as venerable for the observance of the regular life, without any further title.

The memory likewise of Alberic, as conspicuous for an excellent perfection of life, is kept by the same.

John Cano, Peter Moreno and their companions, martyrs, Marchese records on this day in the Dominican Diarium, rightly abstaining from the titles of the Blessed or of the Saints until their honours are duly ascribed to them.

Andrew Carga is marked as bishop and martyr among the Turks in the Belgian Annus Sanctus and in the German Viridarium of the same Order.

"At Langres, of Guiliricus, bishop of the same city," is the present-day announcement of Ferrarius in his general Catalogue, for which he brings forward in the notation the tables of the church of Langres and the Catalogue of the bishops of Langres. He does as he is accustomed after his manner, when he alleges many things in which, when you have consulted them, you will not find even the name itself, which neither Saussay knew nor Castellanus: so that it must be dislocated; which recurs or will recur somewhere entire.

Frederick of Syracuse, solitary, who ended his life on this day in the year 1335, our Ottavio Caietano honoured with the title of Blessed among his Sicilian Saints, proclaiming in a few words a good many wonderful things of him: as that he is said to have raised a dead man, and to have restored to health not a few troubled with various diseases, and other things of this kind, which wonderfully adorn a plainly venerable man. He then adds: "After the departure of Frederick, Peter the bishop diligently inquired into his life and miracles. The Acts, confirmed by sworn witnesses, were sent to Rome to the Supreme Pontiff, so that, having duly examined them, he might decree the heavenly cult of religion to the well-deserving Man. But these, the ship having been wrecked on its very course to the City, perished in the sea. Then everything was consumed by fire about the middle of the fifteenth century." He records that nothing was obtained from Rome; yet he goes on to assert that Frederick enjoyed some sort of cult: but in the animadversions he candidly confesses in this manner: "Truly in ancient times Frederick had a cult in the church of Syracuse, and an image with miracles painted round it; but through the neglect of the times it was discontinued." Finally, what he adds at the end, that the sacred bones were confused with profane ones, shows well enough that he is honoured today with no lawful cult, and that the judgement of the Apostolic See is accordingly to be awaited.

A certain Fulbert, also a solitary, at Paciacum (Pacy) in the pagus of the Gâtinais in the diocese of Sens, Castellanus suggested to us on this day in the Supplement of his universal Martyrology, unknown to all other Martyrologists, and indeed to Saussay himself, with the year about MCLXXXVI placed in the margin, but without any further information either of cult or of deeds, which we nevertheless judge necessary before we dare, on his authority alone, to give this Fulbert a place in this work; just as our predecessors were compelled to pass over the bishop of Chartres of the same name on the day 10 April: so that no approved Saint of that name is found so far.

Damian of Valencia, martyr in Africa; Gratia, confessor, at Fabriano in Picenum; John Pastor, confessor, at Valencia in Spain; Francis of St. Joseph, confessor, at Toledo; Archangelus Scotus at Dendermonde in Belgium; Angela Gabriela at Milan: these are recorded by Arthur with the title of Blessed, and the last also in the Gynaeceum.

Ruffinus a Platea in Sicily, and Adriana Cortona at Assisi in Umbria, are added by Hueber.

The memory of Sts. Bonus, Faustus and companions is wrongly marked on this day in the Matricula of the Charterhouse of Utrecht. Treatment of them has already been given on the day before, 1 August.

The festivity of St. Peter in Chains some Kalendars mark on this day; but the solemnity of 1 August is most well known.

St. Arcadius, bishop of Bourges, is referred to this day by Chenu; we treated of him on the day before, 1 August.

"St. Dermitius, priest and confessor. He was in great repute of sanctity with St. Columba. He acted as abbot in the island of Iona. See Adamnan in the Life of St. Columba." So Camerarius at this day in the Menologium of the Scottish Saints. St. Adamnan in the Life of St. Columba records two Dermitii or Diermitii: one, who recurs very often, the servant of that holy abbot; the other, who is named only once, book 3, chapter 7; as see at the day 9 June, page 229, number 87: but of neither does he say that he was abbot in the island of Iona; of neither does he indicate a cult or feast. Whence then did Camerarius learn that the memory of either is celebrated on this day? Certainly Dempster in his Scottish Menologium enters no Dermitius on that day. Colgan indeed, versed as few are in the Martyrologies of the Saints of Ireland (for both the Diermitii already mentioned were Irish), openly signifies in volume 2 that he found nothing whatever of this kind, whether of the former St. Diermitius, page 374, number 42, and 489, number 45, or of the latter, page 386, number 12. Consult St. Domitius among the Passed Over on the following day, 3 August.

St. Tharsicius, martyr, I know not whence he was dug up by the one who composed the additions to Greven of the Charterhouse of Brussels, and indeed under this formula: "perhaps who in the assumption of Bl. Peter, bishop of Osma in England"; so that an obscure business is still more involved by something more obscure. I know a Tharsicius of whom treatment was given on 31 January; I know another of the same name, who is recorded in the Usuardine auctaria tomorrow, who is known as an acolyte in the Acts of St. Stephen, Pope, on this day, chapter 2, number 22; but he is entered in the Roman on 15 August.

Adrenuldus or Adrevuldus our Ms. Florarium of the Saints marked for us on this day, whence he passed, with so many others, as we have often said, into the Usuardine auctaria of Cologne, everywhere with the title of bishop confessor; but without any other mark from which you could discern to what people or church he belongs; which has long been investigated, but in vain. I easily conjecture a corruption of the name itself; but to what it is to be brought back, I do not know so far. A certain Adrovandus, bishop, who is also called Aldrovandus and Aldrevandus and perhaps otherwise, and is venerated as bishop of Bagnoregio in Etruria, is suggested to us by the general Catalogue of Ferrarius at 19 August, whom, in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy published twelve years before, he had entered on the 22nd of the same month. Whether Adrenuldus can be confused with him will be examined again at 19 or 22 August.

Pelagia, mother of St. Aredius, is said to be honoured as a Saint on this second day of August in the most recent History of the Gallican church, volume 3, page 107. Saussay calls her a pious mother at 26 August. She is not known to Castellanus, except in the supplement of the index, where she is marked as passed over. Gregory of Tours, On the Glory of the Confessors, chapter 104, is to be seen; where the day is also noted on which the whole matter can be examined, 26 August.

St. Serapia is inopportunely repeated in the Ms. Additions of the Charterhouse of Brussels to Greven: she was already sufficiently referred among the Passed Over on 29 July to the day on which treatment of her will be given, 3 September.

The translation of St. Alchmund, bishop of Hexham, made on this day, is recorded in Simeon of Durham. Let it be enough to have noted this here: his deeds and the rest that concerns him will be illustrated on the natal day, 7 September.

The consecration of the church of St. Mary of the Portiuncula near Assisi, in which the blessed Father Francis procured from God and the Pope the greatest Indulgence, is read among the Usuardine auctaria in the Strozzi codex, in Belinus and in Molanus; and the aforesaid Indulgence is today by far the most celebrated throughout the whole Catholic world on this very second day of August. But since in this work, as we have so often noted, also on this day, the particular deeds of the Saints separated from their natal feast itself are not customarily entered, so what pertains to St. Francis, also to his sacred Stigmata, and any other such things there may be, will be illustrated with the Life itself on the day on which his solemn memory is festively kept in the Church, 4 October.

"The canonization of the Saints whose bodies are in the church of St. Justina," namely the most elegant one at Padua, Ferrarius writes on this day. But Dorganius and Menard explain the matter a little more distinctly from Wion, when they express the names of the Saints: of St. Arnald, abbot, Urius, monk, and Felicity, nun. How all these things are to be understood you have on this very day in the Commentary on St. Maximus, bishop of Padua. Arnald and Felicity have been entered on their own proper days, he on 10 February, she on 26 March. Urius our predecessors confused with Julian at 17 March, because they recognized the same predicates of both, and Urius indeed expressly noted by Ferrarius. But Cavacius seems to have distinguished them, when he says that Urius brought to Padua from Constantinople relics of Sts. Matthias and Luke. What can further be said of him, and when, will be more opportunely examined when St. Justina is treated of on the day 7 October.

A certain St. Comgan, as to be illustrated on this day, our predecessors once marked, on the authority of Colgan alone, in the fourth appendix to the Acts of St. Columba, pages 478 and 479, where he places him among the numerous holy nephews of that most celebrated St. Columba, not to be confused, as he there warns, with that Comgan of whom treatment was given in our work at 27 February, although with Maguir he had previously judged otherwise. Very few things indeed could be said on that day of St. Comgan, whether the same as this one of ours, or different. Of today's, certainly, apart from the name and a surname of whatever kind, as the same Colgan will have it, Kel-de, or Culdee, not a word concerning his life or deeds is suggested from elsewhere: nor is it at all established whether he was not the same as another Comgan, abbot, whom he says is venerated on 13 October. In that perplexity, not unusual in Irish affairs, as long as nothing is established more distinctly about his certain cult, his countrymen, I think, will not take it ill that the matter is referred for further discussion to the said day, 13 October.

St. Medanus, bishop and confessor, is marked on this day by Greven without any further information, taken I know not whence. By long and much searching I seem to have attained this, that it can easily be understood as the Medanus who is venerated as bishop at Péronne in Picardy, and about whom Henschenius made some inquiries at the day 7 February. Others of the same name recur in Dempster and Camerarius on 14 April and 14 November. The former was passed over; whether he is perhaps to be confused with today's or with the latter can be seen at 14 November.

St. Ermenburga Bucelinus enters on this day in the Menologium by his own mere choice. She is indeed a very well-known Saint, but she is not venerated on this day; but, as others note with the English Martyrology, she belongs to 19 November.

"At Antioch, the natal day of the relics of St. Stephen, protomartyr and deacon, who was translated to Jerusalem by the revelation of Lucian, priest," is the present-day announcement of the Hieronymian codex of Corbie, a little neater than it is expressed in the text of Fiorentini; on which he himself there annotated a great many things about stones and other relics translated elsewhere, which are related almost the same, but in other terms, on the following day, on which the finding of the same holy Protomartyr is celebrated in the Church; of which nevertheless, after the custom already received by our predecessors, treatment will not be given except on the day on which the festivity of the holy Stephen himself is solemnly kept, 26 December.