Martyrs

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

WHO SUFFERED UNDER ABENNER

IN INDIA.

From the Roman Martyrology.

Martyrs under Abenner, in India (SS.)

P. B.

We have found these Martyrs assigned in no Fasti, whether Greek or Latin, before the reformed Roman Martyrology, in which at the III of the Nones of August they are announced thus: Among the Indians, bordering on the Persians, the passion of the holy monks, and of other faithful, whom King Abenner, persecuting the Church of God, ordered to be slain, afflicted with various tortures. The single source of this announcement Baronius indicates thus in the annotations: Concerning these St. John Damascene writes in the Life of Sts. Barlaam and Josaphat. Hence our Rosweyde, in the Lives of the Fathers, page 340, note 13 on the Life of Sts. Barlaam and Josaphat, was of the opinion that here in the Roman Martyrology are designated those seventeen Martyrs, whose Acts are there described in chapters 22 and 23: but these were all monks; and the Martyrology commemorates the passion of the holy monks, and of other faithful: prudently, therefore, Rosweyde there subjoins: Unless in the Martyrology are understood those of whom above in this Life, chapter 1. There indeed the discussion is not of monks alone, but also of other faithful who obtained the palm of martyrdom in the Abennerican persecution. Nay rather, it is most likely that both these and those, and absolutely all others, of whose contest against the impious edicts of that same tyranny that Life makes mention, both in the passages produced and in chapters 4 and 26, are comprehended in the text already recited: since it can be extended to all, and no consideration restricts the very broad sense. For the rest, what the praised Life recounts of our Martyrs, I have thought it enough to indicate: for it is in the hands of all; and it must all be reprinted and discussed in this work at the day which is sacred to Sts. Barlaam and Josaphat, the XXVII of November.

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

DIOGENES AND STEPHEN, AND PERHAPS ALBINUS,

AT ROME.

From the Martyrologies.

Diogenes, Martyr, at Rome (S.)

Stephen, Martyr, at Rome (S.)

Albinus, Martyr, at Rome (S.)

P. B.

These two Martyrs, otherwise altogether unknown, various Martyrologies present to us on this day, and most indeed as having suffered together at Rome: for so the Hieronymian copies in Florentinius have it—the Lucca codex: At Rome, the birthday of the holy ones Diogenes, Stephen: the Swedish: At Rome, the birthday of Sts. Diogenes and Stephen: the Corbie: At Rome, the birthday of Sts. Erogenes (corruptly, I suppose) and Stephen, martyrs. But among the abridged copies of the same Martyrology, published by us, the Augsburg and the Labbean join the same, but without the position or place of martyrdom, of which the former has, for Diogenes, "Droigenes," and both add Albinus, I know not who. The supplements of Bede and Florus too, according to the Vatican, Arras, and Tournai codices, agree: the first in these words: At Rome, of St. Diogenes, Stephen; and the latter two: At Rome, the birthday of Sts. Diogenes and Stephen. This announcement Notker and Maurolycus confirm in their Martyrologies. This concord of so many ancient monuments scarcely permits us to doubt that both these Martyrs contended in the same place and time: although there are not lacking those which omit either both or one, or join Diogenes without Stephen to other Martyrs. Both are passed over by the Epternach codex: for the beginning of its list for today, "At Antioch, of Stephen," which is read also in the Rheinau codex, seems either corrupted, or, as Florentinius judges, wrongly transferred by a yawning copyist from the table of the preceding day (which often happens) to today's; nor indeed does it pertain to this our Stephen, but to the protomartyr, no otherwise than that which the Reichenau apograph reports, "At Ancona, of Stephen." Diogenes alone the Blume codex in Florentinius has, but wrongly written "Dragens"; likewise the Auxerre codex in Martène; and among the Bedan supplements the copy of St. Cyriacus, naming "Drogentus"; and among the Usuardine, the Vatican. Finally, Diogenes without Stephen, joined to others, the Rheinau and Reichenau thus present: At Rome, of Diogenes, Justinus, Crescentio. But these companions belong not here, but to the list of the following day; as you may see in Florentinius.