ON STS. THE TWENTY-THREE ROMAN MARTYRS,
From the Roman Martyrology.
Under Diocletian.
CommentaryThe Twenty-three Martyrs at Rome (SS.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
This Martyrology alone am I permitted to adduce, because in it alone have I found those very holy anonymous Martyrs marked, Entered rather late in the sacred Calendars, Baronius noting that mention is made of those same Martyrs in the Acts of Sts. Abundius and Abundantius, whom he reports on the XVI of September, where he records more concerning the Acts, to be weighed by us in due time. Here now is his announcement for today: Likewise at Rome, the passion of twenty-three holy Martyrs, who in the persecution of Diocletian on the old Salarian Way were beheaded, and were buried in the same place at the slope of Cucumer. Here this especially must be observed, that the Roman college of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus published the aforesaid Acts, examined and emended from three ancient copies and illustrated with notes, by the author Fulvio Cardulo, in the year 1584; whence it will be permitted us to pluck out those things in which are narrated the matters that chiefly concern these of ours, inasmuch as, being separated from Sts. Abundius the priest and Abundantius the deacon, they obtained the crown of martyrdom on this very same day and by the same kind of death. Thus the aforesaid edition has, page 14:
[2] Then Diocletian, angered, ordered the holy Abundius and Abundantius to be removed they are known from the Acts and taken into prison into the custody of Mamertinus; but the other twenty-three faithful in Christ he ordered to be led outside the walls of the city of Rome by the old Salarian Way, and there to be beheaded. But the renowned Martyrs of Christ, led with joy to the perfect way and without hesitation, looking up to heaven said: God of all, and Lord only-begotten Jesus Christ, son of the living God, who stretched out heaven and fashioned the dry earth besides, whom we did not know, serving once in error and in foul display, and through your sacred pages we have learned the truth: you are the founder of nature, you the Lord of heaven and earth, who created the whole world and all things that are in it, whom we have now known as begotten before the Morning Star, whom every abyss trembles at and fears, and every mountain and hill quakes, hearing your terrible and glorious name: you, Lord Jesus Christ, the hope of those who flee to you, the deliverer of those who hope in you, look down from heaven and have mercy on us, and receive our souls, not reckoning against us the offenses of youth and of ignorance which, being ignorant and existing in the depth of these shadows, we committed; but according to your great mercy be mindful of us, O God.
[3] of Sts. Abundius and Abundantius. And praying, and making upon themselves the sign of Christ on the forehead, stretching out their heads together, promptly and with great gladness they received the end of this world, and so through their own blood, by the grace of God, established for themselves an eternal memory on the Nones of August: whose bodies John the priest and Theodora the matron then gathered, and buried them in a crypt on the slope of Cucumer. Then blessed Theodora came to the prison to blessed Abundius the priest and Abundantius the deacon, and told them how constantly the Saints had received martyrdom, and how John the priest had come along with her and had gathered the bodies of the Saints, and with spices and linen cloths had buried them on the slope of Cucumer in a crypt, and after the burial afforded them had with glory celebrated there the divine mysteries in peace. But when the emperor Diocletian had heard that the holy Martyrs had received the palm of martyrdom with great joy, he was the more saddened, because he had not tormented them much more.