ON STS. THE HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA
NAZARIUS, JULIANA, AGAPE VIRGINS, EUTYCHIANUS, CORINTHO, DIOMEDES AND METRODORA VIRGIN.
From the Hieronymian Martyrologies.
CommentaryNazarius, M., at Nicomedia (S.)
Juliana, V. M., at Nicomedia (S.)
Agape, V. M., at Nicomedia (S.)
Eutychianus, M., at Nicomedia (S.)
Corintho, M., at Nicomedia (S.)
Diomedes, M., at Nicomedia (S.)
Metrodora, V. M., at Nicomedia (S.)
J. B. S.
Although today's transcripts of this Martyrology are confused in several points, and the names dislocated here and there in Florentinius, they agree well enough on the number seven of the Martyrs of Nicomedia, except only the Corbie one, in which a certain Justa is added. Agape certainly, or Agapa, is marked everywhere, and it would be sufficiently wonderful that she was received from here, and that she alone indeed passed into so many Usuardine supplements, so that no Saint, male or female, is so frequently repeated on this day, but with no position or place of martyrdom added, whence a doubt remains whether she is truly taken from the class here set forth, especially if Castellan found sufficient grounds for ascribing her to the people of Trier. Already seven of the same name have been reported on various days in the Acts, but I do not see that she can be confounded with any of them. Concerning the remaining six names, although corrupted here and there by the fault of copyists, there is no reason for us to inquire at greater length. The antiquity of the Martyrology renders a sufficient testimony concerning their cult: and since we find St. Agapa numbered among them, it will be permitted for the time to suppose that she is the very one of whom so many other Martyrologists speak on this day, and we shall indeed judge her a martyr, whatever the Bishop of Equilio, book XI, number 211, may assert that she rested in peace.