ON SS. PIRICIUS AND ARCUS AND MAXIMUS AND PAMPHILUS AND COLOUUS AND DIOMEDES AND AGATICUS AND ZELUS, PARTLY MARTYRS, PARTLY CONFESSORS,
AT SYNNADA IN PHRYGIA.
From the Martyrologies.
CommentaryPiricius, martyr at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
Arcus, martyr at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
Maximus, confessor, at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
Pamphilus, martyr at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
Colouus, confessor, at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
Diomedes, martyr at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
Agaticus, martyr at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
Zelus, martyr at Synnada in Phrygia (St.)
BY J. P.
Rabanus inscribed the memory of the former Saints in his Martyrology on this day, These Martyrs are reported in various ways: their arena: speaking of them thus: In the city of Synnada, the birthday of the holy Piricius, Arcus, Maximus the confessor, Pamphilus, Colouus the confessor. In the Plantin Bede these things are had: In the city of Synnada, of the holy Valens, Piricius, Arcus, Maximus, Pamphilus, and Colouus the confessor. And it is easy to observe that the one reading differs from the other. Greater is the discrepancy in Florentini: In the city of Synnada, of the holy Pistus, Arcius, Diomedes, Agatinus, Zelus, Pamphilus, Colouus the confessor. The same author may be consulted in his notes, in which he thus writes from the Antwerp list: In the city of Synnada, of Pistus, Acarus, Diomedes, Agathinus, Zelus, Pampus. Thus he there. But who may hope safely enough to reduce to the true and genuine reading those transcripts, corrupted and dislocated in so many places? See meanwhile Florentini in the said notes, as also the things which I shall presently say. The place of the arena Ferrari thus describes in his Topography to the Roman Martyrology: Synnada, an archiepiscopal city of Asia, in Phrygia, formerly a most noble assize-town and metropolis, spacious, at the roots of the Dibymi mountains, with a great plain stretching before it, near Docimæum, formerly a village noted for its quarry — for from there stones were carried even to Rome from the territory of Synnada. It is situated between Eucarpia to the west and Juliopolis to the east, at this time indeed retaining its name, but become obscure, like almost all the rest under the empire of the Turks.
[2] whether their class be one or twofold. Now it is of profit to weigh various other readings concerning the Martyrs whom I have expressed above in the title, and to see whether one class or a twofold class of them can or ought to be set down. In our manuscript catalogue of the Saints, which has been put together from various sacred Calendars, these three are marked separately on this day: Diomedes; Agathicus, Zelus; whom above we saw joined together with the others; as also Holstenius reads them together on this day in his Animadversions on the Roman Martyrology: In the city of Synna, the birthday of SS. Pistus, Arcius, Diomedes, Agatinus, Zelus; Pamphilus, Colitius the confessor. Among the abridged Hieronymian Martyrologies, published by us after the Index of Saints for the first six months of our Work, in the Reichenau one they are thus noted:
In the city of Synnada, of Pistus, Arcius, Diomedes, Agatenus, Pamphilus. From what has been said I draw three corollaries. Let the first be, that it is not certainly established whether a twofold, or only one band of the Saints named above ought to be laid down. The second: because nevertheless I found those three of whom I spoke noted in our catalogue separately from the others, following this I judged that they could be divided into two classes, even though it is not certain whether they ought to be so divided. The third: I reckoned the Saints in the title above as partly martyrs, partly confessors, chiefly after the example of Rabanus, who expressly designates two of them by the name of confessor. But whether these were at the same time martyrs, and whether they were called confessors because they had premised to their martyrdom a certain public, singular, and heroic profession of the faith, I do not divine. But those to whom the title of confessor is not given seem to me to have been martyrs, from the manner in which they are announced.
ON ST. DIOSCORUS, M.,
AT ALEXANDRIA,
From the Martyrologies.
CommentaryDioscorus, M., at Alexandria (St.)
BY J. P.
At Alexandria, the birthday of Dioscorus. The announcement is that of Rabanus, which the Plantin Bede also has. The same is had in Florentini. Castellan in his Universal Martyrology reports him with the title of martyr. And indeed although I read him expressly so styled neither in the cited Martyrologies, nor in the transcripts which Florentini adduces in his notes, nor in the abridged Hieronymian Martyrologies which have been printed among us — the Reichenau, the Labbean, the shorter Corbie, as it is called, and that of the queen of Sweden — nevertheless I have set him down above as one who by the word natale (birthday) seems to be indicated. Moreover the things which pertain to the age and deeds of this Saint are altogether unknown to me.