ON SS. QUADRATUS, BISHOPS
Cultus, from the Roman Martyrology and other sacred Fasti.
Quadratus, bishops (SS.)
J. P.
The Roman Martyrology, announcing on this day one St. Quadratus, a bishop, It is asked who St. Quadratus may be; not sufficiently distinguished by other characteristic marks, has furnished us with occasion for treating of several. The most eminent Baronius in his notes says: He is found set down hitherto without the title of the place of his episcopate, both in the old Roman Martyrology (that of Bellinus, namely, as Fiorentini indicates at today's day in his notes) and in an old manuscript; nor does anyone teach over what church he presided. But let us produce other sacred Fasti which commemorate St. Quadratus at this day, with the place of his episcopate somehow assigned, in which he either lived and flourished, or even ceased to live. In the Martyrology which the same Fiorentini published under the name of St. Jerome, these words occur: In Sardinia, the birthday of the holy Luxurius, Trajanus, Quadratus the bishop, Primus. With this agree Holstenius's Animadversions on the Roman Martyrology, reporting this from 2 manuscripts: In Sardinia, the birthday of SS. Luxurius, Trajanus, Quartus the bishop, Primus. (By Quartus, Fiorentini in his notes understands Quadratus, following other codices.) Holstenius adds moreover: That he was a bishop in Sardinia both manuscripts of the Queen of Sweden show. With these agrees the Vatican copy, which among the Auctaria to our Usuard is cited on this day at number 5949: In Sardinia, of St. Quadratus the bishop. These things concerning that bishop Quadratus are altogether clear. I said above "somehow," because whether and where he had his see in Sardinia is not determined.
[2] But another bishop of the same name occurs in the text of the Martyrology in Fiorentini, who is announced today which was cited above: At Alexandria, the birthday of the holy Pistus, Semus. Likewise of Quadratus the bishop. But a question can here be raised, whether that Quadratus is there to be connected with the two preceding Saints, and accordingly with Alexandria, to which they are assigned; or whether he is set down separately and absolutely without a place. In this matter, not sufficiently clear in itself, the Auctaria to our Usuard supply no light. For in the announcements which are there brought forward from various lists or codices, Quadratus the bishop is marked, but without a place, if you except the single one of which I treated above. To what place therefore that Quadratus belongs does not seem sufficiently clear; even though Fiorentini in his notes, where on the occasion of the prelate of Athens of the same name, reported by Maurolycus on this day also, observes the following: But the two here mentioned are different from him: the one a Sardinian, the other an Alexandrian, who also is constantly called a bishop in our manuscript books and in the Antwerp manuscript, although the episcopal title is wanting in the Corbie manuscript, both in our sheets and in the copy of d'Achery; and he seems to be of another class than Pistus and Sevus. But if to Fiorentini he seems to be separated from these, as being of another class, let me be permitted to ask why he should not be either
of a different place, or at least of an uncertain one? Lest, however, I should seem to anyone to be looking for a knot in a bulrush, if you should wish with Fiorentini to ascribe him to Alexandria, I shall not object.
[3] in the Roman Martyrology. But whether, and which of those two bishops of the same name, the Roman Martyrology announces, there is nothing from which anyone can certainly determine out of it; because he is announced without the place of his episcopate; nor did Baronius himself know of what place he was bishop, as is manifest from his notes brought forward above. Castellano, having set an asterisk against the text of the Roman Martyrology which he translated into French, would have it that the Quadratus who is there marked was bishop of Trani, that is, of Trani in Apulia. But in the series of those Prelates in Ughelli, volume 7 of Italia sacra, reprinted not long since, from column 885, I find no Quadratus; and indeed, even if he stood there, in what way that place of the episcopate could be hammered out of the announcement of the Roman Martyrology, even by a shadow, I by no means sufficiently understand, as is concluded from what has been said. It remains, therefore, that it cannot be exactly determined in what see St. Quadratus, noted on this day in the Roman Martyrology, presided — unless perhaps he presided in Sardinia: for which the copies cited above concerning him seem in some measure to give support, since they express the place of Sardinia; whence his name perhaps passed to some Italian Martyrology, and thence to Bellinus, and finally to the Roman which we use to this day. But the reader will attribute to these things as much as he pleases, since I would have them taken for mere conjecture. However the present controversy may stand, since I cannot carry it further, let it suffice to have marked SS. Quadratus, bishops, as to be venerated on today's day, together with the Fasti which I have cited; even though their deeds and the time of their life and death are altogether unknown to me. St. Quadratus, bishop of Athens, Maurolycus marks on this day; but we cannot hitherto be induced to believe that he is distinct from the one whom the same Maurolycus had announced on the XXVI day of May; as was indicated in today's Prætermissi.