Gregory

ON SS. GREGORY, THEODORE, AND LEO, CONFESSORS,

ON THE ISLAND OF SAMOS OR CEPHALONIA,

About the year 360.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

The immemorial cult of these three Saints, their Acts, their age, the place of their death, and the sacred relics of some of them translated elsewhere.

Gregory, confessor, on the island of Samos or Cephalonia (St.)

Theodore, confessor, on the island of Samos or Cephalonia (St.)

Leo, confessor, on the island of Samos or Cephalonia (St.)

BY G. C.

Although these three Saints are unknown to the more ancient Martyrologists, they are nevertheless assigned to this day by some of the more recent: The immemorial cult of these Saints for in the Usuardine Additions, which were printed at Cologne in the year of Christ 1515, they are today announced thus: At the island of Samos, the holy confessors Gregory, Theodore, and Leo, who in the time of Constantius, being soldiers, withdrew from the persecution of the Arians, and at the aforesaid island served Christ most devoutly, and rested together. With this announcement Whitford almost agrees, and is nearest in age, whose Martyrology, printed in English at London in the year 1526,

But Francesco Maurolico, in his Martyrology which he published at Venice in the year 1568, added a fuller notice on the same XXIV day of August, thus: On the island of Samos, the holy confessors Gregory, Theodore, and Leo, who, having lived as solitaries in a thicket and a half-ruined temple, in the reign of Constantius, fell asleep together in the Lord; of these, the bodies of the first two rest at Venice. Constanzo Felici has the like on this day in his Italian Martyrology; but he does not mention the sacred bodies of the two first Saints translated to Venice.

[2] Moreover Philip Ferrari, in his General Catalogue of the Saints who are not in the Roman Martyrology, it is proved from the Usuardine additions, reports the same three Saints in these few words: On the island of Samos, the holy confessors Gregory, Theodore, and Leo. Then in his notes in the same place he describes the situation of that island, as will afterward be said, and cites Maurolico and Felici. But those four more recent Martyrologists would not suffice to prove their immemorial cult, unless other arguments of ancient veneration were added, which I now briefly set forth. In the first place, the Cologne edition of the Usuardine Additions preceded by a hundred years and more the very well-known decree of Pope Urban VIII. Whence we conclude that these three Saints were publicly honored, or announced in the Martyrologies, from time immemorial — for which the aforesaid Pontiff assigned a hundred years. Besides, those Cologne Additions to Usuard were taken from various more ancient Martyrologies, as the editor testifies in the front of the book in the year 1515. To these add two writers of Acts, namely Pietro Calò and Pietro de' Natali, who flourished in the fourteenth century, and of whom we shall discourse below. Meanwhile these things suffice us for the insertion of those three Confessors into our Work.

[3] and by their very Acts, In what century the Acts of these Saints were first written, we do not know: for from them we cannot determine at what time their bodies and deeds were made known by revelation to a certain leper named Michael, who, being restored to health, is said to have committed their Life to writing. We find the first notice of these Saints in Pietro Calò the Dominican, who was still living at the beginning of the fourteenth century, as Échard relates among the Writers of the Order of Preachers reviewed in volume 1, page 511. But we do not know whence Calò drew what he narrates of those three Saints. We also doubt whether that compiler may not have amplified older and perhaps simpler Acts: for he mingles with them various conversations of the same Saints, which probably never came to the knowledge of the first biographer. Whatever be the case with this suspicion of ours, we shall submit those Acts, from the collections of Calò, to the press after this preliminary Commentary, and shall endeavor to illustrate them with Annotations.

[4] a summary of which we give from Pietro of Equilio, Finally, we do not know whether Pietro of Equilio, nearly contemporary with Calò, had simpler Acts in hand and faithfully transcribed them, or whether he abridged his shorter narration from Calò or from another biographer. Now this synopsis of the Acts in Pietro of Equilio, or de' Natali, in his Catalogue of the Saints, book 7, chapter 106, runs thus: Gregory, Theodore, and Leo, confessors, were illustrious at the island of Samos in the time of the emperor Constantius. They, being born in the Eastern parts, were as to the world imperial soldiers, but in heart soldiers of God, and desired to suffer martyrdom for the faith of Christ. For Gregory, an old man adorned with venerable hoariness and with wisdom, was the teacher of Theodore, who was about thirty years old, and of Leo, a youth.

[5] But when, while the heresy of the Arians was in force under Constantius, and which a certain Michael an edict had been issued that all throughout the whole world should become of that sect, and these holy Catholic Soldiers, who had one heart and one soul in the Lord, were dwelling with their other fellow soldiers in Sicily, many of the faithful being scattered here and there because of the persecution, the Saints themselves came to Cephalonia; and having resolved to depart from the others and to serve Christ alone, they went away to the island of Samos lying near by, where, finding a very dense thicket, the same Saints chose a solitary place. But being unable at that time to depart from their fellow soldiers, they sailed with them to Italy; and departing thence secretly, they returned to Samos, entered the thicket, and began to inhabit a part of a temple, broken down by age, which they found there, giving themselves to works of penance and to contemplation; where, after some time, having made their prayer, they all happily fell asleep on the same day, namely on the IX Kalends of September.

[6] But Michael, a noble and very rich man of that island, suffering from the elephantiasis of leprosy, by name, when he could not be freed by the physicians, fled for help to God by prayer; to whom there appeared in a vision three men in angelic form, charging him to bury their bodies, which had long lain unburied and were being fouled by swine, and that so he should receive health. He, awaking and knowing neither the names of the Saints nor the place, found in the morning a herdsman, who related to this Michael that, while he was pasturing his swine near a certain rock, and was pursuing one of the herd that had fled, he perceived a marvelous fragrance; and entering the thicket, he saw three bodies of Saints unburied and altogether incorrupt, from which that very great odor was breathing forth.

[7] But he, understanding that these were the bodies of the Saints who had appeared to him by night, mounted his horse, is said to have written down from revelation. and with the herdsman for guide came in haste to the place, and found the shining bodies; which, kissing, he received his cleansing. In which place he built a monastery at his own cost, and honorably laid up the bodies themselves, after the same Saints had appeared to him in the habit, namely, in which they had lived in the world, and had related to him in order their life and their names and the day of their death; all which Michael committed to writing. But in the course of time two of these bodies are said to have been taken thence by the Venetians and carried to Venice, to the monastery of St. Zacharias — those of St. Gregory and Theodore — where they rest in the same shrine behind the high altar, together with the body of St. Zacharias the prophet, the father of John the Baptist; but the body of Leo is still kept at Samos.

[8] From this compendium of the Acts we gather approximately the age of our Saints: About the middle of the fourth century for they served under the emperor Constantius, who, being most devoted to the Arian heretics, departed this life in the year of Christ 361, after completing twenty-four years of his administration of the empire and various persecutions of the Catholics. Now these three Saints seem, having left the secular service, to have crossed secretly to the island of Samos after the middle of the fourth century, since according to the Acts they were still dwelling with their other fellow soldiers in Sicily, which the emperor Constantius first occupied in the year of Christ 352, as Tillemont relates from ancient writers in his History of the Emperors, volume 4, page 378. And since at that time St. Gregory, as the reported compendium of the Acts testifies, was an old man adorned with venerable hoariness and with wisdom, and since they all happily died on the same day, we conjecture from the advanced age of St. Gregory that they did not lead a solitary life long on the island of Samos, and perhaps passed to the world above before the death of the emperor Constantius. Wherefore by conjecture we have noted their death above in the margin about the year 360. These things concerning the time of their death being indicated in passing, we shall now also endeavor to give a more distinct notice of the place of their death.

[9] they died together on the island of Samos, In the Martyrologies and elsewhere we read that these Saints of today died on the island of Samos. But Ortelius and other geographers everywhere distinguish three islands of this name, so that from this you do not yet know from which Samos they passed to the heavenly ones. Following in their footsteps, Baudrand describes one of them in volume 2 of his Geography, page 198, in these words: Samos is an island of Asia Minor in the Ægean sea, which is also Samus, lying almost adjacent to the region of Ionia, according to Pliny, Livy, and others; whence very often it is called the Ionian Samos in the Icarian sea. It was also formerly called Parthenia from the river Parthenius, and likewise Anthemus and Melamphylos, on Strabo's testimony; Dryusa by Aristotle, and Cyparissa by Pliny; but Imbrisos by Stephanus; and now it is called Samo by all, under the dominion of the Turks. Its circuit is LXXX miles; it lies between the island of Icaria to the west, XX miles, and the promontory of Trogilium in Ionia to the east toward Ephesus, V miles, and is distant from the island of Chios LX miles to the south. It has a small city, Samos, episcopal, under the archbishop of Ephesus, in its eastern part; and here first were earthen vessels made, on the testimony of Aulus Gellius; and it is separated from Ionia by the strait called Mycale.

[10] three islands of which name But the situation of the second island of the same name he there briefly assigns thus: Samos, an island of the Ægean sea, lying almost adjacent to Thrace according to Strabo and Diodorus, which is Samothrace in Ptolemy and Mela, Samothracia in Pliny, and is commonly called Samandrachi; according to Sophianus and others its circuit is XX miles, and it is scarcely XV miles distant from the mouth of the river Hebrus and from the shore of Thrace to the south, XX from the island of Imbros and XXXII from Lemnos, and it is well enough cultivated. Then Baudrand in the same place indicates a third island of the same name in these few words: Samos, an island of the Ionian sea according to Pliny and Livy, which was also called Same, on Strabo's testimony, and afterward Cephalonia; where also there was the town of Samos, now destroyed, and called il Porto Guiscardo, on the testimony of Niger.

[11] we distinguish with the geographers, Finally Baudrand thence refers the reader to the word Cephalonia, by which name Samos also is called, and in volume 1 of his Geography, page 255, he discourses thus of the situation of that island: Cephalenia, an island in Ptolemy and Pliny, which is Cephallenia in Strabo and Stephanus, la Cefalonia commonly among the Italians, la Cefalogne among the French, Kiafalania among the Turks, is an island of Greece in the Ionian sea, distant XII miles from the island of Leucas to the north and XX from Zacynthus to the south. It was also otherwise called Samos, Melæna, Teleboa, and Tapsus, and is distinguished with episcopal dignity under the archbishop of Corfu; but it is perpetually united to the bishopric of Zacynthus: in this island the inhabitants keep the Greek rites; its circuit is XC miles, and it is divided into XIX parts, called pertinenze, under the dominion of the Venetian Republic for some centuries, being scarcely XXIV miles distant from the coast of the Peloponnese to the west; and it is near the Echinades islands, and upon it depends the island of Ithaca in the neighborhood, on the testimony of Tommaso Porcacchi. Formerly it had four cities, now only villages and hamlets, with a castle on a hill called Cephalenia, Cefalonia; six miles from which lies the very ample harbor called Argostoli, on the southern coast of the island, in which scarcely fifty Catholics are to be found.

[12] From the very name of Cephalonia or Zephalonia, which is expressed in the reported compendium of the Life and in the Acts to be published below, and against the opinion of Ferrari the discerning reader will doubtless at once conclude that these three Saints dwelt and died on the third Samos. Therefore in the title of this Commentary, to indicate the arena of their death more distinctly, we have placed those Saints on the island of Samos or Cephalonia. Nevertheless Philip Ferrari, in his New Topography of the Martyrology

of the Roman Martyrology, page 112, assigns another Samos to their death, and describes that island in the same place in these words: Samos, Samo, a noble island of the Ægean or Icarian sea, lying adjacent to Ionia, about XL miles long, between the island of Icaria to the west and the promontory of Trogilium in Ionia, from which it retreats westward only V miles (so near is it to the mainland); scarcely XX miles from Ephesus and the mouth of the Cayster; in circuit about LXXXVII miles. It is most fruitful in all things, unhappy in wine. It has a city of the same name, formerly a most illustrious episcopal see; but the citizens, on account of the frequent raids of pirates, migrated to the island of Chios, distant XXX miles to the northwest. Then he there reports those three Saints by name at the XXIV day of August, and notes from Maurolico that the bodies of the two latter rest at Venice.

[13] The aforesaid Ferrari, in his notes on the announcement of this day in his General Catalogue, mentions the situation of the same island, we place their death on the third island, and thus abridges his former description: Samus, still retaining its ancient name, is an island of the Ægean sea with an episcopal city of the same name; lying adjacent to Ionia, very near to Ephesus, distant only XL stadia from the promontory of Troginum; in circuit LXXXVII miles; called by various names, Parthenia, Anthemusa, Cyparissia, on the testimony of Pliny, book 5, chapter 31, of Strabo, book 10, and of others. From these various names and other circumstances it is plain that the island of Samos is here indicated whose situation and names we reported above in the first place from Baudrand. But this opinion of Ferrari's seems to stray from the true arena of their death, as we shall observe in passing in the Annotations and elsewhere. Moreover Ferrari does not agree with himself concerning the Venetian translation of the sacred bodies, the time of which is unknown, and of which we shall now treat.

[14] The Acts from the collections of Pietro Calò, to be published below, are altogether silent concerning the sacred relics of these Confessors translated elsewhere. from which afterward the sacred relics of some of them But Pietro of Equilio, on the strength of a certain tradition, timidly asserts that the bodies of SS. Gregory and Theodore were carried to Venice, and there rest in the monastery of St. Zacharias, as we reported above at number 7 from Equilinus. Ferrari had him in hand when in his notes on the General Catalogue of the Saints he writes thus on this day: The bodies of Gregory and Theodore, translated to Venice, were there laid up, and have veneration. But we do not know how Ferrari can be reconciled with himself when in the New Topography of the Roman Martyrology, page 112, after setting down the names of the holy Gregory, Theodore, and Leo in the usual order, and citing Maurolico, he adds these three words: The bodies of the latter at Venice. Since Maurolico, cited by us above, expressly says that the bodies of the two first rest at Venice, we kindly impute this contradiction of Ferrari's to the typesetter, who perhaps set of the latter for of the two first or of the former.

[15] (we know not at what time) But whosesoever this error may be, Ferdinando Ughelli, in the Italia Sacra of the latest Venetian edition, volume 5, column [ ], in reviewing other bodies of Saints which are said to have been brought to Venice from elsewhere, on occasion of another Saint mentions at the same time the translation of the present St. Theodore alone, thus: Thomas the hermit, brought from Thrace to St. Zacharias's, along with Theodore the confessor, transported from the island of Samos. Our Janning too, who at Venice in the year 1686 inspected with some curiosity the sacred relics of the monastery of St. Zacharias, makes mention in his manuscript Itinerary of St. Theodore alone, in these words: In the third altar, which comes next, in a chest of marble outside but of wood within, with a gilded door, there rest the head and some bones of St. Theodore the confessor, of whom nothing is said in the Office; and also the body of St. Gregory Nazianzen (if the Romans allow it), covered with a rich cloth. It is clothed almost entirely with skin; the hands lie crosswise where the neck joins the breast, so as to present the figure of one praying.

[16] were translated to Venice. Since the Romans claim the body of St. Gregory Nazianzen for themselves by many arguments, as may be seen in our Work at the IX day of May, or volume 2 of that month, page 454 and following, one might easily suspect that the surname of Nazianzen was added by certain Venetians to our St. Gregory of today, and that this popular tradition at length prevailed in these latest times. We determine nothing certain in this controversy; but we only ask the Venetians to bring forward ancient proofs of their possession — although we suspect that they will not find such instruments, since our Janning, in his aforesaid manuscript Itinerary, after enumerating the relics which he had seen in the monastery of St. Zacharias, noted the following: Concerning all the aforesaid relics preserved at St. Zacharias's and their original translation to Venice they can prove nothing in writing, pleading that a fire consumed everything. What they affirm, they affirm from bare tradition. The last translation of most of them into new marble chests, which took place a few years ago, was made privately in the presence of the Vicar, and in it they were approved by the vicar, so far as tradition allows, and were permitted to be exposed for veneration. But at least on account of the Venetian tradition we believe that certain relics of these Saints were brought from the island of Samos or Cephalonia to Venice, both because the Venetians long possessed that island, and because this opinion of ours is confirmed by the Acts which we now submit to the press.

ACTS

compiled by Pietro Calò the Dominican,

From codex 929, part 2, folio 128.

Gregory, confessor, on the island of Samos or Cephalonia (St.)

Theodore, confessor, on the island of Samos or Cephalonia (St.)

Leo, confessor, on the island of Samos or Cephalonia (St.)

BHL Number: 3675

FROM THE MANUSCRIPT.

Under the Arian emperor Constantius Gregory, Theodore, and Leo, born in the East, in their outward state soldiers (for they were of the imperial service), but in heart cleaving daily to God with all holiness and patience, sobriety and abstinence, joined in one spirit, desired to imitate the life and sufferings of the Saints which they had read; and they were of such holiness that they were deservedly seen and called the lights of the world and earthly angels. On a certain day Gregory said to his companions: "So far as we can, let us be zealous to do the will of God, that we may deserve to be brethren of his adoption." Now at that time the abominable Arian heresy was in force, namely in the time of Constantius the heretic, son of Constantine the Great, who was at that time a heresiarch ^a; who through Sicily ^b and the other parts of his empire sent forth an edict that all should be of that same depraved sect.

[2] Hearing this, the soldiers of Greece who were then in Sicily these three Saints served piously as soldiers; were saddened, greatly fearing that they should be stained with the vice of that depraved heresy. Compelled by which fear, fleeing through divers parts of the world, they were scattered. Then the most wicked prince, sending to Byzantium a certain chief man of his, commanded that a popular assembly should spread abroad his heresy through the provinces; who, having received the authority, came to Byzantium, and there, the people being gathered, sought to fulfill the imperial edict. When this was known, the soldiers in whose company these men lived, because they were Catholics, being turned to terror — they who had resolved to set out for Italy — tarried at the island of Zephalonia ^c. And these, seeing the abstinence and virtues of the three aforesaid, began to emulate them. And certain of them held them in the highest veneration, seeing nothing in them that was not divine. For blessed Gregory was an old man adorned with venerable hoariness, and filled with wisdom beyond what can be told. St. Theodore was about thirty years old; and the venerable Leo was still bright with the flower of youth.

[3] Then Gregory said to the other two: "Behold a place, as I judge, but on account of his persecution against the Catholics, prepared for us by the Lord: wherefore let us separate ourselves from these men, who daily emulate our deeds; for the Lord says: Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them ^d. Here therefore let us await the last day, that in the life to come we may deserve to be together." And Theodore and Leo assenting, they kissed one another with a holy kiss; and taking the things necessary for their sustenance which they had in the ship, they resolved to withdraw from the others; daily conversing upon and performing those things which are profitable to the soul and lead to the kingdom of God, so that they surpassed the manners of men and seemed to imitate the angelic life. For in the use of food they had nothing of delicacies but fruits.

[4] In that island ^e there is a valley on the east which is called Samos ^f; adjoining to which is another island, Thous ^g, in which there is a valley called Compatrum ^h. Going out therefore into the island to see it, while they were walking through the aforesaid valley of Samos, they resolved to lead the solitary life, they saw a certain thicket, small but very dense. Then Gregory, shaking his head, groaned; which Theodore observing, said: "O sweetest brother, why art thou troubled, and why dost thou groan?" To whom he: "Oh, what a thought has been inspired in me by the Lord, if there were one who would be willing to follow me!" And when the other promised to be his follower, he said: "Behold, Theodore, a place in which one who desires to be saved can most excellently abide." Theodore answered: "If it were possible, thou wouldst find me ready: for I have heard read in the Gospel that narrow is the way by which one goes to heaven. And why should not we attempt to do this?" And Leo said: "Why do we hesitate, brethren? For we know that strait is the way that leads to life; for if we were still in earthly warfare, we should not hesitate to give ourselves over to death for a mortal man; how much more ought we to strive for our own souls, and for the hope of the glory to come which the Saints have had. Were they not formed of the same substance as we? Let us therefore be zealous to imitate them, that by divine help we may be able to come to their fellowship."

[5] and leaving the army, And rejoicing and turning to the East, they set God as mediator between them. Then, beating their breasts with their fists and lifting their eyes to heaven, they prayed God that he would deign to consecrate this place to them, that there, protected by his right hand, they might deserve to remain unharmed until the day of their departure. Then bending their knees and laying their heads upon the ground, and commending their souls to the Lord, and fortifying themselves with the sign of the cross, they departed thence. And because they could not yet avoid the company of the soldiers, going aboard ship \* with them, by the protection of God's grace they came to Italy; and there, following after humility and patience in their accustomed manner, they kept such abstinence of food and of words that all their fellow soldiers were astonished. Applying themselves unceasingly to prayer, they besought God that he would fulfill their vow. Not long after they returned to the same island, God being their guide, their fellow soldiers not knowing the place.

[6] they withdrew to the island of Samos, And when a certain one of them sought them and did not find them, being saddened he reported this to his tribune; who, being disturbed, began to consider for what cause they had resolved to flee away; and he carefully inquired of his men whether any of them had given them any annoyance

or whether they had sought hiding-places by anyone's help. And when all denied it, he said: "I knew that wise old man, adorned with good morals, who, I judge, persuaded the rest." To this a certain one of the bystanders said: "Oh, how blessed are they, who, renouncing the earthly warfare, have resolved to serve God alone! For we always saw them doing and treating of the things that are of God and that pertain to the salvation of souls. Whence we can conjecture that they have separated themselves from our company for no other cause than that they may be free to serve God." Which the tribune hearing, gave thanks to God; and blessing them, he went aboard ship with his men and pursued his own journey.

[7] in which they all died together, But those Saints, coming to the desired place, rejoiced on account of the thicket, in which they found a part of a temple ruined by age. Seeing which, they were filled with the joy of a fuller gladness, and exulting they sang: This is my rest for ever and ever, etc. And when they had sat down there after the labor of the journey, they began after their custom to make memorial of the ancient Saints, and with tearful remembrance to recall their afflictions and straits which they had endured in dungeons, in caves, or in the caverns of the earth, and how after so many and so great tribulations they had received the glory of eternal recompense. And conferring of this, they ceased not to pour forth tears. And after they had been there for some time, serving the Lord, on a certain day blessed Gregory said: "Dearest brethren, let us abide fixed in continual prayer, and let us ask of the Lord that he deign to receive our souls in peace." And turning to the East they prayed, saying: Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord, etc. And again: "Look down, O Lord, upon thy unworthy servants; for in thee we trust, thee we praise, thee we adore." After this each prayed silently. And these things being ended, they said with one voice: Mercy shall encompass those that hope in the Lord: which verse being said, they laid themselves upon the ground, and presently rendered their most holy souls to heaven ⁱ.

[8] Whose glorious bodies for very many years ^k were unknown to all. and there afterward a certain leper Michael, a very rich and most noble man of that island, grievously afflicted with the elephantine ^l disease, who had spent much upon the physicians and felt no help, having spent, as it were, all he had, and despairing of health from human means, turned to God, praying and saying that he had deserved this by his own demerits; but he called upon the mercy of him who through the prophet Elisha cured Naaman of his leprosy, that he would deign to free him also. And when, having said this, drenched with tears and moved with sighs, he had given his limbs to slumber, the aforesaid men stood by him in angelic form, saying to him: "Why art thou in anguish, O man, and afflicted with weariness? Arise, and see where we are; and rescue us from the molestation of the swine, which cease not daily to defile us with their dung. And if thou do this, it shall be recompensed to thee; but if not, thou shalt suffer worse things." Then he, awaking, glad because of the vision, called himself stupid and wretched, because he had not asked their names.

[9] But when morning came, going out of his house he met a certain swineherd running and eager to announce what he had seen. finds their sacred bodies by revelation, And when he had told him, saying: "I was at Samos pasturing swine, and one of them, leaving the herd, began to flee; and while I ran pursuing it, I perceived the fragrance of a marvelous odor; and the swine, coming to a very dense thicket, entered it; and I, fearing to lose it, followed with what strength I could. And having entered, I saw a certain part of an ancient temple, and three bodies of dead men, who seem to me not to have been men of this age; from which the odor came forth, and which, as I judge, are the relics of ancient Saints." Hearing which, Michael, filled with great joy, believing them to be the bodies of those who had appeared to him that night, mounting a horse made ready for him, ran to Samos; and anxiously ranging about, he saw the thicket, and perceived so great a fragrance of odor as he never remembered to have perceived.

[10] Then praising God, he approached the thicket, having dismounted from his horse, and being restored to health, is said to have written their Acts. in which the three holy bodies lay shining like stars: and prostrate on the ground, he began to kiss their feet. And when he had for a very long time bedewed them with his tears and kissed them, straightway the leprosy was put to flight, and he was restored to the most perfect health. And returning home, he charged his servants that that place \* should be most carefully cleansed. Which being done, he founded a monastery there in their honor. Not many days after, the glorious Athletes of Christ appeared to him in that form and habit in which they had lived in the world, and related to him in order their own names and the manner of their life. All which the same Michael carefully wrote down for the knowledge of those to come ^m. And they were revealed on the fourteenth Kalends of September ⁿ; on which day they gave their precious souls to God.

ANNOTATIONS.

\ perhaps ingressi*. \ locus ille*.