ON ST. BASILLA, VIRGIN,
AT SIRMIUM IN LOWER PANNONIA.
CommentaryBasilla, V., at Sirmium in Lower Pannonia (St.)
BY J. S.
St. Basilla variously announced in the Martyrologies, The Roman Martyrology today announces a certain St. Basilla in these words: At Smyrna, the birthday of St. Basilla. Baronius added a note of this kind: Of her both in the old Roman Martyrology and also in manuscripts. By the old Roman he doubtless designates the Hieronymian; by manuscripts perhaps the enlarged codices of Usuard. For in both is found the memory of Basilla, but with a difference in the place to which she is ascribed, and some difference also in the name. In the Hieronymian published by Florentinius it is read thus: At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilla the virgin. In the Corbie, in the same place in the notes (and in vol. 2 of the Spicilegium, page 17): At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilissa the virgin. Another copy of Florentinius: At Sirmium, Basilla the virgin. In the Augsburg and the Labbean, in our work after vol. VII of June, without the place is set, Basilla the virgin. In the additions to Usuard there is no less variety concerning this Saint, as may be seen in our Usuard. She is there recorded from very many copies, partly manuscript, partly printed. Most, however, have: At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilla. One, the Hagenau: At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilica the virgin. Belinus published Basilia. Greven: At Sirmium, St. Basilla the virgin. Molanus: In Syria, the birthday of St. Basilea. Thus far the Auctaria of Usuard.
[2] The Martyrologies hitherto adduced do not express whether St. Basilla was a martyr: she seems to be assigned to Sirmium. but Peter de Natalibus clearly denies the martyrdom when in book 11, chapter 130, number 231, he writes thus: St. Basila fell asleep in the Lord at Sirmium on this same day. Our manuscript Florarium has only: At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilla. I pass over the more recent, who vary in the same manner concerning the place. Nor does it please me to adduce certain Spaniards who, from the pseudo-Dexter and Julian, have tried to ascribe Basilla, along with Sirmium, to their own Spain: for the more prudent Spaniards themselves deny credit to fables of this kind. But I only observe with Florentinius that the most ancient Martyrologies agree well enough in the name and the place; for they everywhere call her Basilla and assign the Saint to Sirmium with the title of virgin, not of martyr. Moreover Sirmium was a city celebrated enough in Lower Pannonia, or in modern Slavonia, upon the river Save, so that it does not seem rightly assigned in the Roman Martyrology to Smyrna, which is a city of Asia Minor most well known to this day. Of the Saint's age or deeds there is everywhere a deep silence. Hence it remains uncertain whether she was a martyr: for the mere omission of the title of Martyr does not suffice to deny martyrdom to her with certainty.