ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF FORUM SEMPRONII,
LAURENTIUS AND HIPPOLYTUS.
CommentaryS. Laurentius, Martyr, at Forum Sempronii in Umbria. S. Hippolytus, Martyr, at Forum Sempronii in Umbria.
I. B.
[1] Forum Sempronii is a city of Umbria situated on the left bank of the Metaurus river, called by Strabo Phoron Semprōnion, Venerated at Forum Sempronii on the second of February. Forum Sempronium. It is now commonly called Fossombrone: although Philippus Cluverus, Leander Albertus, and Ferdinandus Ughellus relate that the ancient city was destroyed by barbarian incursions and the new one rebuilt not on the same exact site but about five hundred paces distant. Here the holy Martyrs Laurentius and Hippolytus are venerated on the fourth day before the Nones of February. SS. Laurentius and Hippolytus: Ughellus, however, in volume 2 of Italia Sacra, column 910, when he lists the Saints of Forum Sempronii, does not mention them. The Martyrologies do mention them: and indeed the standard Bede has: At Forum Sempronii, SS. Laurentius and Hippolytus. Galesinius and Ferrarius in the general Catalogue say the same. But Rabanus, Notker, and the manuscript of S. Maximinus: At Rome, at Forum Symphroni, on the Via Flaminia, at the 174th milestone from the City, Laurentius and Hippolytus. In which words a clear error is present. For what does "at Rome" mean, if they suffered martyrdom 174 miles from the city of Rome? Although Notker has only 163; and certain more learned authorities acknowledge no more than 125.
[2] In the old Roman Martyrology, or that of S. Jerome, the following is read (which we have already cited when treating of the holy Roman Martyrs Fortunatus and companions): At Rome, Forosini, Pruni, Laurentii, Hippolyti, etc., Bonosiae, Forosi, Pruni, also Victoriae: so that it is doubtful whether Forosinus, Prunus (or perhaps Primus), Forosius, and another Prunus are Martyrs; or rather it should be read: At Rome, Hilari, Rogati, Saturnini; at Forum Sempronii, Laurentii, Hippolyti; at Rome, Fortunati, Feliciani, etc.; also at Forum Sempronii, Victoriae; perhaps also S. Victoria: Acts unknown. as we indicated above at number 2. Ferrarius acknowledges in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy that besides the names and the day on which they are venerated, nothing is known about them at Forum Sempronii. In the cited Martyrology of S. Jerome, on the following day, the same entry occurs: At Forum Sempronii, Laurentii, Hippolyti. Nor do the manuscripts of Aachen and S. Cyriacus at Rome differ much: whose words we shall give at the third of February when we treat of Felix and Felicitas.