Martyrs Ammon

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS AMMON, AEMILIANUS, LASSA, DIDYMUS, POEMUS, ALSO AMMON, AND THIRTY-EIGHT OTHERS, AT MEMBRESA IN AFRICA.

Ammon, Martyr at Membresa in Africa (St.) Aemilianus, Martyr at Membresa in Africa (St.) Lassa, Martyr at Membresa in Africa (St.) Didymus, Martyr at Membresa in Africa (St.) Poemus, Martyr at Membresa in Africa (St.) Ammon the other, Martyr at Membresa in Africa (St.) Thirty-eight other Martyrs at Membresa in Africa

G. H.

[1] In the Antonine Itinerary, on the route from Hippo Regius to Carthage, in the province of Zeugitana, Membresa is located — at Membresa in Africa, or Membrassa, or according to Ortelius, Membrum. In a certain Council of Carthage, as found in Hieronymus Zurita in his emendations of the said Itinerary, the Confessor Lucius of Membresa gave his opinion. Indeed, at the Conference of Carthage held in the year 410 and the following year, Gemadius, Bishop of Membresa, was present; and in the Record of the provinces and cities of Africa, in the sixth year of King Huneric, Bonifacius, Bishop of Membresa, is reported as having been sent into exile, listed eighth in order.

[2] We believe these Martyrs were crowned at this place, or near it. these Martyrs suffered; The ancient manuscript Roman Martyrology under the name of St. Jerome assigns them to the third class, in these words: And at Membras, Ammon, Aemilianus, Lassa, Didymus, Poemus, and thirty-eight others. The manuscript Martyrology of Aachen: Ammon, Aemilianus, also Ammon, Thomas, and thirty-seven others. The printed Bede: Likewise Ammon and thirty-eight others. More explicitly, Galesinius: Likewise the holy Martyrs Ammon and his thirty-eight companions. But the manuscript Bede of the Richenberg monastery, Rabanus, and Notker: Likewise Ammon and thirty-seven others. Hermann Greven in his supplement to Usuard: Likewise Ammon, Thomas, and thirty-seven others. Likewise Aemilianus. Wandalbert celebrates Ammon in this verse — whether this one or the Cypriot previously mentioned:

On the fifth, may pious prayers honor the blessed Ammon.

[3] The Thomas who is inserted in the Aachen manuscript and by Hermann Greven from whom St. Thomas should be separated is separated in the Martyrology of St. Jerome, with these words appended: The deposition of Thomas. In the manuscript Martyrology of St. Lambert at Liege, after the Cypriot Martyrs, one reads: The deposition of St. Thomas the Apostle. And on the following day in the Florarium of the Saints: The reposition of St. Thomas the Apostle by St. Helena the Queen in the year of salvation 313 — of which we shall treat on December 21. On the other hand, Didymus, joined to the Cypriot Martyrs in the manuscript Martyrologies of Cologne ad Gradus, from elsewhere St. Didymus should be added, St. Martin at Tournai, and Laetium, belongs here. Concerning the thirty-eight companions joined by some to St. Alexander, we have treated above.

ON THE HOLY EGYPTIAN MARTYRS JULIUS, MILICUTUS, THYRSUS, PLESEUS, RONEUS, ORBASUS, ORINION, AGATHO, RECUMBUS, BASTAMUS, SERMATA, PROTHIRION, COLORUS, LUSUS, ARATUS, THEONITA, HIPPUS, GERMANUS, SATURNILLA, PECTIMUS, SERAPION, LIASTAMON, PAPIAS, PAMPIRUS, DIOSCODUS, HERODUS, POTAMON, PETICONIDES, CUMMINUS, ZOTICUS, CYRIACUS, HIPPIAS.

Julius, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Milicutus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Thyrsus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Roneus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Orbasus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Orinion, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Agatho, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Recumbus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Bastamus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Sermata, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Prothirion, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Colorus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Lusus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Aratus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Theonita, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Hippus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Germanus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Saturnilla, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Pectimus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Serapion, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Liastamon, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Papias, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Pampirus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Dioscodus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Herodus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Potamon, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Peticonides, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Cumminus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Zoticus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Cyriacus, Martyr in Egypt (St.) Hippias, Martyr in Egypt (St.)

G. H.

[1] These illustrious champions of Christ are supplied by the ancient Roman Martyrology, that is, St. Jerome's, in which the following is read for this day: In Egypt, Julius, Their names in the Martyrologies, Milicutus, Thyrsus, Pleseus, Roneus, Orbasus, Orinion, Agatho, Recumbus, Bastamus, Sermata, Prothirion, Colorus, Lusus, Aratus, Theonita, Hippus, Germanus, Saturnilla, and Pectimus. Serapion, Liastamon, Papias, Pampirus, Dioscodus, Herodus, Potamon, Peticonides, Cumminus, Zoticus, Cyriacus, Hippias. Whether a second group of Martyrs begins with Serapion may be debated. Some of these Martyrs are exhibited in the manuscript Martyrology of the monastery of Reichenau near Constance, in these words: And in Egypt, Julius, Pleseus, Roneus, Orfasus, Agatho. Concerning the various persecutions against Christians in Egypt, we have often treated in this work. In the very ancient lesser manuscript Martyrology of St. Maximin near Trier, the following is read: On the 5th day before the Ides of February, at Alexandria, the deposition of Thomas, Orion, and 600 others. Perhaps this Orion is the same as the one whom the writer of this Martyrology took to be Orinion in other sources; but it rather pertains to the following day, on which he is recorded in both manuscripts, that of St. Jerome and of Reichenau. Others add St. Thomas to the African Martyrs, where we have said that the reference seems to be to St. Thomas the Apostle, whose feast day is December 21. Why might not the name Thomas perhaps be a corruption of Theonita, who is also counted among these Martyrs?

[2] The thirty-seven Martyrs in Egypt whom we recorded on January 18 as having completed their glorious contest might seem to some to be the same as those mentioned here. whether the same as those of January 18? But it is expressly stated that there were thirty-seven there, and some names appear here that are absent there; if they were combined, they would make a larger number. Many names are also expressed differently in each place. Moreover, just as in Italy, Africa, and Spain many Martyrs are found bearing the same names, so too there could have been such in Egypt. We for our part have been unable to determine anything certain and have preferred to present them again rather than rashly expunge them, or conflate them as the same when they might perhaps be different.

ON SS. PAUL AND DIONYSIUS, MARTYRS AT ALEXANDRIA IN EGYPT.

Paul, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (St.) Dionysius, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (St.)

G. H.

[1] This noble pair of Martyrs is thus inscribed in the ancient Martyrologies of St. Jerome and of Reichenau: At Alexandria, Paul and Dionysius. The manuscript Martyrology of St. Maximin near Trier: On the 5th day before the Ides of February, at Alexandria, SS. Paul and Dionysius. SS. Paul and Dionysius,

[2] The manuscript Martyrology of the Carthusian house at Utrecht suggests another Dionysius in these words: Apollonia, Virgin and Martyr, with many others; from whom St. Dionysius the Bishop is distinct; Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, exhorter of the aforesaid Martyrs. What he wrote in his letter to Fabianus of Antioch about the constancy of the Christians at Alexandria and the torments and death of St. Apollonia, we have reported under her Acts on this day. But we believe that the discussion here concerns a different Dionysius, of Alexandria, who was a companion of Paul in martyrdom, especially because the name of St. Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, appears in the same Martyrology of St. Jerome on February 14, in many others on the 18th of the same month, and in the Roman Martyrology on November 17. It should also be noted here that among those thirty-seven about whom we treated on January 18, there are also a Paul and a Dionysius.