ON THE HOLY MARTYRS FELIX, VICTOR, JANUARIUS, VITALIS, AND HERENAEUS, IN AFRICA.
ABOUT THE YEAR 250.
CommentaryFelix, Martyr in Africa (St.) Victor, Martyr in Africa (St.) Januarius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Vitalis, Martyr in Africa (St.) Herenaeus, Martyr in Africa (St.)
G. H.
[1] Two of these Martyrs are recorded in the ancient manuscript Martyrology of Reichenau, or Augia Dives, near Constance in Swabia: In Africa, of Felix, of Victor. The ancient Roman manuscript Martyrology, which under the name of St. Jerome has often been cited by us, The memory of these Martyrs in manuscripts has four: In Africa, of Felix, Victor, Januarius, Vitalis. It omits Herenaeus, and records him on the twenty-fifth of February, on which day the other Martyrs who then suffered in Africa are treated. Galesinius from a manuscript Martyrology, omitting St. Felix and adding Zoticus, enumerates the others thus: In Africa likewise, of the holy Martyrs Victor, Januarius, Zoticus, Herenaeus. Jacobus Pamelius in his Annotations to the epistle of Lucianus, which is the twenty-second among the works of St. Cyprian, from the manuscript Martyrology of the Williamites of Bruges, and Hermannus Greven in his Supplement to Usuard, omitting Vitalis, celebrate the rest thus: In Africa, of Victor, and in the works of St. Cyprian Felix, Januarius, Zoticus, Herenaeus. Pamelius adds that the following words of Lucianus to Celerinus in the same epistle are to be understood of these Martyrs: And therefore, dearest brother, greet Numeria and Candida, who according to the precept of Paul and of the other Martyrs, whose names I append: Bassus, tortured by the rack; Mappalicus, under questioning; Fortunio, in prison; Paulus, after questioning; Fortuna, Victor, Herenaeus, Credula, Herena, Donatus, whether their fame has been extinguished? Firmus, Ventus, Fructus, Julia, Martialis, and Aristo, who by God's will were killed by starvation in prison. Pamelius restored from the said Williamite Martyrology the name of Herenaeus, since previously it was read as Herennius in Morellius. Rigaltius agrees with Pamelius. We shall treat of the other Martyrs enumerated by Lucianus on the twenty-second and twenty-fifth of February and on the seventeenth of April: at which places, since very many companions are also named of whom Lucianus makes no mention, it is a sign that those were chiefly indicated why St. Zoticus is here omitted who were either from the household of Celerinus, Numeria, or Candida, or were more particularly known to them. We have also treated on the tenth of this month of Saints Zoticus and Irenaeus, but as having suffered at Rome: we shall treat of Zoticus again below, as also on the following twelfth day, and indeed from the Martyrology of St. Jerome: in which he is not recorded among these Africans, so that among others he may appear to have been interpolated: and therefore we here pass over him.