Tigrinus

ON ST. TIGRINUS, ROMAN MARTYR, AT TURIN IN PIEDMONT.

Tigrinus, Roman Martyr, at Turin (St.)

G. H.

[1] The Taurini had their seat at Turin, at the foot of the Alps in the Transpadane region: whom Strabo in book 4 and Pliny in book 3, chapter 17, call a Ligurian people; Among the Taurini but Appian in his Hannibalic Wars and others reckon them among the Gauls. Their principal city was formerly called Taurasia. [the city called Taurasia, Augusta Taurinorum, and Taurinum, distinguished by various splendors and by the Shroud of Christ] After it, together with the people itself, came under Roman power, a colony having been established there, it began to be called Augusta Taurinorum: but later generations for the sake of brevity call it Taurinum; the Italians, Torino. The city is now exceedingly beautiful and pleasant, and because the Most Serene Princes of Savoy reside there, it grows daily more magnificent: it has a most strongly fortified citadel, a celebrated university, temples exquisitely adorned: and among its sacred relics it preserves and displays with great veneration the shroud, or sudarium, in which the Son of God, after the work of our redemption was accomplished, was wrapped when taken down from the cross.

[2] In the same city there stands a distinguished temple of the Society of Jesus, dedicated to the Patron Saints of the same city, [in the temple of the Society of Jesus there, six bodies of Saints are preserved, among which St. Tigrinus the Martyr is venerated on 2 February] the Martyrs Solutor, Adventor, and Octavius from the Theban Legion: whose bodies are preserved there with honor, as will be said on the twentieth of November, the day sacred to their veneration. In the same temple the sacred relics of three other Saints are honored, to whose veneration three consecutive days of February are dedicated: on the eleventh St. Tigrinus the Roman Martyr is venerated; on the twelfth St. Goslinus the Abbot; on the thirteenth St. Juliana the Matron. We treat of each separately on their proper day. And indeed on this day, the feast of St. Tigrinus is celebrated with an Ecclesiastical Office taken from the Common of one Martyr not a Bishop.

[3] His body was sent from Rome by Claudius Aquaviva, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, on the fourth of September in the year 1611, and entrusted to Antonius Marchesius, Provincial of Milan, The body brought from Rome to be conveyed to Turin. He conveyed and delivered it to the Most Serene Prince Maurice of Savoy, then Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church: who immediately gave it as a gift to the College of the Society of Jesus, soon afterwards carried there by the same Marchesius the Provincial, [to Cardinal Maurice of Savoy, thence to the College of the Society, of which matter two instruments are here published] with no instrument of donation attached, though two such instruments exist in the archive of the same College of Turin, one from the General, the other from Marchesius the Provincial himself: which we give here, communicated by the Reverend Father Franciscus Vascus, Rector of the same college in the year 1653, and transmitted by the Reverend Father Joannes Jacobus Turinettus, who was subsequently appointed to the same office, whose benevolent diligence has furnished us with very many documents that promote the veneration of Saints in that region. The first document is as follows.

[4] Claudius Aquaviva, Superior General of the Society of Jesus. To all into whose hands these letters shall come, the first, of Claudius Aquaviva, General of the Society of Jesus greeting in him who is true salvation. Assuredly the sacred Relics of the Saints are by their very nature worthy of all honor and reverence, inasmuch as, as St. Augustine says, the Holy Spirit used them as vessels and instruments for all good works; and moreover, on account of the great benefits which flow from them upon the human race, so that Damascenus not without reason said that such Relics were instituted by Christ the Lord as salutary fountains, from which not inconsiderable benefits flow to us, and a most sweet ointment pours forth, since through them demons are expelled, diseases are routed, the sick are healed, the blind receive light, temptations and sorrows are dispelled, and finally many gifts descend from the Father of lights through their agency upon those who ask with undoubting faith. Since therefore we have given to our dearest Brother in Christ, Antonius Marchesius, Provincial of Milan, the Body of St. Tigrinus the Martyr, extracted from the cemetery of Priscilla on the Via Salaria with the permission of the Most Holy Lord Paul V, to be placed in the city of Turin; so that this might be known to all, lest such sacred Relics be defrauded of their due honor, we have wished to give testimony concerning all the foregoing by these letters subscribed by our hand and sealed with our seal. At Rome, on the fourth day of the month of September, in the year of the world's redemption 1611.

Claudius Aquaviva Bernardus de Angelis, Secretary.

[5] The second document reads as follows: the second, of Antonius Marchesius, Provincial of Milan Antonius Marchesius, Provincial Superior of the Province of Milan of the Society of Jesus, to all into whose hands these letters shall come, greeting in him who is true salvation. When it had come to the ears of the Most Serene Cardinal Maurice of Savoy that in recent years several bodies of Saints had been extracted at Rome from the cemetery of Priscilla on the Via Salaria with the permission of Our Most Holy Lord Paul V by the Very Reverend Father Claudius Aquaviva, Superior General of the Society of Jesus: and His Highness had signified by letter that he desired to be made a sharer in the sacred Relics, with the intention that the city of Turin, already of itself inclined to piety, enriched by this new gift, might be more ardently kindled to render due honor and veneration to the sacred bones; the same Very Reverend Father Claudius Aquaviva, most desirous of satisfying the most pious Prince, although he received his wish belatedly, gave to us, Antonius Marchesius the Provincial, at Rome, the remaining Body of St. Tigrinus the Martyr extracted thence, although it had crumbled to ashes on account of the antiquity and moisture of the subterranean place, enclosed in a casket, sealed with his seal, and authenticated by public attestation, so that we might transfer it to Turin and present it in his name to the same Most Serene Cardinal. We therefore, Antonius Marchesius the Provincial, executing the command of the same Claudius Aquaviva, faithfully transferred the same sacred ashes to Turin, and examined and authenticated the casket duly sealed with our seal together with the same body. And so that all might be assured of the foregoing, we have wished to give testimony by these letters subscribed by our hand and sealed with our seal. At Turin, on the twenty-fifth day of August in the year 1612.

Antonius Marchesius.

ON THE MANY MARTYRS WHO SUFFERED IN NUMIDIA UNDER DIOCLETIAN AND MAXIMIAN.

ABOUT THE YEAR 300.

Martyrs in Numidia (SS.)

G. H.

[1] When, as Eusebius attests in book 8 of his Ecclesiastical History, chapter 3, it had been publicly decreed in all places by the Emperor's letters that the scriptures of the Christians should be consumed by fire, Those who refused to hand over the sacred Scriptures the Governors in the provinces and the Officials in each city, town, and village made it their business to ensure that the sacred books be delivered up for burning. Moreover those who, broken by fear or by punishments, handed them over, were called Traditores, especially in Africa. At the same time, however, very many were found who preferred to suffer death for Christ rather than to produce the sacred codices for burning. Some mention of these was made on the second of January, who preferred to give their bodies to the executioners rather than holy things to dogs. Others we celebrate on this day, who, having assembled to celebrate the Lord's Day, were apprehended and suffered put to death by martyrdom in Numidia under the Proconsul Anulinus at Carthage in the year of Christ 303. To these Baronius added these Numidian Martyrs, with the year approximately three hundred noted in the margin. Concerning whom these words are read in the tables of the Roman Martyrology: In Numidia, the commemoration of many holy Martyrs who, apprehended during the same persecution, when they refused to hand over the divine Scriptures according to the Emperor's edict, were tortured with the most severe punishments and put to death.

[2] Baronius testifies that St. Augustine manifestly points to these same Martyrs in the Proceedings with the Donatists, in the Abridgment of the Conference of the third day, chapter 13, when he says: indicated by St. Augustine They also read out the letters of Secundus, Bishop of Tigisis, and Primate of the Bishops of Numidia, peaceably addressed to Mensurius, Bishop of Carthage, where he also narrated what the persecutors did in Numidia. And those who, having been apprehended, refused to hand over the holy Scriptures, and suffered many evils, and were tortured with the most severe punishments and put to death: and he commended them to be honored according to the merit of their martyrdom. Thus St. Augustine, and from him Baronius for this day. We shall speak of Secundus and Mensurius in connection with the following Acts.