ON THE HOLY MARTYRS MACARIUS, RUFINUS, AND JUSTUS AT SEVILLE IN SPAIN
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Macarius, Martyr, at Seville in Spain (Saint) Rufinus, Martyr, at Seville in Spain (Saint) Justus, Martyr, at Seville in Spain (Saint)
G. H.
[1] Seville, the most celebrated emporium of all Spain at this time, still shines with the ancient splendor of its ecclesiastical affairs. Its Archbishops are listed by Giles Gonzalez Davila in volume 2 of his "Ecclesiastical Theater" The Martyrs of Seville of Spain. The saints of both the city and the diocese of Seville are described in a particular work by our Antonio de Quintanaduenas; and in treating of these holy Martyrs, he reports in note 2 on the history, which is found handwritten in the archiepiscopal archive, that Jerome Briosio writes in chapter 16: "Around which times I believe the very city of Seville itself to have been bathed in glorious blood, namely that of Macarius, Rufinus, Justus, and Peter, most courageous Martyrs, who, as is established from ancient martyrologies, Macarius, Rufinus, Justus, Peter, were killed in that city for the faith of Christ the Lord, and whose most worthy combats it still desires." Thus Briosio in that place, but the time at which he lived is not stated.
[2] Francis Maurolycus, Abbot of Messina, in his Martyrology compiled from various authors and Martyrologies, chiefly Sicilian manuscripts, about a hundred years ago, also attributes these four Martyrs to Seville, Peter is venerated on October 8. and celebrates Saint Peter with Usuard, Bellinus, and others on October 8, on which day we shall treat of him with the Roman Martyrology. The others the same Maurolycus reports on this February 12 in these words: "Likewise, of Macarius, Rufinus, and Justus at Seville." The same are listed in various manuscript Martyrologies on this day, The rest on February 12. but with the place of martyrdom omitted: namely in the ancient Trier Martyrology, in six different manuscript copies augmented under the name of Usuard for the use of various churches, in the manuscript "Flower of the Saints," in Bellinus's Roman Martyrology, the German Martyrology of Canisius, the supplement to Usuard by Hermann Greeven and Molanus, and finally in the Lubeck edition of the same Usuard. Some of these read: "Saints Macarius, Rufinus, Justus, Martyrs." Others in this manner: "The birthday of Saint Macarius, Saint Rufinus, and Saint Justus."
[3] In the manuscript Martyrology of the Carmel in Cologne, the following is recorded of two of them: "The Passion of Saint Macarius and Blessed Rufinus." But with Saint Macarius omitted, Primus, Bishop of Chalon, in the Topography of Saints under the word Hispalis, presents the others thus, according to Quintanaduenas: "At Seville, Justus and Rufinus, Martyrs." Maurolycus, at the end of his Martyrology, Perhaps potters by trade? published the same Topography of Saints by Primus, originally composed in 1450 and revised by himself, in which under the word Hispalis he writes: And perhaps under Diocletian? "Here Bishop Leander. Here Justus and Rufinus, potters by trade, Martyrs under Diocletian. Here Hermenigild," etc. The same Quintanaduenas adorns the same two from the book and tables of Nicholas the monk (unknown to us as well) on July 27 with this citation: "In Spain, of the holy Martyrs Justus and Rufinus, who in the same persecution of Maximian And Maximian? were seized for the faith of Christ, and after various interrogations under torture, by which they bore glorious testimony to their religion, completed the course of their martyrdom with great admiration." He had previously treated of Saint Pantaleon, killed in that same persecution.
[4] And these things are from authors whose works were either handwritten or previously published before the Chronicle appeared under the name of Flavius Lucius Dexter -- which for that very reason can be judged to have been stitched together by a more recent author. Perhaps under Trajan? In this Chronicle, at the year of Christ 115, number 1, the following is read: "At Seville in the province of Baetica in Spain, Macarius, Justus, and Rufinus, Martyrs, who suffered in the same persecution." The reference is to the persecution set in motion by the Emperor Trajan from the year of Christ 107. Francis Bivarius in his commentaries on Dexter, being unaware that these three Martyrs are venerated on this day, takes refuge in February 28, on which day Saints Macarius, Rufinus, Justus, and Theophilus, Martyrs, are listed. Others, distinct from these, are venerated on February 28. He claims all of them, including Theophilus, for Seville, and reproaches Baronius for having added "at Rome" to the Roman Martyrology on his own authority and without a source; arguing that if a city were to be indicated, one should say not "at Rome" but "at Seville in Spain." He also criticizes Galesin for supposing them to have suffered under Maximian; whence he transcribes the latter's panegyric but omits the Emperor's name. Upon which occasion Quintanaduenas interposes these words: "namely, of Trajan" -- and not "of Diocletian," which name is read in the Topography of Saints by Primus cited by him, just as he also passed over in silence the report that they were potters by trade.
[5] Meanwhile, he assigns these four Martyrs, including Theophilus, with Bivarius, to February 28. Tamayo Salazar followed him in the Spanish Martyrology, composing this eulogy: Nor did Theophilus suffer with those others. "At Seville in Baetica, the passion of the holy Martyrs Macarius, Justus, Rufinus, and Theophilus, who, during the reign of Trajan, when a persecution was stirred up against the followers of Christ, were seized for the faith and led to prison; after various contests of combat, they offered their consecrated heads to the hands of the executioners, their throats being cut." Then in the Acts, translated into Latin from Quintanaduenas, he says they were citizens of Seville, but that their lineage, parents, station, and upbringing were hidden by the vast accumulation of time. Finally, both strive to prove that Seville was formerly called Romula or Colonia Romulensis, so that they might the more easily claim for the Sevillans those Martyrs ascribed to Rome -- a point on which Rodrigo Caro also labors at length in his commentary on the same Chronicle of Dexter, with the agreement of Paul de Spinosa in book 2 of his Antiquities of Seville, chapter 6. But concerning these four Saints, who are distinct from the Alexandrian Martyrs, whom we judge to be different from the three Sevillans, we shall treat on February 28 under Saints Macarius and Rufinus and the holy Alexandrian Martyrs; for these three are likewise listed in the Flower of the Saints and the ancient Cologne Martyrology, and are said to have suffered at Alexandria.