ON ST. ZENO, ROMAN MARTYR, AT BOLOGNA.
CommentaryZeno, Roman Martyr, at Bologna (S.)
G. H.
The Benedictine nuns have held since the year 1199 at Bologna the church dedicated to St. Margaret, Virgin and Martyr, which had previously been a parish church. To stimulate their own devotion and that of outsiders, these nuns obtained from Gregory XV in the year 1623 the body of St. Zeno the Martyr, whose sacred memory they celebrate on this 14th of February, when another St. Zeno is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology. Masini treats of him in his work on Bologna explored.
Among the Roman roads, the Flaminian Way is considered almost the foremost, from which nine others are derived: we treat of it on this day in the Life of St. Valentine, Priest and Martyr. On the Flaminian Way The following Martyrs are ascribed to this road in the most ancient Roman Martyrology, which is called that of St. Jerome, in which the following is read at the 14th of February: "On the Flaminian Way, of Anthimus, Marcian, Tianus, Celerinus, these Martyrs were killed. Magnus, Julian." Anthimus the Priest is celebrated at the 11th of May, but he is attributed to the Salarian Way and without companions. Many Marcians were crowned by martyrdom, and indeed another on this day suffered in Cilicia; one is inscribed in the Supplement of Hermann Greven to Usuard. Another is venerated on the 26th of March, but he had companions in his struggle: Peter, Jovinus, Thecla, Cassian, and others. Famous are Abundius and Abundantius with Marcian and his son John, beheaded on the Flaminian Way on the 16th of September. St. Magnus we gave on the 4th of February, crowned by martyrdom at Fossombrone in Umbria on the same Flaminian Way, but with other companions. The name Julian is common to very many Martyrs: of these, another on this day fell in Cilicia for the faith of Christ; another is venerated at Rome on the 7th of August, crowned together with Peter and others. Celerinus we gave on the 3rd of February, but as an African Deacon, whom, because he suffered very many torments but did not die from them, we call a Confessor. Only Tianus, whose name is scarcely known elsewhere, is added.