ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS MAXIMUS, VINCENTIUS, PAULUS, HONORATUS, MAURUS, LIKEWISE MAXIMUS, PAULUS, MARTIALIS, THERAPIUS, MARCUS, MAROBIUS, MARCELLINUS, DONATUS, LIKEWISE MARCUS, SECUNDUS, MACROBIUS, LUCILLA, LIKEWISE SECUNDUS, SAULUS, STUPURIS, MUSTACIUS, PRAESENS, SECUNDA, MAXIMA, IUNILLA, AND FIFTY-FOUR OR ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR COMPANIONS.
Commentary
Maximus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Vincentius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Paulus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Honoratus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Maurus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Maximus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Paulus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Martialis, Martyr in Africa (St.) Therapius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Marcus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Marobius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Marcellinus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Donatus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Marcus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Secundus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Macrobius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Lucilla, Martyr in Africa (St.) Secundus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Saulus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Stupuris, Martyr in Africa (St.) Mustacius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Praesens, Martyr in Africa (St.) Secunda, Martyr in Africa (St.) Maxima, Martyr in Africa (St.) Iunilla, Martyr in Africa (St.) Fifty-four or one hundred and four Companions, Martyrs in Africa.
G. H.
[1] Africa gave this marshaled host of noble Martyrs to heaven. Their leader, Maximus, but with a small retinue, was inscribed in the sacred Fasti of old by Notker: "In Africa," he says, "of St. Maximus. Likewise of Secunda and Saulus." Henricus Canisius, for Saulus, thinks Seleucus should be read. But Seleucus suffered martyrdom not in Africa but at Caesarea in Palestine, as is stated separately concerning him. Saulus is also ascribed to these African Martyrs in the very ancient Reichenau manuscript, in which the following is read: "In Africa, of Maximus. Likewise of Secunda, Saulus, Mustacius, Praesens, Secundus, Maxima, Iunilla, and with them fifty-four." The manuscript of the monastery of St. Cyriacus at Rome reads: "Elsewhere, of Maxima, Iumella, and with them fifty-four." The complete host is marshaled in the ancient manuscript Roman Martyrology attributed to St. Jerome, which can never be sufficiently praised, and indeed in this order: "In Africa, of Maximus, Vincentius, Paulus, Honoratus, Maurus, likewise Maximus, Paulus, Martialis, Therapius, Marcus, Marobius, Marcellinus, Donatus, likewise Marcus, Secundus, Macrobius, Lucilla, likewise Secundus, Saulus, Stupuris, Mustacius, Praesens, Secunda, Maxima, Iunilla, and with them one hundred and four." Thus the ancient codex, written nearly a thousand years ago, carefully records that number. But the manuscripts of St. Cyriacus and Reichenau report that fifty-four were crowned with them. The name we have given as Saulus, as the Reichenau manuscript and Notker have it, was more properly read as Situlus in the manuscript of St. Jerome, which we have corrected as a copyist's error.
[2] The Aachen manuscript Martyrology and Hermannus Greven in the supplement to Usuard also include an African Paulus, but as a hermit: "In Africa," they say, "the birthday of St. Paulus the hermit." We have recorded three other men named Paulus as Martyrs in Africa, but on other days and joined with different companions, on the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-ninth of January; nor is any of them said to have been a hermit. Whether, therefore, a separate St. Paulus the hermit in Africa should be established may rightly be doubted. Perhaps in place of Therapius or another companion, the word "hermit" may seem to have crept in. Two other men named Paulus are mentioned below.
[3] Africa produced many Martyrs named Secundus; we have recorded some of them on the fifth, ninth, nineteenth, twenty-sixth, and twenty-seventh of January. Likewise there are various men named Vincentius in Africa, of whom several are venerated on the ninth, eleventh, fifteenth, and twenty-seventh of January; two also on the eleventh of February, but they suffered at Carthage together with a St. Secunda, who, distinguished by the same name, also has a feast day on the twenty-seventh of January; likewise Martialis on the third, and Donatus on the twenty-seventh of January, and another Donatus on the ninth of February. We have not yet recorded others of the same names who suffered in Africa.