ON THE HOLY MARTYRS DONATUS, SECUNDIANUS, ROMULUS, SOLONUS, CHRYSANTHUS, EUTYCHIUS, JUSTUS, CORDIUS, SILVANUS, NEOMEDIUS, POLYCRATIUS, AND ABOUT 80 OTHERS, AT CONCORDIA IN ITALY
The year of Christ 303
Historical Collection.
Donatus, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Secundianus, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Romulus, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Solonus, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Chrysanthus, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Eutychius, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Justus, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Cordius, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Silvanus, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Neomedius, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Polycratius, Martyr at Concordia in Italy (St.) Another 80 Martyrs at Concordia in Italy
By the author G. H.
Section 1: The sacred memory of these Martyrs in the ancient Martyrologies, attributed to various places.
[1] Concordia, a city of the Venetii, nearly maritime, at the innermost gulf of the Adriatic Sea, mentioned by the ancient writers Strabo, Ptolemy, Pliny, Mela, and others, and in very ancient inscriptions called Julia Concordia at Concordia, in the gulf of the Adriatic Sea (because a colony was established there under the auspices of Julius Caesar), still endures under the same name, and is distinguished by the title of a bishopric: though the residence of the Bishops was transferred to Portogruaro in the year 1586. That city, together with the neighboring cities of Aquileia and Altino, between which it lies in the middle, was once destroyed by barbarians and left nearly deserted of buildings and inhabitants. The patron Saints of that city are venerated with the greatest solemnity on February 17, with an Octave: venerated on February 17 the holy Martyrs, of whom Usuard thus makes mention: At the city of Concordia, the passion of SS. Donatus, Secundianus, and Romulus, with 86 others. In agreement are the manuscript of Bede from the monastery of St. Riquier, the holy Martyrs: the manuscript of Ado from the church of Therouanne and the monastery of St. Lawrence near Liege, and Peter of Equilo in his Catalogue, book 11, chapter 130, no. 69. In the Usuard printed at Lubeck in the year 1475, as in seven manuscript codices which we possess, the name of Romulus is omitted: in place of which, in another Martyrology written in Italy, Formulus is read. But in the manuscripts of St. Martin's at Trier and of Utrecht, those three are said to have suffered at Corduba with 806 others; in the manuscript of St. Lambert's at Liege, at Concordia, but with 96 others. In the manuscript of Aquicinct, at Cordula. All the remaining codices establish the city of Concordia, along with Ughellus in volume 5 of Italia Sacra and the Roman Martyrology, in which the following is read: At Concordia, of the holy Martyrs Donatus, Secundianus, and Romulus, with 86 others who shared the same crown. Concerning the same, Ferrarius treats from the records and monuments of the Church of Concordia in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, judging that they suffered in the terrible persecution of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. On the other hand, Galesininus says he gathers from the Annals that they underwent death for Christ under the Emperor Julian, around the year 369: but he does not indicate which Annals.
[2] Franciscus Barbaranus, in his Ecclesiastical History of Vicenza published in Italian, asserts that these holy Martyrs were Vicentines by birth, and reports that they were enrolled in the Roman military by some persons: and that were they Vicentines by birth? while they were stationed at Concordia, because they professed the faith of Christ, they were crowned with martyrdom and are buried and preserved there to this day. Otherwise, their migration from their native Vicenza to the city of Concordia is narrated differently in the same Barbaranus from a manuscript codex under this title: Epitome of the Lives of the Saints according to Jacobus de Voragine: and this version seems more plausible to him: namely, that at the time of a terrible persecution, stirred up at Vicenza by the agents of the Emperor, the Saints migrated from there to Concordia, and there converted Neomedius and his daughter Lucilla, who, having previously been deprived of her eyesight, suddenly recovered her sight perfectly: by what manner of martyrdom they were killed by which miracle some seventy persons, partly men, partly matrons, were moved to embrace the Christian religion: that the Saints were therefore accused before Euphemianus, Prefect of Apamea, and by his order thrown into prison: then their jaws were crushed with leaden rods, the rack was applied, their sides were scorched with torches brought near, and boiling oil was poured over their entire bodies: finally, near the river Levicium (called by others Lemenum, by the ancients Romatinum), they were beheaded. The following names of companions are added: Chrysanthius, Eutychius, Secundianus, Romulus, Justus, Cordius, Silvanus, Neomedius, Polycratius, and Solonus. The names of the remaining 72 are hidden. Names of the companions. The year of the slaughter is noted as 299.
[3] The same Barbaranus, however, removes Solonus from that number, for he contends that he and another Donatus, being brothers and Vicentines by birth, died as Martyrs at Aquileia in the same persecution of Diocletian. Concerning these, Ferrarius writes thus in the General Catalogue of the Saints for February 17: Are Donatus and Solonus, brothers, different from these? At Vicenza, of the holy Martyrs Donatus and Solonus, brothers. Where he annotates: From the records of that Church, where in an old parchment manuscript codex their Acts are read. They suffered at Aquileia under Diocletian (as the aforementioned Acts have it), born at Vicenza. Concerning these who suffered at Concordia, the Roman Martyrology also seems to treat on this same day, though with no mention made of Solonus: from which one might affirm that those are different from these. There is also the fact that the Donatus who suffered at Concordia appears to be the one who is venerated at Cividale. The same Ferrarius, in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, from the said parchment codex, has this epitome of their Life: Donatus, he says, and Solonus, brothers of Vicenza, in the persecution of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, The same torments inflicted upon all were accused before Euphemius, Prefect of Aquileia, of the Christian religion, and were subjected to many punishments on account of their constancy of faith. For they were long tortured on the rack, endured the burning of torches and the pouring of boiling oil, and finally, since they remained steadfast in their resolve, they completed an illustrious martyrdom by the cutting off of their heads, in the year of salvation 298. Their bodies were interred by Christians at Concordia (where they are reported by others to have suffered). So Ferrarius, and after him Barbaranus, and the details are the same as those related above about SS. Donatus, Secundianus, Romulus, and their companions. The same torments on the rack, the burning of the sides, the pouring of boiling oil, and the cutting off of heads: the same burial among the people of Concordia: the same persecution of Diocletian, begun in the year of Christ 302, so that the following year seems rather to be assigned to the slaughter of these Martyrs than the year 298 or the one following, which is variously set down in the said manuscripts: in one of which they are reported to have suffered under Euphemianus, Prefect of Apamea, who in the other codex is called Euphemius, and more correctly Prefect of Aquileia.
[4] Herodian, who flourished in the third century of Christ, in book 8, calls Aquileia "the greatest city of Italy, the emporium of Italy"; and Julian Caesar, in his oration on the deeds of the Emperor Constantius, calls it "the emporium of the Italians by the sea, exceedingly prosperous and abounding in wealth." Attributed to Aquileia as a province It was also the capital of all Venetia and Istria: Carolus a Sancto Paulo observes in his Geographia Sacra that Aquileia was also called a province. And thus it is read for this day in the very ancient manuscript Martyrology of Reichenau, or Augia Dives, near Constance: On the 13th day before the Kalends of March. At Ephesus, of Chrysanthus. And at Aquileia, in the city of Concordia, of Donatus, Secundianus, and Justus. Elsewhere, of Romulus, Salonus, and Silvanus, with 84 other Martyrs. Perhaps there are Martyrs who suffered at Aquileia on this day, and one should read: At Aquileia, of St. Chrysanthianus and 90 others. At the city of Concordia, of Donatus, etc. Moreover, seven Martyrs are expressed by their own names and distributed into three classes, as it were, all of whom, together with the rest, we have said above from the manuscript Epitome suffered at Concordia. In the ancient manuscript Roman Martyrology, or that of St. Jerome, the following is read: variously expressed in the Martyrologies. On the 13th day before the Kalends of March. At Ephesus, the birthday of Chrysanthus, and at Babylon, of Polychronius. The Passion of SS. Donatus and Secundianus. At Aquileia, of Chrysanthianus and Eutychius. At Concordia, of Justa. And elsewhere, of Romulus, Salonus, Salvianus, and 34 others. This number is perhaps corrupted, and by adding an L should be supplied thus: and 84 others, as is read in the Reichenau manuscript: which Notker also expressed in these words: In Africa, of SS. Donatus and Secundianus. At Aquileia, of Chrysanthus and Eutychius. At Concordia, of Justus, Romulus, Salonus, Silvanus, and 84 others, whose names God knows. Tamayo Salazar in his Hispanic Martyrology judges that Notker should be read thus with the words transposed: In Africa, of SS. Eutychius, Justus, and Silvanus. At Aquileia, of Chrysanthus. At Concordia, of SS. Donatus, Secundianus, Romulus, Salonus, and 84 others, adding that thus Notker is harmonized with the other Martyrologies. But we have not yet read that SS. Eutychius and Silvanus are assigned to Africa on February 17. In Hermann Greuen the following is read: In Africa, of Chrysanthus. At Concordia, of Justa. In the manuscript of Cologne, B. Maria ad Gradus: In Africa, in the city of St. Donatus, of Secundianus. At Concordia, of the Virgin. Where some things are missing, and are perhaps supplied in the Aachen manuscript: In Africa, of Chrysanthus. At Concordia, of Donatus and Secundinus and Justa, Romelia, Januarius, and Mareus. Concerning Januarius, Mareus, and other companions of these, we treat separately. But Romelia is for others Romulus, just as Secundinus is Secundianus. Thus what is here and in the manuscript of St. Jerome and in the supplement of Greuen called Justa, is in the Reichenau manuscript and in Notker and in the epitome of the Life related above called Justus. In this also Cordius appears, which for others is Concordia.
[5] In Africa there are reported to have suffered on February 18 SS. Lucius, Silvanus, Rutulus, Classicus, Secundinus, Fructulus, and Maximus. These, in the manuscript of St. Jerome, and those of Reichenau and Aachen, are asserted to have suffered in Italy, in the city of Concordia: which words we judge pertain to this day, and conversely those things which are reported about Africa on this day should be transferred there. We therefore keep them all under one class, of whom SS. Donatus and Solonus, as their fellow citizens, The cult of SS. Donatus and Solonus at Vicenza were venerated by the Vicentines, who recited an ecclesiastical office for them both in the city and the diocese: which was afterward discontinued on account of the bull of Clement VIII, which provides that without a special indult of the Apostolic See, a similar Office may not be recited unless either the bodies of the Saints in whose honor the Office is celebrated rest there, or notable relics are preserved. So Barbaranus. Concerning Donatus, the leader of the rest, Wandelbert writes:
"The thirteenth day revolves the feasts of Polochronius And of Donatus, whom faith, blood, and the altar unite."
Two other Donati are reported on this day as having suffered with St. Januarius and others, concerning whom we treat separately. Different from these is the Donatus who is the Patron of Cividale (or Forum Julii), whose body, together with that of his brother St. Venustus, is preserved there, brought from Moesia. For this Donatus was a Deacon of the Church of Singidunum on the Danube, the body of another Donatus at Forum Julii and was beheaded there by order of the Governor Victorianus, together with another Priest of the same Church, on the 12th day before the Kalends of September; as also his brother Venustus in the city of Cibalae. These things Ferrarius reports from the ancient Breviary of Aquileia and the records of the Church of Cividale for August 21: so that it is surprising that Barbaranus, and indeed Ferrarius himself, should report on this day, as we said above, that he appears to be the Donatus who suffered at Concordia.
[6] The same ancient Breviary of Aquileia commemorates St. Chrysanthianus the Martyr and his companions. In Notker, Chrysanthus is read, attributed also to Aquileia: Chrysanthus attributed to various places both are found in the Martyrology of St. Jerome. Chrysanthus is listed among the Martyrs of Concordia in the manuscript Epitome attributed to Jacobus de Voragine: by others he is assigned to Africa or Ephesus (which is perhaps Ephesus in Asia), which it suffices to have indicated. Concerning St. Romulus the Deacon, who is venerated at Atripalda in Italy together with St. Sabinus the Bishop, another St. Romulus venerated at Atripalda we treated on February 9, where in no. 4 we noted that Ferrarius asserts they belong to February 17; whether, however, he means a different person from the said Romulus, companion of SS. Donatus and Secundianus, is not clear.
Section 2: The martyrdom of St. Donatus and his companions attributed by some to Lusitania. A liquid flowing from the bones.
[7] Another difficulty is thrust forward by more recent Spanish and Portuguese writers, after they read the following inscribed in the Chronicle of Flavius Dexter at the year of Christ 145, no. 2: At Concordia in Lusitania, which is now called Besulci, [St. Donatus with his companions reported to have suffered in Lusitania in Dexter's Chronicle, by Tamayo Salazar] the holy Martyrs of Christ, Donatus and his companions, suffered greatly. Tamayo Salazar in his Hispanic Martyrology for this day asserts that with these words the mouths of all who attribute the said Martyrs to Italy are stopped: he inscribed them with this eulogy: At Concordia in Lusitania, in Hispania, of SS. Donatus, Secundinus, and Romulus, with 86 others their companions, who, when under the Emperor Antoninus they freely confessed Christ, were seized by his agents and subjected to severe torments, and as valiant Martyrs shed their blood for the truth of the faith. Cardoso Cardoso inscribed the same in the Portuguese Hagiologium. We admit, first, that a Concordia distinct from the Italian one is placed by Ptolemy, book 2, Table 2, chapter 5, among the inland cities of Lusitania, and that among the peoples of Lusitania, Pliny, book 4, chapter 22, numbers the Concordienses, who are also called Boccori; but in Dexter's Chronicle above, Bisulci. Rodrigo de Acuna, Archbishop of Lisbon, part 1 of his History of Lisbon, chapter 14, says that Concordia once lay Acuna where now the town of Tomar is seen, which city the ancients called Nabantia, first the metropolis of the Knights of Jerusalem, afterward of the Knights of Christ. Not far away is seen a small town called Bisulco or Beselga.
[8] We admit, secondly, that some Donatus with companions could have obtained the crown of martyrdom there, especially because, as Acuna speaks through Tamayo Salazar, in memory of this event a miraculous stone still endures there, seizing the devotion of all the Portuguese, A marble stone is famous for miracles: inasmuch as tradition holds that the aforementioned Martyrs effectively completed their struggle near it. The truth of this tradition is attested by both the blood flowing from the marble and the miracles commonly wrought near it. The shape of the stone encompasses four corners, part of which is fixed in the ground, while the upper part rises for nearly five spans. It is constantly believed never to have changed its position; for when that sacred stone was once being conveyed by stonemasons to the residences of the Abbesses, which they possess in the territory of this town, it suddenly returned to its ancient place. Hence, held thereafter in extraordinary veneration, it has drawn out the reverence of the townspeople. After this, two diggers, having passed near the place of the fixed stone, one of them, named Arocho, seized by fury, hastened to strike the sacred stone with a hoe, saying: "What! Shall we too worship a stone?" O wondrous thing! Scarcely had he struck it when struck, it drips blood when behold, the marble from the hole of the blow dripped blood drop by drop, and the peasant, seized by a fever, immediately breathed out his soul. Nor is the virtue of the stone confined to these marvels alone: God bestows innumerable other benefits upon the sick inhabitants where the sick are healed by the patronage of the Martyrs through the invocation of the holy Martyrs, and grants rain in due season to the fields pressed by excessive drought. Who among the feverish has touched the marble in faith and not departed happy and grateful to his home, stripped of his illness? If perhaps the fields demand timely rain because they are perishing of thirst from barrenness, immediately the inhabitants of the surrounding villages proclaim processions, which they arrange from gathered bands of little children, and arriving at the place of the sacred stone, rain is obtained they commit the duty in the customary manner to the little ones, who proceed on their knees from a certain boundary, go to the stone, and there stand praying until they obtain rain from the Lord through the intercession of the holy Martyrs. Therefore that stone is the sanctuary of the townspeople, at which each one obtains a remedy for his infirmities: and thus it is held in the highest honor and is reverently venerated as the arena in which SS. Donatus and his companions were crowned with martyrdom. So Acuna, through Tamayo Salazar, who adds that he had recounted the Lusitanian origin of these Martyrs and their Acts together with eulogies, and would that he had also expressed his own words on this matter!
[9] Yet even with all these things freely admitted, we still do not ascertain whence it is established among the Portuguese that the Donatus in question is the one whom we said above is venerated on this day with SS. Secundianus, The Martyrs who suffered in Italy are different from the Lusitanian Donatus: Romulus, and other companions, since neither the day nor the names of the companions are expressed in the Chronicle of Dexter, on whose authority principally, along with Bivarius, the remaining writers rely. Inscribed in the ancient Roman Martyrology, which is called that of St. Jerome, on January 11 are St. Donatus the Priest and another Donatus with various companions who suffered in Spain: why should the Spaniards not without any contention from others claim them for themselves and contend that the Chronicle of Dexter treats of them? The city of Concordia in Italy is expressly named in the manuscript Martyrologies of St. Jerome, Reichenau, and Aachen for the following day, February 18, which we said should be referred to this February 17 and these Saints. The Reichenau manuscript expressly states the city of Concordia in the province of Aquileia: the Acts in the old parchment manuscript codex in Ferrarius and Barbaranus report that they were killed there in the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian under Euphemius, Prefect of Aquileia, and Barbaranus adduces another manuscript codex under the title of an Epitome attributed to Jacobus de Voragine on the same subject. Finally, the ancient records and tables of the Church of Concordia in Italy agree, in which the sacred bones of these Martyrs are held in great veneration, placed under the altar in a sarcophagus made of a single stone: whose bones are preserved at Concordia, exuding a healing liquid from which same bones some healing liquid flows, which around the year 1643 dried up entirely on account of a dispute that had arisen between the Clergy and the Bishop. When that controversy was subsequently settled, the bones again sweated with their former moisture and dripped with flowing drops: Barbaranus received an ampule filled with this liquid, and testifies to these things in chapter 39 of his work on Vicenza, asserting that this liquid flowed in the year 1645, when such great drought was suffered all around that grapes were drying up on the vine and all legumes and vegetables everywhere were found completely parched.