CONCERNING THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS LUCIUS, SILVANUS, RUTULUS, CLASSICUS, SECUNDINUS, MAXIMUS, FRUCTULUS, DAMASUS, PAULUS, MARTIALIS.
CommentaryLucius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Silvanus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Rutulus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Classicus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Secundinus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Maximus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Fructulus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Damasus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Paulus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Martialis, Martyr in Africa (St.)
By G. H.
[1] Baronius, in his Notes to the Roman Martyrology for February 18, letter C, judges that these Martyrs were perhaps previously omitted because neither the city where they suffered nor the time was expressed therein. Where he seems to be noting Bede, Usuard, and Ado, Martyrs recorded without a place, among whom there is no mention of them except in later augmented copies. Some of them are recorded without any note of place or time in the manuscript Martyrology of St. Lambert at Liege: "Likewise, of the holy Rutulus, Silvanus, Paulinus, Maximus." Hermann Greven in his supplement to Usuard joins all of these: and with other Saints: "Likewise, of Rutulus, Classicus, Damasus, Tullus, Lampasius, Maiolus, Silvanus, and Maximus." Of these, Tullus, Lampasius, and Maiolus belong to February 19. In the same way they are intermixed in the Aachen manuscript: "Of Rutulus, Dassicus (indeed Classicus), Tulius, Lampasius, Marolus (or Maiolus) to others."
[2] Others assign as the place the Italian city of Concordia, which was treated on the previous day, February 17, when about ninety Martyrs are venerated there, elsewhere assigned to Concordia, a city of Italy. of whom eleven are expressed by their own names, whose sacred bones are still preserved there. Where we observed that their martyrdom in some Martyrologies is attributed to Africa, and conversely, those who are venerated on this day are said to have suffered at Concordia, which error we consider to be that of copyists. Thus in the manuscript Roman Martyrology, or that of St. Jerome, the following is read: "On the twelfth day before the Kalends of March, in a city of Italy, the feast of Rutulus, Silvanus, Classicus, Secundinus, Fructulus, Damasus, Interrapis, Paulus, Martialis, Maximus." In the Aachen manuscript, after the Martyrs previously recorded, the following appears: "In the Italian city of Concordia, of Silvanus and Classicus, Secundinus, Fructulus, Damasus, Paulus, Maximus." Rutulus, Interrapis, and Martialis are omitted. And the one written above as Dassicus is here repeated as Classicus, as though a different person. In the Reichenau manuscript, or that of Augia Dives near Constance, these Martyrs are listed: "In the Italian city of Concordia, of Rutulus, Silvanus, Classicus, Secundus, Damasus, Paulus, Martialis, Maxima." Fructulus and Interrapis are omitted; and those who are Secundinus and Maximus in other sources are here written as Secundus and Maxima. But what is Interrapis -- a city, or some Martyr?
[3] Others record that they suffered in Africa. The Roman Martyrology: "In Africa, of the holy Martyrs Lucius, Silvanus, Rutulus, they seem rather to have suffered in Africa: Classicus, Secundinus, and Maximus." Baronius annotates there that all of these were restored from a very ancient codex, which he frequently mentions, namely that of the Monastery of St. Cyriacus, in which the following are recorded: "In Africa, of the holy Rutulus, Silvanus, Cassicus, Secundinus, Fructulus." Lucius is missing, and Cassicus is written in our copy, who in others is Classicus. In the manuscript of Queen Christina of Sweden, which belonged to the Church of Senlis, and the manuscript of the Carmelites of Cologne, only three are expressed: "In Africa, of the holy Martyrs Rotulus or Rutulus, Silvanus, and Maximus." The same, together with others to be referred to the following day, are mentioned in the Anchin manuscript: "In Africa, the passion of the holy Publius, Julian, and Marcellus. Likewise, of the holy Silvanus, Rutulus, and Maximus." In the manuscript of St. Maximin, only two are recorded: Rutulus and Silvanus, who suffered in Africa. In the Liessies manuscript, four are named but divided as though into two classes: "In Africa, the feast of the holy Rutulus and Damasus. On the same day, of Salvinus and Paulinus." Others call these Silvanus and Paulus. The manuscript of the Monastery of St. Martin at Tournai: "In Africa, the feast of the holy Rutulus, Damasus, Silvanus, Casicus," who in others is Classicus; and separately is added: "And the deposition of St. Martialis the Bishop," whom we shall treat presently. Lucius, who is placed first in the Roman Martyrology, is found in the manuscripts of Utrecht St. Mary's, Brussels St. Gudula's, and various ones augmented under the name of Usuard for the use of Belgian churches, the manuscript Florarium, the Martyrology published at Cologne in 1490, the Roman Martyrology of Bellinus, and the supplement of Molanus: "In Africa, of Lucius, Silvanus, and Maximus," who in the Usuard published at Lubeck in 1475 is called Maximilian. Notker writes thus: "In Africa, of Rutulus, Silvanus, Classicus, Secundinus, Fructulus, Damasus."
[4] Galesinius distributes these same Martyrs into certain classes of dignities and attributes them to the Vandal persecution, and from the cited manuscript codex in the Notes he has: "In Africa, of the holy Lucius, Silvanus, Rutulus, Clerics, and Maximus, a monk, in the Vandal persecution? who, most cruelly tortured in the Vandal persecution, bravely endured both torments and death for the faith." The same is read in the Martyrology of Canisius; and then, as though different persons, the following are repeated: "suffered in Africa, Lucius, Silvanus, and Maximus." Ghinius, from Molanus, Galesinius, and Baronius, honors them with this eulogy: "In Africa, of the holy Martyrs Lucius, Silvanus, and Rutulus, Clerics, Classicus, Secundinus, Fructulus, and Maximus, a monk, who, most cruelly tortured in the Vandal persecution, bravely endured both torments and death for the Catholic faith."
[5] Martialis, who in the manuscripts of Reichenau and St. Jerome is joined to the others, is placed separately in the Tournai manuscript cited above in these words: "And the deposition of St. Martialis the Bishop." Is the deposition of St. Martialis, Bishop of Limoges, indicated? In an ancient manuscript Calendar which we possess, Martialis the Bishop is also inscribed among the very few Saints of February, just as on February 15 Austregisilus the Bishop, whose deposition is recorded on that day in the said Tournai manuscript and in various others, whom others report to have died on May 20. Perhaps in the same way the deposition or other solemnity of St. Martialis, Bishop of Limoges, is indicated, whose principal veneration takes place on June 30. Wandelbert sings of St. Martialis for this day:
"And the holy Martialis honors the twelfth day."
The twelfth day before the Kalends of March is meant.