CONCERNING
THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS PUBLIUS, JULIAN, MARCELLUS, MARUBIUS, LIKEWISE
JULIAN, BARACEUS, TULLIUS, LAMPASIUS, MAIULUS, JULIUS, PAUL, AND MAXIMILLA.
Historical Compendium.
Publius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Julian, Martyr in Africa (St.) Marcellus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Marubius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Julian, Martyr in Africa (St.) Baraceus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Tullius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Lampasius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Maiulus, Martyr in Africa (St.) Julius, Martyr in Africa (St.) Paul, Martyr in Africa (St.) Maximilla, Martyr in Africa (St.)
By G. H.
[1] This is an illustrious crown of twelve champions of Christ, who merited the palm of martyrdom in Africa. The manuscript Martyrology of the Church of St. Mary at Utrecht presents them in these words: "In Africa, Sts. Publius and Julian, Martyrs, and ten others." Those two, as the leaders of the rest, are mentioned in the very ancient manuscript Martyrologies of St. Riquier, St. Maximin, St. Lambert at Liege, and by Usuard himself in the principal handwritten and printed copies: "In Africa, Sts. Publius and Julian." Wandelbert agrees with these in this verse:
"Publius and Julian together adorn the eleventh."
He means the eleventh before the Kalends of March. But the manuscript of the monastery of Marchiennes places these same two on the day before.
[2] The manuscript of the Cologne Carmelites, omitting Julian, joins another companion to Publius in these words: "In Africa, Sts. Publius and Marcellus." These are listed together with St. Julian in the Trier and Brussels manuscripts, and in several manuscript copies of Usuard augmented for use in the Belgian churches, in the Ado manuscript of the Queen of Sweden, which belonged to the Church of Toulon in Provence, in the manuscript Florarium, likewise in Bellinus, Felicius, Molanus, and Greven: "In Africa, Sts. Publius, Julian, and Marcellus," who are called Martyrs by Peter of Equilinus in book 11, no. 72, and in the Martyrology of Maurolycus and another printed at Cologne in 1490. In the Roman Martyrology, more companions whose names are not expressed are indicated in these words: "In Africa, the holy Martyrs Publius, Julian, and Marcellus, and others."
[3] The name of the fourth is expressed differently by various sources. In the small but very ancient manuscript of St. Maximin, it reads thus: "In Africa, of Publius, Julian, Marcellus, and Lampasius." But with this name omitted, another is substituted in the manuscripts of Laetum and the St. Martin's of Tournai: "February 19. In Africa, the birthday of Sts. Publius, Julian, Marubius, and Marcellus" — though in the Laetum manuscript, Marcellinus is written in error. To these four a fifth, a second Julian, is added in the Aachen manuscript; and with him omitted, Tullius appears in the Cologne manuscript of St. Mary ad Gradus, in which Manubius is used for what is elsewhere Marubius. With the latter omitted, Galesinius adds another companion along with Tullius from a manuscript codex, and Canisius follows him in the German Martyrology: "In Africa, Sts. Publius, Julian, Marcellus, Tullius, and Julius, who, having completed the contest of confession, migrated to the crown in heaven." These same five, together with Marubius, are inscribed by an ancient hand in the manuscript Martyrology of Ado preserved in the monastery of St. Lawrence at Liege.
[4] Seven are inscribed in the manuscript of St. Cyriacus in this order: "February 19. In Africa: Marubius, Publius, Julian, Marcellus, Tullius, Jamnasius (that is, Lampasius to others), and Julius." The names of Victor and Corona were appended, whose feast is on February 20, although they are also assigned to this day in some calendars. To these seven we added another Julian, as mentioned above. But with Julius omitted, another set of eight are expressed in the printed Bede as follows: "In Africa, the birthday of Sts. Publius, Julian, Marubius, likewise Julian, Marcellus, Tullius, Lampasius, and Inaulius" — who in the manuscript Bede of the monastery of Suben in Bavaria is called Maulus, but should be read as Maiulus. Hermann Greven, besides the above-cited Publius, Julian, and Marcellus, then adds Marubius and a second Julian, and on the immediately preceding day had Tullius, Lampasius, and Maiolus, and in a separate class Berethous and Marcellus — the former of whom appears to be Baraceus.
[5] Rabanus in his Martyrology names nine in this order: "February 19. Birthday of Saints in Africa: Publius, Julian, Marulius (that is, Marubius to others), likewise Julian, Marcellus, Tullius, Lampasius, Maiulus, and Julian." This last is called Julius by others; he is written as Julian through an error of the copyists, for otherwise Rabanus would have repeated the word "likewise," as before. In the ancient manuscript Roman Martyrology that bears the name of St. Jerome, ten Martyrs are enumerated in these words: "February 19. In Africa: Publius, Marubius, Julian, Bareceus, likewise Julian, Marcellus, Tullius, Lampasius, Maiulus, and Julius."
[6] To these, Notker and the manuscript Bede of the monastery of Richeberg in Bavaria add an eleventh in this order: "In Africa, the birthday of the Blessed Publius, Julian, Marubius, likewise Julian, Baracheus, Paul, Marcellus, Tullius, Lampasius, Maiulus, and Julius." Maiulus, with transposed letters, is read as Mauilis in our copy of Bede. The Martyrology of St. Martin's at Trier indicates these eleven with these words: "In Africa, Publius the Martyr, and ten others." But we have said that, besides Publius and Julian, there were ten others, from the Utrecht codex. The manuscript of Reichenau, or Augia Dives near Constance, completes the stated number by adding Maximilla to those Martyrs with these words: "In Africa: Publius, Marcellus, Julian, Baraceus, likewise Julian, Tullius, Lampasius, Mauilus, and Maximilla." From this list are absent Marubius, Paul, and Julius, who are listed by others. In the Irish Festilogy of the manuscript of Marianus Gorman, Publius, Gabinus, Julian, and Julius are recorded. But Gabinius does not belong here, for we have treated of him separately.
[7] Masini, in his survey of Bologna, relates that on this day relics of St. Marcellus are preserved in the church of St. Francis, as well as in that of St. Gabriel, and that Gerard, Bishop of Bologna, in the year 1192, on June 14, placed relics of St. Marcellus and many other holy Martyrs in a Cross erected before the church of St. Paul of the Barnabites, and that for this reason it was called the Cross of the Saints. These last details are also found in part 1 of the History of Bologna by Cherubino Ghirardacci, book 4, page 102, and among the other holy Martyrs mentioned are Sts. Theodore and Marcellus, but without any mention of the day of February 19.