ON THE HOLY SICILIAN MARTYRS CLAUDIUS, SABINUS, AND MAXIMUS.
ABOUT THE YEAR 303.
CommentaryClaudius, Martyr in Sicily (St.) Sabinus, Martyr in Sicily (St.) Maximus, Martyr in Sicily (St.)
G. H.
These three Martyrs are assigned to Sicily by Octavius Caietanus in his Plan of the Work on the Sicilian Saints, and citing the manuscript Breviary of Palermo and another Gallican one, he writes the following in the Sicilian Martyrology for the 21st of February: "On the same day, Sts. Claudius, Sabinus, and Maximus, Martyrs, under the same Emperors" -- that is, Diocletian and Maximian, under whom he had written that the 79 Martyrs suffered in Sicily, about whom we have already treated. Were these their leaders and standard-bearers in the glorious contest of defending the faith of Christ? Certainly he reports that they suffered together with them in the chronological index in the year 303, and likewise asserts them to be Martyrs of an uncertain place in the topical index. Ferrari in his General Catalogue says: "At Palermo, the holy Martyrs Claudius, Sabinus, and Maximus," and notes that their Acts are narrated in the cited Breviary of Palermo, which we have not seen.