Gallus

ON ST. GALLUS, CONSUL, MARTYR AT ANTIOCH.

Gallus, Consul, Martyr at Antioch (S.)

G. H.

The holiness of Gallus the Consul confers great distinction upon the consular dignity, and would confer even greater if his Acts had once been written and could have been found by us so as to be published here. His sacred memory is recalled by the never-sufficiently-praised most ancient manuscript of the Roman Martyrology, which is customarily cited under the name of St. Jerome, and contains this: "On the eighth Kalends of March, the Chair of Peter at Antioch, and at Rome the birthday of Concordia. At Antioch, the birthday of Gallus the Consul." Then follow forty or more Martyrs distributed into various classes: whence we gather that Gallus too was crowned with martyrdom, in the times of the Roman Emperors, when many illustrious men were called Gallus. For in the first century of Christ, C. Pompeius Longinus Gallus and L. Asinius Gallus held the consulship, the former in the year XLIX, the latter in the year LXII. In the second century, Gallus and Flaccus were Consuls in the year CLXXIV. In the third century, Faustus and Gallus in the year CCXCVIII. Indeed, among the Roman Emperors, when the Decii perished in the year CCLI, they were succeeded by Gallus Hostilius, who was then commander of the frontier army in Moesia. In the fourth century also flourished Constantius Gallus Caesar, frequently appointed Consul, brother of Julian the Apostate, son of the brother of Constantine the Great, and son-in-law through the marriage of his daughter. These things are said about the illustrious consular and imperial office which men named Gallus held, and by reason of which dignity they could have presided over Syria, which was a consular province, with supreme authority.