ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA: EUTERIUS THE PALATINE, VICTORINA, PAULA, EMERITA, ANTONIANA, DATIVA, ROGATIANA, ANTIGA, URBANA, MAXIMA, MARINA, MATRONA, PEREGRINA HER DAUGHTER, SECUNDULA, JUSTA, CASTULA, FLORENTIUS, VICTOR, MARCELLINA, CASTA, DONATULA, LIBOSA, FLAVIA, DOTA, FURNATA, LUCIANUS, AMICUS, REGINA, CYRIACUS, GALATIUS, VALERIUS, GORGIANUS.
CommentaryEuterius the Palatine, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Victorina, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Paula, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Emerita, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Antonina, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Dativa, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Rogatiana, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Antiga, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Urbana, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Maxima, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Marina, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Matrona, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Peregrina, her daughter, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Secundula, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Justa, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Castula, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Florentius, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Victor, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Marcellina, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Casta, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Donatula, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Libosa, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Flavia, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Dota, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Furnata, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Lucianus, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Amicus, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Regina, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Cyriacus, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Galatius, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Valerius, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.) Gorgianus, Martyr at Nicomedia in Bithynia (S.)
G. H.
[1] Nicomedia, the metropolis of Bithynia, provided a distinguished theatre for innumerable Martyrs; for in that very city Diocletian resided when he raised the most savage persecution against the Christians, and there, in order to provoke by his own example the governors he had appointed elsewhere, very many Martyrs suffered at Nicomedia: he carried out the most inhuman slaughter of Christians. Hence ten thousand Martyrs are inscribed in the tables of the Roman Martyrology on the eighteenth of March, who were struck by the sword at Nicomedia for the confession of Christ. On the thirteenth of June are celebrated the very many holy Martyrs who, hiding in neighboring mountains and caves, joyfully accepted martyrdom -- whom the Greeks in the Menologion on the fourth of September number as three thousand six hundred and twenty-eight. And on the twenty-fifth of December are commemorated many thousands of Martyrs who, enclosed in a church, were consumed when fire was set around it.
[2] Those who are recorded as having suffered there on the twenty-second of February are known only by their names, which, as if rescued from a shipwreck, the ancient manuscript of the Roman Martyrology presents, These too are assigned to the same city. which is attributed to St. Jerome. In this, after the Martyrs of various classes have been listed, the following is found in the last place: "Likewise at Nicomedia, of Euterius the Palatine, Victorina, Paula, Emerita, Antoniana, Dativa, Rogatiana, Antiga, Urbana, Maxima, Marina, Matrona, Peregrina her daughter, Secundula, Justa, Castula, Florentius, Victor, Marcellina, Casta, Donatula, Libosa, Flavia, Dota, Furnata, Lucianus, Amicus, Regina, Cyriacus, Galatius, Valerius, Gorgianus."
[3] Who were the Palatines? Euterius, who is placed as it were at the head, appears to be called a Palatine. Thus on the fourth of March, St. Caius the Palatine is venerated along with twenty-seven others drowned in the sea; where Baronius notes that all who served in the Palace from the household of the Emperors were called Palatines, and that moreover there was a special order of Palatine soldiery. In the Notitia Dignitatum of the Empire, there frequently occur Palatine Vexillations, Palatine Legions, and Palatine Auxiliaries. But whether "Matrona" should rightly be joined to Marina and Peregrina considered her daughter, or whether both Matrona and perhaps Filia should be considered proper persons in their own right, may be doubted.
[4] The name of the city of Nicomedia may cause someone greater difficulty, since apart from Euterius the Palatine, the names of the Martyrs are Latin, and very many are women's names. But Latin names were also used in the provinces, did these Martyrs suffer elsewhere? and many people from everywhere, especially from Italy, were accustomed to converge upon the city where the Emperor resided, for the sake of military service, commerce, or other business. Otherwise, the celebrated St. Thecla the Virgin is on this day inscribed in most ancient Martyrologies, and in the manuscripts of Reichenau, Laetien, and St. Cyriacus, as well as in Bede, Rabanus, and Notker, she is assigned to Nicomedia. In the manuscript of St. Jerome, this is read: "At Antioch, the birthday of St. Gallus the Consul. The birthday of St. Thecla the Virgin." Perhaps the word "Nicomedia" should be interposed, having been transferred to those Martyrs through the carelessness of copyists. But we judge that nothing should be changed on account of this slight conjecture, especially since "likewise at Nicomedia" is also read there.
[5] Victor the Martyr is recorded on the twenty-third of February by Felicius, and Maximus in the very ancient manuscript of St. Maximinus; perhaps these are the same Victor and Maxima who are numbered among these Martyrs.