ON THE HOLY MARTYRS ALEXANDER, NESTOR, JUSTUS, THEON, EPION, DONATIVUS, AMPLIATUS, AND INGENUUS.
CommentaryAlexander, Martyr (St.) Nestor, Martyr (St.) Justus, Martyr (St.) Theon, Martyr (St.) Epion, Martyr (St.) Donativus, Martyr (St.) Ampliatus, Martyr (St.) Ingenuus, Martyr (St.)
G. H.
The memory of these Martyrs is inscribed in the most ancient Martyrologies—of all of them in some, of only some in others. In certain sources the number of unnamed Martyrs is joined to them; by others the city of Alexandria is placed before them, as if they had earned the laurel of martyrdom there—details which appear better absent in other sources. And first the manuscript Roman Martyrology, or that of St. Jerome (in which, as we have just seen, the day before had treated of St. Nestor the Bishop, crowned with martyrdom in the city of Perge in Pamphylia), begins this day with these words: On the fourth day before the Kalends of March, the Birthday of the Saints Alexander, Nestor, Justus, Theon, Epuion, Donativus, Ampliatus, Ingenuus, Epion. But this last I suspect is not different from the earlier Epuion, since others mention only one Epion, or Opion. Fortunatus and Felix, who are then listed with various companions, will be treated separately by us. The Reichenau manuscript, that is, of Augia Dives, presents the same Martyrs to us: At Alexandria, of Alexander, Justus, Theodolus, Nestor, and 35 others, Epion, Donativus, Ampliatus, Ingenuus. In place of Theodolus, the others read Theon. The 35 Martyrs who are inserted pertain to St. Fortunatus. They are also attributed to Alexandria in the Aachen manuscript: At Alexandria, the Birthday of Saints Alexander, Nestor, Theon, Epion, Justus, Donativus, Ampliatus, Ingenuus, Felix. But Felix is reported separately in the Martyrology of St. Jerome and is said to have suffered at Alexandria. In the Martyrology of Rabanus it reads thus: At Alexandria, the birthday of Saints Alexander, Nestor, Theon, Opion, Justus, Donativus, Ampliatus, Ingenius. In the manuscript of St. Cyriacus only this is read: Saints Alexander, Nestor, and 26 others, whom we have noted as companions belonging to another class. In the Parisian Martyrology of our Philippe Labbe, mention is made of Saints Alexander, Nestor, Theon, Donativus, and Ingenius, with Justus and Epion omitted. Bede passes over the first two in silence, perhaps considering them to be St. Alexander the Bishop and St. Nestor the Bishop in Pamphylia, of whom he had already treated, and records the following thus: Likewise of Saints Theon, Opion, Justus, Donatus, Ampliatus, Ingenius. In the Richenberg manuscript is added "Martyrs." The same are inscribed by Hermann Greven in the supplement to Usuard. Wandelbert encompassed two in this verse:
The fourth exults with Nestor and his companion Theon.
The manuscript Martyrology of St. Martin at Tournai joins two to St. Felix in these words: At Alexandria, of the Saints Felix, Alexander, Nestor. But the Laetian manuscript has only this: At Alexandria, the birthday of Saints Felix and Alexander. Hence, because they were joined to St. Felix the Alexandrian Martyr, these also appear to have been attributed to Alexandria only on this account by some. Galesinius joins Theonius to Fortunatus and Felix, who pertains to these Martyrs, and reports them as having suffered at Rome—which will be refuted below. In the small but ancient manuscript of St. Maximinus, on the 27th of February Saints Felix and Ampliatus are commemorated, who pertain to this day, and Ampliatus should be reckoned among these; of Felix we treat separately.