ON ST. ISIDORE, BISHOP AND MARTYR, AT ANTIOCH. AND ON ST. SIRIDON, BISHOP.
CommentaryIsidorus, Bishop and Martyr at Antioch (St.) Siridon, Bishop (St.)
[1] Isidore's memorial in the sacred records. The Roman Martyrology: "At Antioch, the Passion of Blessed Isidore the Bishop." Bede: "And of St. Isidore (a Bavarian manuscript reads 'Isidoni'), Bishop and Martyr." The Appendix to Ado has the same. Usuard and Bellinus of Padua: "At Antioch, the Passion of Blessed Isidore the Bishop." Most manuscripts mention him, though some call him merely Bishop, with no mention of martyrdom. Galesinius: "At Antioch, St. Isidore, Bishop and Martyr, who, a most fierce defender of the Catholic faith, was violently assailed by the impious Arians, and at length, bearing himself bravely in the supreme contest, shed his blood for Christ the Lord." But Galesinius does not indicate from where he drew this.
[2] The Martyrology of St. Jerome: "Of Isiridon the Bishop at Antioch." Perhaps Bishop Donus. Our Rosweyde read this as: "Of Isiri, Donus." For he thought that a certain Bishop of Antioch named Donus had ended his life in a place or prison called Isiris (a word derived from a Hebrew root and distorted into Greek with that meaning). I suspect that Siridon and Isidore are the same person, who was perhaps also called Isiridonus. Whether he is the same as Donus or Domnus, I cannot determine with certainty. The manuscript Florarium Sanctorum: "At Antioch, of Syndanus (perhaps one should read 'Siridoni'), Bishop and Martyr." Some think he is the same as St. Isidore, Bishop of Nitria, of whom we shall treat below.
[3] Is this perhaps the Bishop Isidore whom Maurolycus, the manuscript Florarium, and Galesinius record on January 7, and whom the latter writes suffered at Nicomedia? Baronius, in his Notes on the Martyrology, says that Isidore was by no means the Bishop of Antioch, although he is reported to have suffered at Antioch.
[4] Concerning Siridon, the Roman Martyrology and Molanus in his Additions to Usuard have this: On St. Siridon the Bishop. "On the same day, St. Siridon the Bishop." Baronius cites an ancient codex in his Notes. The Cologne edition of Usuard from 1521, the German Martyrology, and the manuscript Florarium: "Of Strido, Bishop and Confessor." Some call him Spiridion, others Spiridon.