ON THE HOLY MARTYRS SATYRUS, CYRIACUS, AND MOSCENTIUS.
CommentarySatyrus, Martyr in Achaia (St.) Cyriacus, Martyr in Achaia (St.) Moscentius, Martyr in Achaia (St.)
From various sources.
[1] The memory of St. Satyrus is celebrated in all the Martyrologies; fewer sources record his companions, and it is not sufficiently established whether they were killed at the same time or at different times, but in the same place. Would that we might obtain their Acts, if they survive anywhere! Here we can only give the words of the Martyrologies, contributing at least that much toward illuminating their name.
[2] The feast of St. Satyrus. Usuard: "In Achaia, the feast of Blessed Satyrus the Martyr, who, passing before a certain idol, when he had blown upon it and signed his forehead with the cross, it immediately fell; for which reason he was beheaded." The Roman Martyrology, Maurolycus, Bellinus, and various manuscripts agree. But the printed Bede, and very many manuscripts under the name of Usuard, and the authorities about to be cited, add that he was a citizen of Arabia. Ado says the same. But two of his manuscript copies, Where he suffered. the one from Lobbes and the one from the monastery of St. Lawrence at Liege, record that this happened not in Achaia but in Antioch. The old Roman Martyrology agrees: "At Antioch, Satyrus the Martyr." The author of the manuscript Florarium noted the discrepancy of the copies: "In Achaia," he says, "or Antioch, the feast of St. Satyrus the Martyr, a citizen of Arabia, beheaded in the year of salvation 267 in the eighth persecution, in its ninth year." Galesinius in his Martyrology says it happened in Arcadia; but in his Notes he advises that "in Achaia" should be restored. A manuscript from the monastery of St. Martin at Trier: "In Arabia, of Saturus the Martyr, at whose breath an idol fell; whereupon being seized, he was immediately beheaded." Notker, to be cited presently, agrees.
[3] A manuscript from St. Martin at Tournai: "In Achaia, the feast of Saturus, a citizen of Arabia; The manner of death. of whom it is reported that while he was passing before the temple of a certain idol, and blew upon it and signed it on the forehead, it immediately fell. The worshippers, seeing this, brought him before the Governor, reporting what he had done. For this reason he received the stroke of beheading."
[4] When he was killed. Regarding the time, we have said that the author of the Florarium assigns the year of Christ 267, which was the 14th year of Gallienus. In Galesinius's Notes there is a serious error from the negligence of a copyist: "He suffered," he says, "at the time when Domitian first stirred up persecution against the Christians, in about the year of the Lord 305." How enormously far apart are Domitian (who was killed in the year of Christ 96, on the 14th day before the Kalends of October, having reigned 15 years and 6 days) and the year of Christ 305! It is likely that Galesinius wrote 94 or 96, which was the 13th year of Domitian, when a fierce persecution broke out against the Christians. But where Galesinius drew this chronology, he does not reveal.
[5] The feast of Sts. Cyriacus and Moscentius. So much for Satyrus alone, whom some manuscript calendars call Saturinus. The ancient manuscript calendar of the monastery of St. Maximin records Cyriacus alone: "And of St. Cyriacus." The Rhinau manuscript: "In Achaia, of Cyriacus." Wandelbert: "The people of Achaia also celebrate their Cyriacus on the day before." Molanus printed incorrectly: "Plebs Ithacia suum," and in the earlier edition, "Itachia." But Notker has both Cyriacus and Saturus: "In Achaia, of Cyriacus. In Egypt, of Philoromus. In Arabia, of Saturus, who, passing before the temple of a certain idol, when he had blown upon it and signed his forehead, it immediately fell. Those who were present, seizing him, brought him to the Governor, and reporting the deed, he was beheaded." Rabanus has the same, except that with other Martyrologies he has: "who, passing before the temple of a certain idol, blowing upon it." Henricus Canisius notes that perhaps Innocentius should be read for Moscentius. It was ambiguous in the manuscript of St. Maximin whether it was Inoscentius or Moscentius. But the manuscript of St. Jerome: "On the day before the Ides, in Achaia, of Cyriacus, Muscentius, Saturus." The Dungal manuscript: "Muscentius, Satyrus, Zoticus, Cyriacus." Of Zoticus we shall treat below.
[6] Peter de Natalibus makes mention of St. Satyrus, book 2, chapter 66, where he writes that at the Saint's breath the idol not only toppled but was reduced to dust. Doubletius writes the same, and that the Martyr mocked that wretched god who could be scattered by a single breath. It is worth adding what the most learned Molanus noted here: that "sufflare" (to blow) means the same as to boast; What "sufflare" and "exsufflare" mean. while "exsufflare" means to despise. Thus St. Augustine, letter 56, to Dioscorus: "The name of Anaxagoras, which all the more literate, on account of its learned antiquity, gladly 'blow about' (sufflant), to use a military expression." And letter 162, against the obstinacy of the Donatists: "The unity of Christ is torn apart; the inheritance of Christ is blasphemed; the baptism of Christ is 'blown upon in contempt' (exsufflatur)." And afterwards: "The violated peace, the torn unity, the repeated baptisms, the contemned sacraments (exsufflata sacramenta), which are holy even in wicked men, we bewail and mourn." So Dungalus in the prologue of his Responses against Claudius of Turin: "Because Christ is 'held in contempt' (exsufflatur)." And: "Against the destroyers of the Church, against the despisers (exsufflatores) of Christ, against the blasphemers of his Saints." And the same author afterwards uses "sufflare" with the same meaning: "Shall one man presume to blaspheme, reproach, trample, cast down, and 'blow upon in contempt' (sufflare)?"
[7] "The relics of St. Satyrus," says Saussaius, "were brought to Saint-Malo in Brittany, Relics of St. Satyrus. and made his memory celebrated there." However, no mention of him is made in the proper offices of the Church of Saint-Malo.