ON ST. SECUNDINA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR, AT ANAGNIA
Under Decius
PrefaceSecundina, Virgin and Martyr at Anagnia in Latium (St.)
[1] Anagnia is a city of Latium, the capital of the Hernican people, once famous, even in the Christian era. Here St. Secundina, a virgin, was crowned with martyrdom, and inscribed in the Martyrology on January 15 in these words: The feast of St. Secundina "At Anagnia, St. Secundina, Virgin and Martyr." Concerning her Acts, Baronius writes thus in his Notes on the Martyrology: "We found her deeds, besides those which were sent to Rome from the Church of Anagnia, also in an ancient manuscript codex of our library, Acts whose preface begins thus: 'The triumphs of the Martyrs,' etc." We have not yet been able to obtain these, nor has Silvanus Razzius, as he complains in his book on women illustrious for holiness. We shall therefore give the epitome of them which Philippus Ferrarius composed from an ancient codex of the Church of Anagnia in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy.
[2] In the Life of St. Magnus the Bishop, which we shall give on August 19, the following is found concerning St. Secundina: "At the same time that Cornelius entered Rome, under Decius Caesar and the Prefect Valerianus, a diabolical persecution began to rage against Christians: and when the fame of Blessed Magnus had reached the Emperor's notice, together with Valerianus Armentarius, they sent thirty soldiers in anger to bring Blessed Magnus to them in haste, or to kill him by excessive slaughter. And as they went to the holy Bishop of God, as was intimated to us by certain of the faithful, the envious devil met them at the fortieth milestone from the city of Rome, on the Via Latina: and when he saw the soldiers coming, he sent out a loud voice to them, saying: 'Best of men, you who have been sent by the Emperor to the sacrilegious Magnus, She was converted by St. Magnus first agree with me in one thing, because there is in the city of Anagnia a virgin named Secundina, who has been taught and persuaded by Magnus the magician and seducer: wherefore she blasphemes the Gods and despises the Emperor's commands. Lead her to the Emperor, that she may either sacrifice or be put to death: and then afterward come to pass sentence against that sacrilegious Magnus; indicated to the soldiers by a demon because I too have just returned from him, who heaps many evil insults on the Emperor and all his people. Moreover, he says he is stronger than you, just as his predecessors Peter and Paul were.'"
[3] In the Life of St. Magnus published by Thomas Angelo Bay, the devil says these things not about Magnus but about Secundina herself: "I have just now returned from her, who utters many threats and insults against the Emperors. And when she heard you were coming to her, she does the same concerning you." But the manuscript Acts continue: "Those soldiers stood and listened to his words. While the devil was saying these things, he again persuaded them to go into the city of Anagnia and search for Christ's bride. betrayed by Tarquinius And finding a certain pagan man named Tarquinius, the devil entered his heart, led the soldiers, and handed over to them the holy Virgin of Christ, Secundina. When she was seized, they began to say to her: 'Whose bride are you? Or whom do you confess?' And the Virgin of Christ, Secundina, replied: 'I am the disciple of Him who delivered His only Son to suffering and death for all of us, that He might redeem us. I have Christ Himself, the Lord and Savior, as my bridegroom: Him I confess, and Him alone I serve.' Then the wicked soldiers placed her in custody until they should reach the holy and blessed Magnus."
[4] Franciscus Maria Torriggio recounts the same events somewhat differently in his Italian Life of St. Magnus: "Meanwhile, as Decius's soldiers were searching for the holy Bishop, the devil met the Emperor himself on the Via Latina in human form, forty miles from the City; and with singular cunning informed him that at Anagnia there was a woman named Secundina, imbued with the Christian rites by Magnus, who was turning everyone from the worship of the Gods and drawing them to Christ. He orders Secundina to be sought at Anagnia: but since she was not found there, she was betrayed by a certain Gentile named Tarquinius, and seized by the lictors. Since she could not be induced to sacrifice to the Gods, where did she suffer? she was brought to Fundi, and there on January 15 she completed her martyrdom."
[5] The demon therefore met the Emperor or some Prefect of his on the Via Latina, between Pictae Tabernae and the Compitum Anagninum. That this is said to have happened at the time when Cornelius entered the City; Thomas Angelus Bay has it as the time when Cornelius left Rome, when? namely when he withdrew to Centumcellae, as we shall say on his feast on September 14. Fundi, where Secundina is said to have been killed, still retains its name. That Ferrarius writes on August 19 that Secundina suffered some days before Magnus and at the hands of the same soldiers, we cannot agree with. Perhaps she was captured by the same soldiers, but was not killed until five months later.
EPITOME OF THE ACTS
By Philippus Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy
Secundina, Virgin and Martyr at Anagnia in Latium (St.) BHL Number: 7553
Author: Philippus Ferrarius
The Virgin Secundina at Anagnia, at the time when St. Magnus the Bishop was captured and suffered martyrdom, St. Secundina is apprehended she too under the Emperor Decius was seized by his soldiers and consigned to prolonged imprisonment, from which after five months she was led out, and since she could not be turned from the Christian religion by either threats or promises of the Prefect Valerianus, beaten with palms she was first beaten with palm-rods: but the attendants, when a voice from heaven was made to them, converts the lictors "You live by Secundina's prayer," were converted to Christ; and instructed by her after she was led back to prison, then baptized, the eighteen gave the Virgin the power to depart. The next day, dragged before the Governor, when she was found most steadfast in her holy resolve, she was stripped of her garments and most cruelly beaten, remains willingly in custody: beaten, with a shining body an immense splendor issuing from her body which the executioners and soldiers standing by could not endure: and the more savagely she was beaten, the stronger she became, reproaching the torturers for their weakness. This remarkable thing is also said to have occurred, that instead of blood, milk flows instead of blood milk flowed from her lacerated body, and a most sweet fragrance was exhaled. When the people observed these things, they begged the Virgin to intercede for them with God. And when the holy Virgin prayed, with a great crash of thunder she gave up her spirit to God. Angels, singing "Come, bride of Christ, receive the crown which the Lord has prepared for you forever," summoned by the singing of Angels led her soul to heaven. Her body was buried by the Christians in the village called Salapus, and was afterwards translated to the city.
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