ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS PAULUS, QUINCTUS, GERONTIUS, IANUARIUS, SATURNINUS, SUCCESSUS, GERMANA, TERTULUS or ZERTULUS, TIBERITANUS, MAIOLUS, VICTORIANUS, HONORATUS, FORTUNATUS, IULIUS, LUCIUS, MARCUSUS or MARCISSUS, PUBLIUS, FELIX, CAIA, VITALIS, CASSIANUS, SECUNDUS, VICTOR, PRIMUS, SPANUS or HISPANUS, CACINANUS or CAECUMARUS, another LUCIUS, SATURNINA, FLORIDA, CALLISTA, MELONDION or MOLENDION, and about six hundred others.
CommentaryPaulus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Quinctus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Gerontius, Martyr in Africa (S.) Ianuarius, Martyr in Africa (S.) Saturninus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Successus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Germana, Martyr in Africa (S.) Tertulus or Zertulus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Tiberitanus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Maiolus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Victorianus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Honoratus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Iulius, Martyr in Africa (S.) Lucius, Martyr in Africa (S.) Marcusus or Marcissus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Publius, Martyr in Africa (S.) Felix, Martyr in Africa (S.) Caia, Martyr in Africa (S.) Vitalis, Martyr in Africa (S.) Cassianus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Secundus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Victor, Martyr in Africa (S.) Primus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Spanus or Hispanus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Cacinanus or Caecimarus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Lucius the younger, Martyr in Africa (S.) Saturnina, Martyr in Africa (S.) Florida, Martyr in Africa (S.) Callista, Martyr in Africa (S.) Melondion or Molendion, Martyr in Africa (S.) Other Martyrs in Africa, about six hundred
From various sources.
[1] Whether all these were killed at the same time or in different places and times, though in the same Africa, is not clear, since the Acts have either perished or lie hidden. We shall give the words of the Martyrologies, The names of these Saints inscribed in the Roman Martyrology by Baronius, until someone unearths more certain information. The Roman: In Africa, the holy Martyrs Paulus, Gerontius, Ianuarius, Saturninus, Successus, Pia, Germana, Iulius, and Catus. Baronius acknowledges that he added these to the Martyrology from an ancient codex of S. Cyriacus in Thermis. Galesinius drew the same from Bede, as he says: but they are not found in the common text of Bede. The Cologne Carthusians and Canisius also cite Bede: In Africa, according to Bede, SS. Paulus, Quinctus, already recorded by others, Gerontius, Ianuarius, Saturninus, Successus, Pia, Germana, Iulius, Gagus. Notkerus: In Africa, Paulus, Quinctus, and very many Martyrs. The ancient MS. of the monastery of Rhinau: In Africa, Paulus, Quinctus, Ianuarius, Germanus. The manuscripts of the monasteries of S. Martinus at Tournai and of Liessis: In Africa, the birthday of SS. Paulus, Hermes, Quinctus, Gerontius, Ianuarius, Successus, Valens, Publius, Gagius, with six hundred others.
[2] The Martyrology of S. Hieronymus, transcribed by Laurentius of Echternach, appears to enumerate some of these six hundred: In Africa, Paulus, in some, many other names, Quinctus, Gerontius, Ianuarius, Saturninus, Successus, Germana, Zertulus, and many others. Tiberitanus, Maiolus, Victorianus, Honoratus, Fortunatus, Iulius, Lucius, Marcusus, Publius, Felix, Caia, Vitalis, Cassianus, Secundus, Victor, Primus, Spanus, Cacinanus, likewise Lucius, Saturnina, Florida, Callista, Melondion. The same are enumerated in nearly the same way by the ancient Irish MS. of the Convent of Dungal: Paulus, Quinctus, Gerontius, Ianuarius, Saturninus, Successus, ... Gagia, Saturnina, Florida, Caliza, Pia, Priscari, Tertulus, Tiberus, Tanmaiolus, Victorianus, Honoratus, Fortunatus, Iulius, Lucius, the birthday of S. Germanis, Marcissus, ... Publius, Felix, Vitalis, Cassianus, Secundus, Victor, Primus, Hispanus, Lucius, Caecumarus, Molendion. We have omitted what was inappropriately interjected: Marius and Martha, sister of Lazarus, and Paulus the elder.
[3] In certain names, then, there is a discrepancy. Pia, listed by Canisius, the Carthusians, and variously written, Baronius, and Galesinius, seems to belong elsewhere, as will be said below. Galesinius and Canisius write Gerantius, who is Gerontius. Tertulus seems the correct reading, with the Irish MS., who is Zertulus in the Echternach MS. But what is Tiberitanus in the latter, rightly in our opinion, is Tiberius in the other MS. by a copyist's error, the syllable Tan having been wrongly attached to the name Maiolus. In one manuscript it is Marcissus, in the other Marcusus: to debate which reading you might prefer is scarcely worth the effort. We prefer Caia, unless you would rather say Caius, to the other MS.'s Gagia; the Carthusians have Gagus; the Tournai and Liessis MSS. Gagius; Baronius, Galesinius, Canisius, Catus. Spanus and Hispanus are the same; for Spania was the name used even by the ancients for what is Hispania, and by our countrymen Spanien. Although σπανός also means rare, precious. For Cacinanus and Caecumarus, would you not conjecture that Caecinianus should be read? Whether it is Molendion or Melondion hardly matters; another might conjecture that Melandion, or Melandryon, should be read. Callista in one MS. is called Calista, in another Caliza.
[4] In the most recent edition of the Martyrology, it has been noted in the margin that these appear to have undergone martyrdom in the year 302. When they were killed. But Franciscus Bivarius, in his commentary on the Chronicle of Flavius Dexter, year 138, no. 5, thinks that the Germana listed here is one of the nine twins of Catellius, or C. Attilius, daughters of Regulus, a sister of S. Quiteria (about whom we shall treat on 22 May); but that when the sisters parted from one another at the sign of an Angel, she crossed the sea and migrated to Africa, and there laid down her life for the defense of the Christian faith along with eight other companions; and that these eight companions are those whom Baronius restored to the Roman Martyrology. He cites the Chronicle of Julianus, not yet seen by us, in which he says the following is found: S. Germana, sister of these, suffers at Carthage in Africa. These things are uncertain, and we have no intention of either following or refuting them. Antonius Vasconcellius, one of ours, followed this in his Description of the Kingdom of Lusitania, writing that other sisters suffered death for Christ elsewhere, and Germana at Carthage in Africa. But no one else asserts that these Martyrs entered their contest at Carthage, but only in Africa.