Martyrs of Gerunda

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF GERUNDA, INVENTUS AND 359 OTHERS.

[3] In the same persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, S. Narcissus was killed while he was performing divine service; to which very many seem to have been present, given the piety of those times and the rarer opportunity for performing or participating in sacred rites; and we refer all of them to the same number. The same seems to be true of S. Inventus—that he was from the same blessed company of holy athletes. among these S. Inventus, patron against quartan fever: S. Inventus is especially helpful to those suffering from quartan fever: for which reason he is held in great veneration. This Collect has been recited concerning him from many centuries past in that same Church: "Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that through the intercession of Blessed Inventus, Your Martyr, we may be freed from all adversities in body and purified from evil thoughts in mind. Through the Lord."

[4] His image is seen in the same church of S. Felix, his veneration. on the new panel of the altar of Our Lady of the Rosary, just as it had also been on the old one. They were formerly accustomed to keep vigils on the eve of his feast in that same church. All these things I received from the priests of that same church.

[5] Many venerate those three hundred and sixty Martyrs with a singular piety; and not without reason: The patronage of these against floods, since many of their benefits to that city are extant: for without their patronage, the waters would perhaps long since have brought destruction to it. A certain citizen of Valencia, a learned and pious man, arranges for the office of these holy Martyrs to be performed annually at the principal altar of S. Felix, anniversary observance. and this prayer is read in the sacred rite: "Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we who celebrate the birthdays of Your Saints, whose bodies rest here, may be freed from all threatening evils by their intercessions."

[6] Whence the number of these Saints is gathered. The number of these holy Martyrs is gathered from a certain printed compendium of the Indulgences of the Church of S. Felix, in which the bodies of the Saints Narcissus and Felix, and 360 others, are said to rest there. Certain Papal bulls, which exist in the archive of that Church, assert the same; some of them, however, mention only sixty Martyrs.

ON S. IRENE, OR HERENA, WIDOW OF S. CASTULUS THE MARTYR, AT ROME.

ABOUT THE YEAR 300.

Irene or Herena, widow at Rome (S.)

In the Acts of S. Sebastian, above on 20 January, chapter 22, mention is made of S. Castulus, the Zetarius of the palace of Diocletian, and host of the Saints, who was crowned with martyrdom on 26 March: and in chapter 23, Irene, or Herena, S. Irene tends S. Sebastian. or, as others write, Aerena or Syrena (perhaps Serena), his wife, a religious woman; who, when S. Sebastian had been pierced with arrows and left as though dead, went at night to bury his body, but finding him alive, took him to her house and carefully tended him, so that within a few days he recovered full health. Her name today has been entered by the manuscript Florarium in the register of the Saints, with these words: "Also of Syrena, widow of Castulus the Martyr." Whether she too underwent martyrdom, or died a peaceful death (either amid the storms of the persecutions or after peace was restored to the Church), we have read nowhere.