Martyrs Severianus and Aquila

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS SEVERIANUS AND AQUILA, AT NEOCAESAREA IN MAURITANIA.

Severianus, married, Martyr, at Neocaesarea in Mauritania (S.) Aquila, his wife, Martyr, at Neocaesarea in Mauritania (S.)

[1] Neocaesarea is a city of Cappadocia, very famous, mentioned by Ptolemy; another is in Bithynia, as is clear from Stephanus; another on the Euphrates. There is also in Mauritania a city, the birthplace of S. Severianus, if one trusts the Martyrology, says Ortelius. But why should it not be trusted, and indeed much more so, than profane writers? Galesinius did not believe it, but placed it in Macedonia, citing no authority to follow. He also admits that all manuscripts have "in Mauritania." But, he says, it must certainly be seen whether there is an error in them, since we nowhere read of a Neocaesarea situated in Mauritania. Baronius, perhaps moved by this reasoning, substituted Caesarea for Neocaesarea. So also has the most ancient Rhinau manuscript Martyrology: Neocaesarea, a city of Mauritania Caesariensis: "At Caesarea, Severianus and Aquila." But all other manuscripts have Neocaesarea. The old Roman Martyrology edited by Rosweyde, the manuscript of S. Jerome, very many manuscripts of Usuard, Bede, Ado, Notker, Maurolycus, and others. Some manuscripts call it Geneocaesarea, as does Bellinus in the Venetian edition of 1498; but the manuscript Florarium calls it Gueocaesarea; the Paris edition of Usuard of 1536 and the Lubeck edition of 1475 and manuscripts call it Gneocaesarea; Peter de Natalis, book 3, chapter 16, calls it Zenocaesarea. Caesarea is a maritime city of Mauritania Caesariensis, which Ptolemy calls Iol Caesarea, book 4, chapter 2, table 1 of Africa. Strabo also, book 17: "On this maritime coast there was a certain city called Iol, which Juba, father of Ptolemy, having restored it, called Caesarea after changing the name. It has a harbor, and before the harbor an island." Ptolemy also in the passage cited: "An island lies adjacent to Julia Caesarea, having a city of the same name." Was perhaps this city on the island, later built, called Neocaesarea, that is, New Caesarea? Or was some other town elsewhere so called? It was common in Africa that the title "New" was added to the names of cities: thus are mentioned Nobabarbarensis, Nobagermaniensis, Nobasparsensis, Nobasinensis, Bishops of Numidia; Nobalicianensis, of Mauritania Sitifensis. But enough about the place.

[2] there SS. Severianus and Aquila were burned; At Neocaesarea, then, or Caesarea, the holy spouses Severianus and Aquila were burned by fire, as is attested by all Martyrologies. Galesinius and Canisius add Florus, their son. Galesinius says: At Neocaesarea in Macedonia, of the holy Martyrs Severianus and Aquila, spouses, and their son Florus: these, for their perpetual constancy in defending the faith, were burned and departed to their reward in heaven. In his Notes he confesses that he added Florus on the authority of an ancient book. was Florus their son also? We fear that this Florus is the one who was killed at Rome with Bellus, Saturninus, and others, about whom we spoke above; and that because he had been added to two spouses, he was believed to be their son; yet this would be a bold conjecture. The Dungal manuscript, as we said above, has two Floruses, or rather Florus and Florius: but we do not rashly follow that codex alone.

[3] Moreover, S. Severianus is called Severinus by Ado. Aquila, in the Venetian edition of Bellinus of 1498, is called Attila; in the Dungal manuscript, Aquilia.

ON S. ASCLAS THE MARTYR, AT ANTINOUS IN THE THEBAID.

Under Diocletian.

Asclas, Martyr at Antinous in the Thebaid (S.)

From manuscripts.

[1] Antinous, Antinopolis, Antinoia, Antinoie, is a city of the Thebaid in Egypt, founded by the Emperor Hadrian, situated on the right bank of the Nile, midway between Babylon and Coptos, described at greater length by us on 9 January in the life of SS. Julian and Basilissa, no. 10 in the prolegomena, where at no. 11 we said that a dire persecution had been stirred up under Diocletian in these parts of the Thebaid. In it S. Asclas fought nobly, the place of S. Asclas's martyrdom, and died for Christ on 21 January -- erroneously called by some Aselas, Asdas, Asclepius, and Arselas.

[2] On the third day after his death, 23 January, his body was found by Christians and given burial. This day was thereafter consecrated to his veneration. his feast day, The Roman Martyrology: At Antinous, a city of Egypt, of S. Asclas the Martyr, who after various torments, being cast into the river, rendered his precious soul to God. Usuard: At the city of Antinous, of S. Asclas the Martyr, who first was most cruelly tortured by hanging, then burned by flames applied to his sides, and at last, being cast into the river, rendered his precious soul to God. The manuscript Florarium: At the city of Antinous, otherwise called Antinonium, of S. Asclas the Martyr, who under Judge Arrianus, in the time of Diocletian, in the year of salvation 287, was crowned with martyrdom. Maurolycus: At the Egyptian city of Antinous, of S. Aselas the Martyr, who under the Emperor Diocletian, under the Governor Arrianus, after various torments, being cast into the Nile, rendered his precious soul to God, and was buried by the Deacons Philemon and Apollonius.

[3] Peter de Natalis narrates these things more fully, book 3, chapter 16. Asclas the Martyr suffered at Egypt, his torments, at the city of Antinous, in the times of the Emperor Diocletian, under the Governor Arrianus; who was first most cruelly tortured by hanging, then burned with flames applied to his sides; and at last, being cast into the river, he rendered his precious soul to Christ, on the tenth before the Kalends of February, and was buried in the same city by Christians, his burial, through the ministry of the Deacons Philemon and Apollinarius. But this is a foul error, that Philemon is called a Deacon and said to have superintended the burial, since he was not yet at that time converted to the Christian faith. We shall give the Acts of his and Apollonius's martyrdom, and indeed of the Governor Arrianus as well (for he too was transformed from a fierce persecutor into an illustrious Martyr of Christ), from various manuscripts on 8 March. The Gallo-Belgian Martyrology reports S. Asclas twice, on this day and again with S. Leonides on 28 January. Baronius mentions on that day in his Notes S. Asclas, but this one; whom the author of that Martyrology judged to be a different person. The manuscript Florarium again on 8 March has the name of S. Asclas the Martyr inscribed.

[4] We give the Acts of S. Asclas from the ancient manuscripts of S. Mary de Ripatorio, S. Maximin near Trier, and of Nicholas Belfort, collated with the Contests of the Martyrs formerly printed at Paris. the Acts; The same, but not entirely complete, existed in the manuscript of S. Martin at Utrecht. The Acts of SS. Philemon, Apollonius, and Arrianus also mention S. Asclas, perhaps committed to writing by the same author. They begin thus: After the admirable Asclas had consummated his martyrdom with a blessed end at Antinous, the Governor Arrianus ordered the Christians to be arrested from the same city, etc. Their death is also narrated in the Acts of SS. Thyrsus, mention elsewhere, Leucius, and Callinicus, through Metaphrastes on 28 January, where this is said of Asclas: Diocletian tyrannically seized the Roman empire: and an edict was sent again into all parts, that either all should be sharers with him in impiety, or suffer the penalty of death. Arrianus therefore, who was then Governor of the Thebaid, without hesitation, having soon seized Asclas and Leonides, who cultivated and defended the faith, subjected them to many and great torments, and then also most bitterly deprived them of life, etc. Baronius treats of Asclas and the rest, tome 3, year of Christ 310, no. 24, as if they had died in the persecution of Maximinus; the time of the death, whereas the Acts of each one, with unanimous consent, declare them crowned with martyrdom under Diocletian.

ACTS FROM ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS.

Asclas, Martyr at Antinous in the Thebaid (S.)

BHL Number: 0722

FROM MANUSCRIPTS.

[1] When Arrianus the Governor was coming from the city of Hermopolis, a certain Brother named Asclas was presented to him. When the Judge saw him, he said to the officium: Who is this? Apollonides, one of the officials, said: I think S. Asclas is arrested: he is a Christian. The Governor said to him: Question him. And he said: Who are you? Asclas answered him: I am a Christian. The Governor said: And have you not heard what the most unconquered Emperors have decreed throughout all the provinces against the Christians, that they be compelled to sacrifice to the gods? Asclas said: he denies the impious edicts to be law: We have heard what they commanded to the scandal of many. The Governor said: And do you go so far as to insult the Emperors, as to call their most sacred and salutary laws a scandal? Asclas said: Do what you will. For I know no laws to be such except those which are legitimate and issued for the common good, not for private caprice. For what kind of law is it to say: Worship an idol? The Governor said: Was it not enough for you to have disparaged the Emperors; do you also call the Gods idols? I swear by divinity itself that unless you confess them to be gods and offer sacred rites to them, you will feel the punishments prepared for the disobedient. Asclas answered: I do not fear what you threaten. he mocks the gods, My greater fear is to despise Him who said: Do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body together in hell. Matt. 10:28. God, therefore, is to be feared, who can both torment a man entire and forever: not you, who can do so only in part and not always. Arrianus the Governor said: Choose good counsel for yourself and sacrifice to the immortal gods. For, as you see, the rack and the torturers are ready. Asclas said: Let us see which of us will appear stronger in this contest; and the threats of the Governor: whether you will extract from me by the torments you threaten that I call idols gods, or I will make you confess Christ my God, the true Lord and Creator of all.

[2] The Governor, angered at these words, ordered him to be hung up and tortured. And when they were cruelly tearing him, he is hung up and cruelly torn, so that his flesh, drawn out in strips like thongs, fell beneath his feet, he answered nothing. To him Arrianus said as he hung there: Not yet, as I see, is your heart softened to sacrifice to the gods. But a certain orator named Bizamon, standing there, said: The nearness of death has driven him out of his mind. To whom S. Asclas alertly said: I am neither out of my mind, nor do I withdraw from the God who made me. Arrianus then said to him: Are you hardened in heart again? This place is not suitable for you to be worthily tortured: but with the favor of the gods we shall enter the city, and there you will pay the deserved penalties of your disobedience. And immediately he ordered Asclas to go before them.

[3] And when, having crossed the river, he had disembarked at the bank, those who had gone out from the city to meet the Judge surrounded the holy Martyr, who on the bank of the river, he lies naked on the shore, unable to stand because of his fresh wounds, lay naked on the ground. When the people saw that the Governor had boarded a small boat to come to the city, they prepared themselves to meet him. But the blessed Martyr, hearing the commotion of those saying "The Governor is here," rose from the place where he lay: and standing naked, he cried out to the Lord: My God Jesus Christ, for whose sake I endure these torments, by his prayers he halts the Judge's boat in midstream, for love of whom I am exposed naked as a spectacle to this people, hear me today for the glory of Your name, and extend the hand of Your power, and hold fast in mid-river the boat in which the most impious Judge sits; and do not allow him to come to land until he confesses that You are the one true Creator and Lord of all things, God; and let him glorify before this people Your holy name, which he hates. When he had asked this of God with full faith, suddenly the boat in which the Judge sat stood still in mid-river and could by no means be moved from the place where it was held. When the Judge saw this, he was amazed: and remembering the promise of Asclas, he said to his men: Do you think this is not the work of that Christian magician? Nevertheless, uncertain about the author of the event, he ordered another boat to be brought alongside from those that were not held fast. When he had boarded it, it too stood still: and though it had a favorable wind and its sail spread, it went nowhere.

[4] On account of what had happened, therefore, wishing to be certain and being compelled by necessity, the Judge sent one of his men to S. Asclas to tell him: Because you feared the torments I threatened, you have therefore brought it about by your sorcery that I cannot cross to the city. Asclas answered the one telling him what the Judge had commanded, and said: As the Lord God lives, the boat in which Arrianus sits will not move [when the Judge sent a written note confessing Christ to be God, Asclas released it,] until he confesses the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, as I already told him before. The one who had been sent to him said: If he confesses in mid-river what you demand of him, how will you, sitting on the bank, hear it? Asclas said: Let him write the confession of my Lord himself and send it to me; and at that very hour the ship will descend to the bank. The messenger reported the words of S. Asclas to Arrianus. And he immediately took paper and wrote with his own hand, saying: One and true is the God whom Asclas worships, and besides Him there is no other Creator and Lord of all things. And he sent it to Asclas. When the holy Martyr had read it, he prayed, and the ship descended to the city.

[5] At that same hour the Judge entered and ordered Asclas to be brought before the tribunal, and said to him: You have expended the entire power of your magical art, which God hates, to hold me fast in the river; and I will exercise upon you what I can. And immediately he had burning lamps brought he is burned with lamps: and applied to his sides and belly until his flesh melted. But that most brave soldier of Christ, bearing the fire with equanimity, was silent. To the silent Saint, the impious Arrianus said: As I see, you will die. Asclas answered: Even if I die, I shall live again.

[6] Arrianus said to his officium: We are merely expending our labors on this man. For as far as we have proved by experience, this man, prepared to die for his faith, will by no means consent to sacrifice and live. a stone is tied to him and he is cast into the river, Nevertheless let us still do what we can. And immediately he ordered a stone to be tied to his feet and that he be cast alive into the river. The soldiers, taking him up, brought him; and tying a great stone to his feet, they delayed on account of the crowd of citizens who had assembled for this very purpose, to see the blessed Martyr crowned: and they offered him food and asked him to partake. he refuses food, But he refused, saying: Cease to ask; for I will neither eat anything of this world nor drink from this hour; but I am ready to go and receive what neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man. But I also call you all to witness who hear: strive to lay hold of the good things that are prepared for the Saints.

[7] When he had spoken these things to them, they placed him in a small boat. But turning, he said to the Christians who were present: My little children, do not neglect my burial: he commends the burial of his body: and indeed today and tomorrow let it be; the day after tomorrow, if the Lord wills, come to the north, on the side of the city, and you will find my body with the stone that is tied to me: bury me in a tomb with it. And so it was done: for when he was cast into the river, he was carried by God's will to the bank: and on the third day the Brothers, coming from the city, he is buried by Christians, found his body with the stone with which he had been cast, on the land; and they buried him with it in peace, on the twenty-third day of the month of January: for the day of his crown was the twenty-first of the aforesaid month, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever, Amen.

ON S. CORTILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR, AT ROME.

Cortilia, Virgin and Martyr at Rome (S.)

Philip Ferrarius in his new Catalogue of Saints writes thus on this day: At Rome, in the church of S. Silvester, of S. Cortilia, Virgin and Martyr. And again (through scribal error?), on the following day: At Rome, of S. Cortilia, Virgin and Martyr. He cites in both places the records of the Church of S. Silvester, where he says her relics are preserved: the rest is unknown to us, he says. Since, however, three churches dedicated to S. Silvester are mentioned by Ottavio Pancirolo -- one of the second region, on the Hills, the twenty-first; another of the same region, the fifty-sixth; the third of the fourth region, the fifth, S. Silvester in the Campus Martius -- in this last, which is also called the Title of S. Silvester, these and very many other relics are extant.

ON SS. ANASTASIUS AND LXXIII COMPANIONS, AND ALSO SERGIUS THE MONK, MARTYRS IN TARRACONESE SPAIN.

Under Diocletian.

Anastasius, soldier, Martyr at Ilerda in Spain (S.) LXXIII companions, Martyrs at Ilerda in Spain Sergius, monk, Martyr at Ilerda in Spain (S.)

From various sources.

[1] Ilerda, commonly called Lerida, is an ancient city of Tarraconese Spain on the river Sicoris, which the locals now call the Segre. S. Anastasius is said to have been born here, who with LXXIII fellow soldiers earned the laurel of martyrdom during the rage of Diocletian, on the maritime coast of the same region, the homeland of S. Anastasius, at Betulum, or Betulo, or Baetulo, or Baetullon, a town which most writers now wish to be called Badalona. S. Sergius the monk is joined with the same Martyrs; whether he was crowned at the same time and place, or at another time and elsewhere, we have not ascertained.

[2] Philip Ferrarius in his new catalogue of Saints on this day says: At Ilerda in Spain, of the holy Martyrs Anastasius and his companions. He cites in his Notes the records of the Church of Ilerda and Maurolycus, who in the Topography of the holy Martyrs of Christ composed by Primus, Bishop of Chalon, in the year 1450, has this: Ilerda, a city of Tarraconese Spain. Here dwells Anastasius, a soldier of Diocletian, his relics and those of his companions, who was long in chains at Tarragona or Saragossa, and died at Barcelona. The same author a little above: Betulon, a coastal city of the same province near Barcelona. Here Anastasius the soldier from Lerida, with LXXIII companions, is a Martyr. Here lies S. Sergius in his monastery, a Martyr.

[3] Alfonso de Villegas in Flos Sanctorum, part 1, concerning the Saints of Spain, largely from the topography of the Bishop of Chalon, which he also cites: S. Anastasius the soldier, born at Ilerda, was crowned with martyrdom, together with LXXIII others, in the maritime city called Betulo, which, the place of martyrdom, as is commonly held, is now called Badalona, situated not far from Barcelona. There also S. Sergius the monk was killed for Christ. John Marietta, book 2 on the Saints of Spain, chapter 33, has nearly the same, except that he assigns only LXX companions to Anastasius, and adds that the day of their martyrdom is unknown, which Ferrarius alone specified, perhaps from the records of the Church of Ilerda which he cites.

[4] Antonio Vincenzo Domenech in the history of the Saints of Catalonia treats more extensively of S. Anastasius and his companions, yet in such a way that he brings forward scarcely anything beyond what we have reported from the cited authors. He indicates that Badalona is now an insignificant place, but appears to have been formerly a famous municipium: he then writes that Anastasius was arrested at Tarragona, wearied by the prolonged hardship of prison there and at Saragossa. Finally brought to Betulum, he was condemned to death with LXXIII others, whom he nobly exhorted to constancy by his words. constancy in torments.

[5] It is remarkable that these authors, though Spanish, bring forward scarcely any other document besides the authority of Primus of Belluno: for although Ferrarius cites the records of the Church of Ilerda, it does not necessarily follow that he himself inspected them; but he is accustomed sometimes to refer the reader to them as likely to find something more certain there.

ON S. EMERENTIANA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR, AT ROME.

Third century.

Emerentiana, Virgin and Martyr at Rome (S.)

[1] Emerentiana was the foster-sister of S. Agnes, who, not yet washed in baptism, while she was pouring out prayers at the tomb of her holy companion and was reproaching the pagans for the senseless fury with which they raged against the innocent, the martyrdom of S. Emerentiana, was stoned by them and obtained the palm of martyrdom, as was narrated in the Acts of S. Agnes on 21 January, chapter 3. She is celebrated with a particular office of three Lessons on 23 January, on which day Usuard says: At Rome, the birthday of S. Emerentiana, Virgin and Martyr, her feast day, who while she was praying at the tomb of S. Agnes and at the same time defending those praying from the assault of the pagans, was stoned by them. Nearly the same is found in the Vulgate Bede, Rabanus, Ado, Notker, Bellinus, the Roman Martyrology, Maurolycus, Canisius, and Galesinius; but as to the latter's statement that she is called Emerentia by Usuard, we have not found this in any printed or manuscript copies of Usuard (and we have very many). Wandelbert, Peter de Natalis book 3, chapter 13, Ferrarius, and all who narrate the deeds of S. Agnes also treat of her. In the Irish manuscript Martyrology, as we said above, she is ascribed to 21 January.

[2] The bodies of SS. Emerentiana and Agnes, found by Paolo Emilio Sfondrato in the latter's basilica on the Via Nomentana, relics, and honorably reinterred by Pope Paul V, we described above in section 1, on the relics, no. 4. Among the relics of the Brussels palace there exists the head of S. Emerentiana, or at least a notable part of the head; for Ottavio Pancirolo states that her body is in the basilica of S. Agnes, her head in the church of S. Peter in Chains on the Esquiline, and some relics are preserved in various churches of Rome.