CONCERNING THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS DATIVUS, JULIAN, TAELLIUS, REOTRUS, VINCENTIA, SATURUS, VICTORINA, SECUNDUS, PAPA, CANTUS, VICTOR, AEMILIANUS, AND THIRTY-FIVE OTHERS.
CommentaryDativus, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Julian, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Taellianus, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Reotrus, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Vincentia, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Saturus, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Victorina, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Secundus, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Papas, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Cantus, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Victor, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Aemilianus, Martyr in Africa (Saint) Thirty-five other Martyrs in Africa
[1] Others bearing the same names are recorded on other days from the same Africa, and they may perhaps be the same persons, whether through the carelessness of a copyist or for some other reason entered multiple times. The names of these Saints in the sacred Calendars. Since it was not equally easy for us to determine whether they were the same (though we modestly do so elsewhere), we have left the matter to the reader's judgment. For this day, the most ancient manuscript of St. Jerome has the following: "In Africa: of Dativus, Julian, Taellianus, Tellypta, Reotrus, Vincentia, Saturus, Victorina, Secundus, Papa, Cantus, Victor, Aemilianus, and thirty-five others. Rhodo, Artemas, Polycarp." We shall treat of Rhodo and Polycarp separately; we have treated of Artemas, or Artema, on January 25. The very ancient Irish manuscript of the Dungal Convent has for this day: "Polycarp the Bishop, Dativus, Julian, Paula the Virgin, Tellianus, Reotrus, Rhodo, Telipta, Vincentia, Victuria, Papa, Arthematus, Serdus, Aemilianus, Theoginis, Sabinus, and thirty-eight others."
[2] Others in the same manuscripts and other Martyrologies are recorded on the following day: Dativus, Julian, Vincentia, Saturus, Secundus, Victor; in the Dungal manuscript on January 27, another Cantus and another Telipta. But could Telipta here perhaps be considered the name of a city, which is elsewhere called Telepte? The Dungal manuscript rarely adds the names of places; the manuscript of St. Jerome scarcely ever uses the genitive case, but almost always the ablative.
[3] Reotrus appears to be the Reatrus whom Baronius ascribed, together with Dativus, to the Roman Martyrology in these words: "In the same place, of the holy Martyrs Dativus, Reatrus, and their companions, who suffered in the Vandal persecution." And in his Notes he says of them: "The ancient manuscripts, from which also the more recent ones for this day." Those more recent ones are Canisius and Galesinnius, also in the more recent ones of whom the latter writes thus: "In Africa, of the holy Martyrs Dativus, Reatrius, Aemilianus, Archiminus, Armatus, Gaius, Avitus, and Adiutus, who, when the Vandals were assailing the Church of God, having bravely undertaken the struggle for the faith of Christ, received the crown of martyrdom." He cites in his Notes a manuscript Martyrology. From the same source, Canisius: "Likewise in Africa, of the holy Martyrs Dativus, Reatius, Aemilianus, Archiminus, Arniotus, Gaius, Avitus, and Adiutus, who all, at the time of the Vandal persecution, underwent a fierce contest, and at last obtained the crown of martyrdom by their patience." These are absent from the earlier edition of Canisius. We really do not see why that manuscript which Galesinnius cites should be preferred to our two, which are far more ancient. We therefore consider Reatrus to be the same as Reotrus; we shall treat of the rest in that place.