CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS THEOGENES AND THIRTY-SIX OTHERS.
CommentaryTheogenes, Martyr (Saint) Thirty-six other companions, Martyrs
From various sources.
[1] On this day, in most Martyrologies, St. Theogenes the Martyr is celebrated with thirty-six companions; but in what place or at what time they met their end is uncertain. The commemoration of St. Theogenes and companions in the sacred Calendars. Of them, the old Roman Martyrology says: "And of Theogenes, with thirty-six others." Notker says the same, as do the manuscript Martyrologies of Utrecht, Centula, and Richenberg, the latter two of which bear the name of Bede, from which the one printed under Bede's name ought to be corrected, since it reads: "On the same day, the birthday of St. Theogenes the Martyr and six others" -- the word "thirty" having been omitted. And the manuscript of St. Donatian at Bruges: "Of St. Theogenes, the glorious Martyr, with thirty-three others." But Usuard, Ado, Bellinus, Sanctorius, and others: "On the same day, of the holy Martyrs Theogenes with thirty-six others, who, despising temporal death, obtained the crown of eternal life." So read nearly all the printed and manuscript copies. The manuscript of the Professed House of the Society of Jesus at Antwerp calls him Theologenes.
[2] The date is assigned in the ancient Parisian manuscript of Usuard at St. Germain, and in Bellinus, printed at Paris in the year of Christ 1521, in which they are said to have obtained the crown of eternal life under the Emperor Licinius. At what time they are said to have suffered. The manuscript Florarium has the same, in which the year 312 is specified. But one might justly suspect that these words were transferred here from the other Theogenes (whom we treated on January 3 as having suffered at Cyzicus in the Hellespont under the Emperor Licinius). Constantius Felicius: "Theogenes the Martyr, with thirty-six companions, is killed at Laodicea under the Emperor Maximinus." The latter reigned for some time together with Licinius. Laodicea is also designated as the arena of their martyrdom in the very ancient Rhinau manuscript. Galesinnius also follows: "At Laodicea, of the holy Martyrs Theogenes and thirty-six other companions, in what place who, despising death for the glory of Christ, obtained everlasting life." Peter de Natalibus, Book 3, Chapter 25, Maurolycus, and Canisius write the same about Laodicea. But perhaps, because in the more ancient Martyrologies they were placed after St. Polycarp, they supposed them to have suffered in the same persecution, under the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. "Theogenes the Martyr," says Peter, "with thirty-six other Christians, suffered martyrdom in the city of Laodicea, during the same aforementioned persecution, who, despising temporal death, obtained the crown of eternal life, on the seventh day before the Kalends of February, as Jerome says." Maurolycus and Canisius have nearly the same.
[3] The manuscript Florarium, the manuscript Martyrologies of Brussels and the printed one of Cologne, Canisius, Molanus, and Galesinnius in his Notes add: "whose memory the blessed Augustine makes in his homilies on Pentecost." In these we have not yet found anything about St. Theogenes. Galesinnius and Molanus in their second edition wrote in the margin that St. Augustine mentions him in a homily delivered on the feast of Saints Fructuosus the Bishop, Augurius and Eulogius the Deacons, whether the same Theogenes who was venerated at Hippo and Agnes the Virgin, which is Sermon 101 "on various subjects," in which he says: "When you have heard it said at the memorial of St. Theogenes, 'I offer to you, Peter; I offer to you, Paul'?" From these words Baronius concludes, in his Annotations to the Roman Martyrology, that there was a church at Hippo in the name of St. Theogenes. But by what evidence should it be understood of the one who is venerated on this day rather than of some other, since several persons bearing this name are found?
[4] Indeed, for this reason Baronius believed that the subject of this day was the Bishop of Hippo, and accordingly wrote in the Roman Martyrology: "At Hippo Regius in Africa, whether the Bishop of Hippo of Saints Theogenes the Bishop and thirty-six others, who, in the persecution of Valerian, despising temporal death, obtained the crown of eternal life." He adds in his Notes: "This Theogenes is recognized as the Bishop of Hippo who, together with St. Cyprian, attended the Council of Carthage in the year of Christ 257, in the fourth year of the Emperors Valerian and Gallienus, on the fourth day before the Kalends of September, as appears from its Acts which are found in Cyprian, Volume 2, at the end, who attended the Council of Carthage under St. Cyprian? and in Augustine in Book 6 of On Baptism against the Donatists, and Volume 1 of the Councils. In this Council the question was discussed whether those who had been baptized by heretics, when they came over to the Catholic Church, should be baptized again. On this matter, only this pronouncement by Theogenes is read, at number 14 in Cyprian: 'Theogenes of Hippo Regius said: According to the sacrament of heavenly grace which we have received, we believe in one baptism, which is in the holy Church.'" This is a Catholic opinion indeed, if we take the words simply. Having cited it, St. Augustine, in the above passage, Chapter 21, adds: "This could also be my opinion, for it is so balanced that it contains nothing against the truth." More will be said of Hippo on August 28, in connection with the Life of St. Augustine. It is possible that another Theogenes, distinct from this Bishop, had a shrine there, either on account of relics translated thither, or on account of the piety and vow of those who founded it, just as Saints Fructuosus, Augurius, and Eulogius, Martyrs of Tarragona, and Agnes the Roman Virgin, of whom we treated on January 21, had their own feast. It is also possible, however, that this Theogenes, Bishop of Hippo, was overwhelmed by the same storm of persecution as Cyprian, and stirred up the devotion of his fellow citizens toward himself, as Baronius maintains. But it is our intention not to define anything rashly in such matters.