CONCERNING THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS AVITUS AND DONATUS.
CommentaryAvitus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
The ancient Martyrologies produce on this day various bands of Martyrs, though not distinguished by sufficiently clear tokens--especially since the Acts are lacking, the testimony of which is generally more certain. Their names in the Martyrologies. The first of these are Avitus and Donatus. Concerning Avitus, only this survives in the Roman Martyrology, all copies of Usuard, Bellinus, and others: "In Africa, of S. Avitus, Martyr." And Wandelbert:
"The Punic land on the sixth venerates its own Avitus."
The manuscripts of S. Jerome, the Leodian of S. Lambert, and the Dungalense call him Vitus and add Donatus, but do not specify the place or province ennobled by their contest. The Cologne Martyrology and a certain manuscript have Amicus in place of Avitus. Baronius testifies that he is elsewhere confused with Adiutus. Galesinius joins both of them and several others: "In Africa," he says, "of the holy Martyrs Datius, Reatrius, Aemilianus, Archiminus, Armatus, Caius, Avitus, and Adiutus; who, when the Vandals were attacking the Church of God, having bravely undertaken the contest for the faith of Christ, received the crown of martyrdom." He cites a manuscript Martyrology, but we do not believe he found anything in it beyond the names, nor perhaps thus conjoined. Dativus, Reotrus, and Aemilianus, following more and more reliable copies, we assigned to 26 January. Archiminus is unknown to us, unless he is the Archimimus whom the Roman Martyrology celebrates as having suffered under the Vandals on 29 March. Armatus, whom the Carthusian of Cologne in his additions to Usuard calls Armata, and Canisius in his second edition Arniotus, is unknown to us. Artemius likewise--unless he is Artemas, of whom we treated on 25 January. The Cologne Martyrology: "On the same day, of S. Julian, Martyr."