ON ST. Longinus and Megistus and Acestes
From the Little Roman, Ado, Usuard, etc.
Under Nero.
CommentaryThree soldiers who suffered with St. Paul (SS.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
The announcement of the Little Roman on this day is: And of the three soldiers, who suffered with the holy Apostle Paul. The same is Ado's, the same too Usuard's and of all the others who followed these sources, whose spring is he whose words we have given, the author of the Little Roman. To these three anonymous ones Whence he received it, I do not divine; let it suffice, their commemoration in so many classical Martyrologies, with which the more recent could have rested content, had it not pleased them to mix in new things. To Maurolyco, Felicio, Galesinio, and so many others, Bishop Equilinus led the way, book 6, chapter 41, names being fitted from the narration of Pseudo-Linus, I think, so that they did not hesitate to call them Longinus, Megistus, and Acestus, from which nevertheless Baronius better abstained in today's Roman Martyrology, thus rendering the primitive text: Likewise at Rome, the passion of the three holy soldiers, who, converted at the martyrdom of the Blessed Apostle Paul, merited with him to be made partakers also of heavenly glory. In the notation he here adduces the words of St. John Chrysostom, in the celebrated oration on SS. Peter and Paul, which, even if they were with sufficient certainty Chrysostom's — concerning which the learned critics dispute; even if, I say, they were the words of Chrysostom — would no more square with these three than with any other thirty-two. There the most eminent Annalist can be seen.
[2] Meanwhile, that I may not allow anything to be lacking to the history long since made common, proper names badly fitted, I set before the eyes of the readers the encomium of the praised Equilinus, no doubt woven together from Pseudo-Linus. Thus it has, at the place cited above: Longinus, Megistus, and Acestus, soldiers, were converted by the blessed Apostle Paul, when he was led to decapitation, as was said above on the third of the Kalends of July in his passion. Who, according to what Paul had enjoined upon them, on the day following that passion of his came to the sepulcher of Paul, and found two disciples, namely Titus and Luke, praying, and in their midst saw Paul standing: whom those disciples, seeing, terrified, fled, and Paul soon disappearing, those soldiers cried out after them, that they pursued them, not to seize them, but followed to receive baptism from them, and testify that they had seen Paul in their midst. These things they, hearing, returned, and baptized them with joy; who, after two days, being detained by Nero, and for the confession of the name of Christ, were beheaded on the sixth of the Nones of July. worse, transferred into Spain. Hither also pertain the things which Equilinus has, chapter 23, whence you will understand the beginning of the conversion of these three. Trifles are those things which, lately dreamed concerning Peter, Megistus, and Longinus, we touched in a word in the Passed Over, from those monuments which no single person today skilled in these matters would admit.