Domninus

ON ST. DOMNINUS, MARTYR OF CANDIACUM;

WHETHER HE IS ANOTHER, OR THE SAME AS THE ONE OF ANICIUM.

From the Candiacum papers of Pierre-François Chifflet.

Domninus, Martyr of Candiacum; whether another or the same as the preceding (S.)

J. B. S.

[1] That he is the same, one and the only St. Domninus of Apriliacum, whether of the Vellavi, or of the Arverni, or of Poitiers, I for my part do not doubt, although the Acts, as I was saying, are not in every respect conformable. which the Chifflet papers supplied: Other things occur which might seem able to persuade a distinction, if indeed the documents of Chifflet are to be admitted; besides that the letter of Le Puy, cited above, expressly asserts that the whole body of St. Domninus is exposed for veneration on the principal altar of Anicium, at the epistle horn, and that another nobler place is being prepared, when the new altar, which is now being magnificently constructed, shall have been finished; so that consequently it cannot be said with Chifflet that the sacred body was translated from Anicium to Magnilocum, and thence lastly to Candiacum, where today it rests. This again is one of those controversies which, as thorny and odious, I shun as much as possible, namely where there is contention between churches concerning sacred pledges, so that I plainly wish to be pardoned if I leave it to be settled by them themselves, when I shall have set forth all those things which have been communicated by the men of Candiacum together with Chifflet. First, then, I shall subjoin the Acts themselves, as they were described by him and by Papebroch, concerning whose truth the conjecture will be easy: then the said instruments of the translations, from which it will have to be gathered whether it rightly follows that the entire body of St. Domninus, after five successive depositions, came to Candiacum, and rests there today. Here, then, are the aforesaid Acts, from two manuscript copies compared with each other.

[2] When there had been made a great persecution in the times of Rictiovarus, that most impious prefect, it happened that among the other worshipers of Christ there was present the Blessed Domninus, from which the Legend is had, a little one in age, but perfect in all wisdom, according as the Lord had spoken to the Apostles, who conversed with Him in every action: "Be prudent as serpents, and simple as doves." Desiring to imitate the example of these, Blessed Domninus, standing before the most impious tyrant, did not fear to touch him with his answers: now this boy, of whose passion we have begun to speak, was of the Jewish race. Continuing therefore the interpretation of his name, undaunted by the threats and torments of the devil, he did not blush to confess the eternal God before the princes of the world; recalling that which the Savior had spoken in the Gospel to His disciples, saying: "Whoever shall confess Me before men, I also will confess him before My Father." Finally, when all the Christians, because of the savagery of the aforesaid tyrant, hid themselves in secret places, and in caves, and various lurking-places, the aforesaid boy did not fear to stand before him. Now the most impious man had devised, with his followers, how the Christians should be punished. Some he roasted on gridirons over burning coals, others he flayed and thrust back into prison. But this boy, with Justinian and with his forty other comrades, whose names are had in the book of Life, did not hesitate to endure the threats and torments of the most iniquitous king: for this little child, hearing the aforesaid torments, said to Justinian and the other companions: "Our shepherd Benedict the bishop, who with Viventius the priest had gone to Rome, said to me: O little boy, with those who are with you, fear not Rictiovarus nor Domitian the prince: but in every way beware, that neither you nor your comrades adore Serastes, their God; adore Him who delivered you from the sea, and from the hand of Dacian, the most wicked king."

[3] the other also more obscure. Now the ministers and soldiers of Rictiovarus and Domitian, seeking out the Christians who feared God, coming into the parts of the Aquitanians, in the city of Herbedilla found forty Christians in a church praising God together; and seizing Domninus with Justinian, they said to them: "Tell us, from what region you are, or who gathered you into this house, or what God you worship, or whether you adore the God Serastes, or Christ?" Blessed Domninus answered them: "We are from a far region, from Asia, and we worship the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land, and heaven and earth, and created us and you, and on the gibbet of the Cross redeemed us from the power of darkness." The soldiers answering said: "By Serastes our god, if you shall not believe in him, famine and sword and fire shall destroy your life and your flesh, when you shall come before the face of Rictiovarus and Domitian." And seizing Domninus with his companions, they bound them and led them before the face of the Emperor Rictiovarus, accusing them in many words, saying: "We found them in one house adoring Christ, and forgetting and denying Serastes our God, and seducing the people who believe in our God, and we recognized their speech. And moreover this child gives account for them." Then the Emperor, filled with fury and wrath, ordered the child to be scourged. And when they were beating him, St. Domninus cried out with a most mighty voice: "I give thanks to Thee, Lord God almighty, who dost not will to find in me the stain of sin, either in this world or in that to come. I pray therefore, Lord, that Thou wouldst bid me to attain to Thy mercy." And when those who scourged him ceased, the child was seen to have sound flesh, as though he had received no blow. And in that very hour there was a voice from heaven to him, saying: "Be constant, my son, for thy help shall be great, and thy companions, who are in the bond of the prison, shall receive spotless crowns."

[4] This is the Legend of the martyrdom, received from the monastery of Candiacum, Nor do they greatly illustrate the matter, the last part of which is wanting, as Papebroch rightly observed, since the martyrdom itself is plainly lacking. But how much all these things are to be made of—a Jewish infant, setting out from Asia into Spain, suffering namely under King Dacian, thence compelled by the Emperor Rictiovarus and Domitian to worship Serastes, etc.—I will not pursue at length. However tolerable the Acts of Anicium might seem, granting the truth of the martyrdom, somewhat embellished after the example of similar ones; but what is to be judged of these, I think so evident that it would be in vain to weigh each point. Besides these I find other fragments, in which this shepherd Benedict is called bishop of Nicomedia; and the priest, not Viventius, but more aptly Vincentius. From the confused Office, excerpted throughout the whole Octave from those Acts, more than one prayer is inserted: it will be enough, I think, to adduce a part of the hymn, from which the rest may sufficiently appear. I will describe it, as I can: The devout congregation of Sebastian the martyr, aided by their prayers, let it render a hymn to the Lord, of the most illustrious Domninus, martyr of ten years, with the college of Justinian with his forty companions. O how blessed are the souls subject to the men of Candiacum, which shall reign with the Lord rejoicing forever! And the souls stained with filths of St. Domninus the martyr, standing among the first Apostles before the Lord, at the Lord's bidding raised two men from the dead, etc. Of which, in these last Acts, there is not a word. The rest of the propers of the Office I do not add, since it is enough to have said this once. Now take what is related concerning the translations; if nearer to the truth, certainly much less at times exact as to correct syntax.

[5] The first and most ancient instrument that I find in the said papers, instruments of the translations, perhaps of the year 889, if the year has been rightly appended, exhibits the ninth century; but what it means, I confess I do not perceive, nor can I explore whence the translation was made. Hear the narrative itself, to which this title is prefixed: On the twelfth Kalends of August, the coming or translation of St. Domninus the martyr. Then it proceeds thus: In the year of the Lord's Incarnation 889*, before the beginning of the month of August on the day

XII, the most devout brothers of the oratory of Magnilocum, who at two miles' distance meeting the notable body of the holy martyr Domninus as it was being led along, running to meet it with chanting choirs, laudably received it: for ignorance and no small doubt straitened the minds of the brothers who had officiously assembled, hesitating whether perchance they were the members of the holy martyr Domninus, for whose love and in praise of veneration they were running together with one accord. When they were being turned about, moved with this ambiguity of heart, and in familiar conversation confessed themselves ignorant of the truth of the body received, and feared that they had been deceived by those who had brought it, yet lest the brothers should desist from the praises they had begun, suddenly there met the sight of the chanters a certain one of the common people, seized by a demon. There it stops, so that what it further means cannot be divined. Thence we are led down to the year 1396, if there too the character does not deceive. Thus it reads:

[6] then of the years 1396 and 1445, Today, the fifth of the month of June in the year of the Lord 1396, the body of the most blessed Domninus was translated from one other reliquary into this present reliquary, which Dom Peter de Basticia, doctor of decrees, prior of this priory of Candiacum of the wood of Cosanus and of Barium, caused to be made; and at the said translation there were present James de Cuzi the sacristan, the brothers Durandus Savateri, George Croseti, Sebastian Bourt, Peter David, and Andrew Chatillon, religious of the said priory, as also Raymond Azemarii perpetual Vicar of the said priory, Louis Plaignien curate of Pratum-longum, Thomas Theveti and Gilbert Viatroy notaries, prebendary priests… who subscribed themselves, with a multitude of parishioners of the said parish.

[7] from which a distinction rather than an identity would seem to be drawn. Thirdly, at last, is one marked with these signs: ✠ Jesus ✠ Virgin Mary ✠. In the year of the Lord 1445, and on the feast-day of Blessed Margaret the Virgin, which was the XIX of the month of July, the present holy reliquary was opened by the venerable and religious man Brother John de la Bastissia, prior of this venerable monastery of Candiacum, with the venerable and religious men, the brothers James Boerii the sacristan… In which reliquary was found the body of the most illustrious Domninus the martyr, with several other relics, as is contained in a certain old Missal, and by an instrument received, subscribed with his own name. Which relics indeed, except the proper body of St. Domninus, were placed in other reliquaries, together with a certain long bone, and one part of the jaws of the aforesaid body of St. Domninus, on account of the devotion of the people, who were present in great quantity on the day following after the Assumption of Blessed Mary in the month of August, on which day the proper feast of St. Domninus is celebrated; and the aforesaid religious caused iron gratings* to be made in the said reliquary, and they closed the reliquary itself on the said day, which had been renewed by Dom Asterius the prior and Bernard the sacristan, with several other religious and parishioners in the time of John abbot of Magnilocum, from a certain other reliquary which Dom Peter had made in the year of the Lord 1143… The rest is not to the point. There remains the doubt which I touched on above, when and whence the relics came to the monastery of Magnilocum, and thence to Candiacum; so that consequently it cannot be admitted that the last translation was made in the year 889, if they still existed at Magnilocum in the year 1143; nor is it sufficiently established who this other Domninus can be, who is venerated at Candiacum. I have already said that I can neither settle these matters nor wish to: if the men of Anicium and of Candiacum will hear me, each will possess his own treasure, whether the one of Herbedilla or the one of Apriliacum, as they possess it, if not entire, at least in such part as may suffice for them.

* elsewhere 1439.

* Perhaps gratings?