ON ST. RASYPHUS, MARTYR
From the Roman Martyrology.
CommentaryRasyphus, martyr (St.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
Behold another Saint, unknown to the more ancient
Fasti, inserted by Baronius
into the Roman Martyrology,
his guide, as more often happens,
Galesinius, on this day, after announcing
at Rome Primitiva, thus subjoining;
Likewise of St. Rasyphus the martyr: but in the
notations boldly asserting, Marked by Galesinius, that these things were taken
from a very ancient Roman Martyrology, such
as ever existed (besides the Little one illustrated by us),
now for nearly a whole hundred years our Elders,
having most diligently scrutinized all things, have not yet found.
Galesinius would have said something, if some Usuardine
codex he had cited, for in some copy
of that kind not much dissimilar we found the name added
in the Florentine Strozzi codex,
but without expression of place: On the same day, of holy
Rasipus the martyr, as also Belinus wrote,
who perhaps was cited by Galesinius for a very ancient Roman Martyrology.
Furthermore, whether this be the same, and indeed suffered at Rome, there is not whence
sufficiently certainly to conjecture. For the rest, since by the fault of the amanuenses
so many names have of old been corrupted, it is surely nothing
wonderful, if here too some drowsiness has intervened.
[2] he is to be distinguished from another. Baronius in his notes deemed it enough to add,
concerning whom from old manuscripts, from which also other more recent ones.
One Galesinius adduced, Belinus,
I suppose, edited long before; what those other Mss.
were, we know not. As to the more recent ones,
Maurolycus and Felici wrote of Rasipus the martyr, but who
mentioned Rasyphus, besides Galesinius alone,
hitherto I know none. For
if perhaps Baronius wished to adduce Greven hither,
he joined things most widely separated; for the Rasyphus concerning
whom he treats was a companion of St. Ravennus, in Normandy
of Gaul crowned with martyrdom, as soon at length
will be declared. What Molanus wished when
he mentioned in the earlier edition Rasipus only, in others Rasiphus,
is uncertain. Another question could be moved,
whether that Rasyphus be the same as St. Rasius, companion
of Anastasius, in our appendix to the month of May
in volume 7, page 763, concerning whom this only is held,
that his sacred body was found in
the church of St. Mary ad Martyres; where Panciroli,
that same church, or the Rotunda, describing, page
421, rightly abstains from defining anything. But why
they are referred to the 13th of May, from this you will understand,
that on that day a more solemn festivity of that same church
was of old, as there explained you will find.
[3] But what if that same Rasyphus be confused with
that Rasius or Raso the bishop, concerning whom the Hieronymian ones treat
on the 12th of March, Whether he be not Rasius? and who there to some
Innocent is subjoined; at Rome certainly most expressly ascribed?
Into that opinion once inclined our Janning,
which he left attested in writing: I confess
that I, all things weighed, think with Panciroli,
that nothing hitherto can be safely defined. Equally
frigidly Ferrarius recounted Rasyphus on this day in
the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy. Of unknown native land, at Rome
he suffered, he says, but at what time, or by what
kind of punishment is altogether unknown …
But that he was not a Roman, but a foreigner,
the name itself seems sufficiently to indicate …
His body rests in the basilica of St. Mary the Rotunda,
as the inscription seems to indicate, although for Rasyphus,
Rasius is read. In the annotation he confesses
that he found no memory of this Saint except
in the Roman Martyrology, Molanus, and
Galesinius: for others he had not seen. You may doubt whether
he was sufficiently mindful of himself, when he added these words:
Nor does his body, that is known, exist anywhere:
for I suppose, if Rasyphus be distinguished from Rasius.