ON ST. REVERIANUS OF AUTUN.
IN THE YEAR 272.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY. The cult in the Breviaries and Calendars, and the time of the Martyrdom.
Reverianus, Bishop, Martyr, at Autun in Gaul (St.) Paulus, Presbyter, Martyr, at Autun in Gaul (St.) Ten Companions, Martyrs, at Autun in Gaul (SS.)
G. H.
[1] Autun, a most ancient city of the Aedui, in Gaul and the present Duchy of Burgundy, celebrates on this day throughout its territory various ones, killed in hatred of the Christian faith by order of the Emperor Aurelian; The time of the martyrdom. when he conquered the tyrant Tetricus among the Catalauni, and received him in surrender, and made his way through the Aedui, in the year of the common Era 274. At that time these Martyrs, having set out from Rome into Gaul, are reported in the Acts to have completed their glorious contest, written long after the discovery of the bodies, which, collected from an old Manuscript codex, Pierre François Chifflet transmitted to us. Manuscript Acts. In that Codex there was indeed always read Regianus, but in its place had been restored by a more recent hand Reverianus: which name we, with him and other ancient Authors, retain: in French he is called St. Riran.
[2] Moreover Usuard, in all the codices written by hand and printed by type, The memory in the Calendars, has these things on these Kalends of June: At Autun, of Sts. Reverianus the Bishop, and Paulus the Presbyter, with ten others, who under the Prince Aurelian were crowned with martyrdom. Usuard is copied by Bellinus (who calls him Reverentianus), Greven, Maurolyco, Felice, Molanus, Galesini, and others, with today's Roman Martyrology. Pietro de' Natali in book 5 chapter 13 writes these things: Reverianus the Bishop, and Paulus the Deacon, with ten other Martyrs, suffered at the city of Autun. Who all, for the confession of the name of Christ, under the Prince Aurelian, received the crown of passion from the Lord, on the Kalends of June, as Ado says from the Martyrology of Jerome. So much there. But in the genuine Martyrologies of Ado and Jerome those things are not found; but in some Manuscripts they have been added to the text of Ado, and the Bishop is written Rivianus. Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology celebrates them in the first place with these words: At Autun of the Aedui, the birthday of the holy Martyrs, Reverianus the Bishop, Paulus the Presbyter, and ten others, who, fighting for Christ (whom they uniquely and ardently worshiped) to be glorified, under the Prince Aurelian, having bravely overcome their torments, were crowned with distinguished martyrdom. So Saussay, who does not seem to have had the Acts.
[3] In the Breviary, for the rite of the diocese of Autun, printed by the authority of Bishop Jacques Hurault about the year 1534, and the Breviary of Autun. the memory of St. Reverianus together with St. Nicomedes is honored on these Kalends of June, with this Prayer prescribed: O God, who gladdenest us by the merits and intercession of thy blessed Martyrs Nicomedes and Reverianus; mercifully grant, that we who ask their benefits, may obtain them by the gift of thy grace. So much there. The Dedication of the birthday of St. Nicomedes Presbyter and Martyr at Rome is indicated by Usuard, Ado, and others. But his solemnity in the Breviary, even the Roman one, is celebrated on September 15. Concerning the above-related coming of Aurelian into Gaul treat Vopiscus chapter 32, Eutropius book 9, and others. There is also St. Symphorianus crowned with martyrdom at Autun under the same Aurelian; but with him not present there, and as far as we can gather in the preceding year 273, and on August 22: on which day these things are to be more exactly discussed.
THE ACTS From an old Manuscript communicated by Father F. Chifflet.
BHL Number: 7200
FROM THE MANUSCRIPT.
[1] After the faith of Christ began to be spread everywhere, After our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the dominion of death conquered, his human substance glorified, ascended into the heavens; throughout the whole world, with the holy Catholic Church, through the blessed Apostles, the Gospel of Christ so flashed forth, that it even transcended the bounds of all the earth. Then the most ancient serpent, seeing his strength torn away, and his kingdom broken; burning with the torches of envy, against the soldiers of Christ, through the most truculent Princes, stirred up most savage contests. But as much as by a diverse kind of torments and diverse devices he strove against them, so much, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, did they contend in the contest unto the palm of victory: so that the whole Church, adorned as with most beautiful twins, with the virtues of the holy Martyrs, flourished more and more in the Catholic faith in the world.
[2] Therefore at the same time, when the most impious Aurelian, having gone forth from the Eastern a part, laying waste the Churches of God, had come even into the parts of the Gauls; Blessed Reverianus b the Bishop with his companions, namely of the Episcopal order, desiring to fight for the faith of Christ, St. Reverianus with his Companions, having set out from Rome into Gaul, having gone out from the city of Rome, came to the place where Aurelian was staying; having entered within the Autun territory. Soon he began to announce the word of Christ, as he was accustomed, to all. Hearing this, Aurelian the King ordered him with his companions to be brought before his presence. When they had been brought, he promised them many gifts and rewards, for this purpose, that they might transfer whomever they could to the worship of idols, but especially those whom they themselves had taught. Having gone forth from the face of the King, Blessed Reverianus with Paulus began to preach the grace of Christ to all the more, he is presented to Aurelian, and to persevere in the ministry diligently received. Aurelian, seeing his will frustrated, and that he could turn them from the faith of Christ neither by rewards nor by the arguments of words, calling them said: Observe the edicts of the ancient law, which command the sacrifices of the Gods to be despised by no one: but if you are unwilling to offer, I will order you to be slain by various punishments: and the help of your Christ will in no way snatch you from my hands.
[3] Reverianus the Bishop, bare of fear, clothed with the fervor of faith, answered: Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, he it is who made heaven and earth, and all things that are in them: he alone is the immortal God, whom the Angels and all the heavenly powers confess, who can snatch us from your punishments. But we will not adore, by the sacrilegious and vain worship of idols, gods of wood and stone, to whom by adoring you have been made like, who neither have a voice, and lack sense in all respects: but with all our mind and voice we will confess Christ, the redeemer of the human race, who is to come to judge the living and the dead, and will destroy the aerial powers, of which you seem to be the vessel and servant. Then the most impious Aurelian, unable to bear his words, and, scourged, is beheaded, with St. Paulus and others, ordered them all to be removed from his presence, and to be tortured by the lictors with scourges, and to be afflicted with various torments, afterward each one's head to be cut off. Who all, confessing Christ the Lord with a clear voice, of their own accord submitting their necks to the lictors, were beheaded: First Reverianus the Bishop, and then Paulus the Presbyter, with his companions ten in number, with joy entered the heavenly kingdoms. Their tongues c were thought to preach God, their heads now cut off.
[4] The holy Martyrs therefore, when they had been killed by the most iniquitous Aurelian, Their bodies buried by a pious matron, began to show themselves by many miracles, through the help of Christ the Lord. When this had been announced to the King, he commanded his soldiers, saying: The foolish men, whom on account of the worship of the Gods our sentence ordered to be punished, cast into the vast wilderness, that their bodies may be devoured by beasts, and lack the burial of human custom. There was then a matron in that place, named d Maxima, kindled with the love of Christ, who took care to inspect the place where the holy Martyrs had been cast. But the ministers departing, she came with her servants, and with all honor buried the bodies of the holy Martyrs, and there they lay hidden for a long time without the knowledge of men.
[5] and revealed by a nocturnal splendor, But the omnipotent God was unwilling that they should remain unknown, but, for the consolation of the faithful contending for him, commanded the hidden treasure to be manifested. For seven Monks, having gone forth from the city of Rome, came to the same place where the bodies of the Saints rested, and they were carrying with them the Relics of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. When they had turned aside there to lodging, wearied from the journey, at midnight they heard as it were a sound of many Angels, praising God on high. But rising, there appeared to them a great brightness, with great splendor. But they, astonished at so immense a brightness, they are honored with an oratory; began to consider with themselves what they should do. Struck with excessive fear, they resolved to flee through the wilderness. And so in the middle of the way there stood two most splendid men prostrate, so that they could in no way take the way which they had destined on their journey. But recognizing that they could not carry away thence the aforesaid pledges of the Saints, they left them in that place; and an oratory e was built above it by Abolenus the Presbyter.
[6] But because to his knowledge the protections of St. Reverianus had not come, near that very oratory the precious bodies lay hidden. And when they kept watch there more attentively, they are found whole, the mercy of God did not allow the precious bodies to be hidden longer in the earth: because in the brightness of the Most High they shone brighter than the sun. The earth was opened by the command of Christ, and there appeared the precious bodies of the Saints, without any diminution of their members: because neither beast nor worm could contaminate anything of those whom the protection of the Most High surrounded. Then indeed above, by the mercy of God, a church was built. From the day on which the precious Body of Blessed Reverianus appeared, he who created all things from nothing made the liquor of oil to drip continually in that place, they drip oil, so that never was oil brought there by men from elsewhere. But whoever of the sick faithfully carried it thence, immediately receive their former health.
[7] That too I will not pass over in silence, which lay open to the eyes and ears of all. After the aforesaid revelation, they become renowned by miracles. of which we made mention above, on all days and at all times, through the intercession of the precious Martyrs, the blind are illumined, the paralytics receive their step, the deaf hearing, the mute speech, demons are cast out of possessed bodies. I shall not be able to explain how great virtues and how great miracles are conferred in that place by the Lord's diligent bounty. May the merciful Lord grant me pardon, because I have passed over many things, who have scarcely written down a few. The holy Martyrs suffered on the day of the Kalends of June f, with our Lord Jesus Christ helping, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns God, through the infinite ages of ages. Amen.