ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS,
QUIRINUS, ABIDIANUS, GAGUS, DONATUS, NEPOR, PAPOZINICUS, JANUARIA, DEMETRIA, AND THE OTHER 147. LIKEWISE JULIANA THE VIRGIN.
From the Hieronymian Martyrology.
CommentaryQuirinus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Abidianus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Gagus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Nepor, Martyr in Africa (S.) Papozinicus, Martyr in Africa (S.) Januaria, Martyr in Africa (S.) Demetria, Martyr in Africa (S.) 147 Martyrs in Africa (SS.) Juliana V., Martyr in Africa (S.)
G. H.
The Martyrology of S. Jerome, in four apographs hitherto often cited by us, opens the third day of June with these words: III Nones of June, In Africa of Quirinus, Abidianus, Gagus, Donatus, Nepor, Papozinicus, Januaria, Demetria, and one hundred forty-seven others, with the name of Juliana the Virgin added. But whether she suffered in Africa is not sufficiently established. Elsewhere with varying reading the names are written Gaius and Gratus, Nepor, Papozines, and divided Passo, Zineus. The companions in the Lucan apograph are reckoned 142, but in the other three 147. Various of these are celebrated among other Martyrologists. In the Mss. of Reichenau, Rhinau, Arras, Tournai, Letiense, and Vatican number 5994, only these are read: In Africa of Quirinus. In the Ms. of Liège of S. Lambert the name of Donatus is added. In the Mss. of Augsburg of S. Ulrich, of Gellone, of S. Gall, and of Paris of Labbé, Africa of Quirinus, Abdianus (above Abidianus) Nebor or Nepor, Demetria, Juliana the Virgin. The same are in the Ms. of Aachen, but in place of Demetria is read Demetrius; and Julius in place of Juliana the Virgin. Galesinius: In Africa of the holy Martyrs Quirinus, Abdianus, Toticus, Julius, Saturninus, and Juliana the Virgin. Of these Saturninus pertains to the Roman Martyrs reported on this day. Of Toticus we read nothing elsewhere. Notker recounts them thus: In Africa of Quirinus, Abidianus, Nephorius, Pambo, Januaria, Demetria, Zineus, and one hundred forty-nine others: where Papozinicus reported above is divided into two Martyrs, namely Pambo and Zineus. In the Ms. of Queen of Sweden published by Holstenius it is read thus: In Africa the birth of SS. Quirinus, Gagus, and fifty-four others, the hundred number being omitted. In a certain Ms. of Trier of S. Maximinus are referred Quirinus, Gagus, Donatus, but they are attributed to Rome, where other and more Martyrs following are crowned. In the Ms. of Queen of Sweden published by Holstenius is read, Deposition of S. Julia a sacred maiden. Whether she can be reckoned the same as one called Juliana by others, we do not dare to define.