Salustianus

ON SAINT SALUSTIANUS,

MARTYR IN SARDINIA.

A compilation on his ancient cult and the inventions of later writers.

Salustianus, Martyr in Sardinia (S.)

BY G. H.

The ancient memory of S. Salustianus in Sardinia is found in the often-praised, very ancient Epternacensian copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology, Memory in the ancient Calendars: concerning whom in the copies Lucensian and Blumian the following is read. In Sardinia the birth of Salustianus; and Silvianianus is added, in the MS. Corbeian copy, and (as Francesco Maria Florentini notes, in his Notes on the said Martyrology) in all the MS. books on which we rely no distinction from other Martyrs is signified. Salvatore Vitalis, in his Additions to the Annals of Sardinia, page 46, numbers him among the Martyrs, but crowned under Hadrian: which last we do not at once admit, and therefore with the aforesaid Hieronymian Martyrology we place him after the Nicomedian Martyrs.

[2] Galesinius first called him a Confessor, and yet alleges Usuard: in several copies of which we have, the name of Confessor is not found. Baronius followed Galesinius in the Roman Martyrology, and then Ferrari in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, where he adds this eulogy: by later writers he is held to be a Confessor: Sallustianus, who is also Justinianus (namely in Maurolico) at Cagliari (as it seems to some) in Sardinia, at the same time when SS. Gabinus and Crispulus at Turris, lived in wonderful sanctity, and shone with some miracles. He, having endured that time, called to heavenly rest, flew away on the VI Ides of June. Then in the Annotation, Fara, he says, in book 1 of De Rebus Sardiniae, commemorates Salustianus indeed as famous for miracles from Usuard, but does not express his country, like Dimas in his Chronicle, who makes him a Cagliarian, led perhaps by love of fatherland. Wherefore then does Ferrari himself, supported by such slight conjecture, ascribe him in his eulogy to the city of Cagliari? That SS. Gabinus and Crispulus were crowned with martyrdom at Turris, we said on their natal day May 30, whether he lived at Turris? and that they are ascribed in the Hieronymian Martyrology at Turris in Sardinia; which is not said of S. Salustianus, nor do we judge this man to have anything in common with them, unless it be proved by better argument from antiquity; nay, that nothing beyond their cult, probably also martyrdom, can be known of him. He who is added above from the Corbeian copy as Silvianianus, by us is omitted in the title, because we fear he may have been intruded by error, until from elsewhere greater light shall shine: because by the rest of the Writers, even Sardinians, no mention of him is found made. Finally we do not agree with Dionysius Bonfant, who in book 13 of his Triumph of the Saints of Sardinia chapter 15 writes that he lived as a hermit in the Cagliarian mountains, whether a hermit in the territory of Cagliari? and alleges Maurolico alone on June 13, both in the text and in a marginal note: although Maurolico does not remember him on that day, but has only on this 8th the following: In Sardinia of S. Justinianus in place of Salustianus. He who shall bring forward authors worthy of credit for the remaining assertions of the aforenamed later writers, will not unwillingly obtain our assent; what is assumed gratis hitherto, we reject gratis.

ON THE SAINTS EGYPTIAN MARTYRS,

PTOLEMY, PHILIP, JOHN AND ACRA

From the Metrical Hagiology of the Anonymous Habessine.

Ptolemy, Martyr of Egypt (S.)

Philip, Martyr of Egypt (S.)

John, Martyr of Egypt (S.)

Acras, Martyr of Egypt (S.)

D. P.

Among the other Martyrs, whose notice, received from the Alexandrian Church, the Habessines preserved in their Calendars, Saved from arrows and flames, and their Poet consigned to Ethiopic Verse; notable also is the Quadriga foretitled, and ascribed to Northern Egypt, in this manner: Salutation I say to Ptolemy and Philip, John and Acra, joined together from Boreal Egypt: who when they had stood for martyrdom before the tribunal of a cruel Judge, the Lord freed them from the flying arrow, and preserved them unharmed from the fire composed in a pyre. But did he also save them from the edge of the sword? I do not think so: they seem to have completed martyrdom by the sword. but the common memory of all here persuades us that they were equally consummated by martyrdom. For if after these miracles, dismissed, they had finished life in peace, illustrious by the title of Confession alone, they would not be venerated on the same day. Northern Egypt however, from which they were brought to the tribunal, and perhaps to Alexandria, on the right bank of the Nile toward the Red Sea. To have suffered under Maximinus, if not under Diocletian, it is allowed to divine, it cannot be defined, with arguments lacking for this.

ON THE SAINTS DOROSTOLUS, CHRESTUS, MARCIA, MUCIANA, HELIUS, LUCIANUS, ZOTICUS,

MARTYRS AT CAESAREA IN CAPPADOCIA.

A compilation from the Hieronymian Martyrology.

Dorostolus, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Chrestus, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Marcia, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Muciana, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Helius, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Lucianus, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (S.)

Zoticus, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (S.)

G. H.

These seven athletes of Christ are represented to us by the most ancient copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology of the Epternacensian monastery in these words: At Caesarea of Cappadocia, of Dorostolus, Chrestus, Marcia, Mucianus, Helius, Lucianus, Zoticus. Of these the memory of Chrestus is missing in the three other copies, perhaps because among the Martyrs who suffered at Caesarea of Palestine on this day he is referred; then Euristus is missing in this MS.; and in place of Helius is read in the Corbeian, Heliana, and is missing in the Lucensian; but Helius is in the Blumian. Then in place of Mutianus is had in the three others Muciane and therefore in the title we have so set it. In the other four there is great agreement. The name of Marcia is in the MSS. Augustan, Gellonensian and another of St. Gall, and Martha is written in a certain Parisian. But Martia and Mocianus in the MS. Reichenovian. There is some Lucianus Martyr of Caesarea of Cappadocia, set forth on yesterday or the seventh of June; but separately without companions: but again on this day with companions in the same ancient monuments: on which matter we admonish the Reader, that, if he shall have found anything more certain, he may deign to bring it forth: meanwhile as we found them, we have left all things.

ON THE SAINTS JANUARIA, MUCIUS, DONATA, SPISINNA, JULIUS,

MARTYRS IN AFRICA.

From the same Martyrology.

Januaria, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Mucius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Spisinna, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Julius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

G. H.

Now so many times even on this day alleged, the ancient copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology consign these as having suffered in Africa. Of these the name of Mucius is in the Epternacensian alone, and of Julius in the Corbeian alone. What in three is written Januaria, in the Epternacensian is Januarius, and in place of Spisinna is read Spisina and Spesina, and more contractedly Spina. But again a controversy arises, because on the day before this or the seventh of June, among seven African Martyrs are found the names of Januaria or Januarius, Donata, and Spisina or Spissina. But in the same Martyrologies, and indeed with four companions, different from the two here joined. If anyone shall wish them to be the same, we shall not draw the contentious rope, especially if he shall have brought forward something of likely reasoning.