ON SAINT ZENO,
HONORED BY THE GREEKS.
CommentaryZeno, honored by the Greeks (St.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
The name of Zeno was long ago famous, transferred from the ancient Philosophers to the Roman Consuls and Emperors. We commemorate very many holy Martyrs in this work, Various Zenos, Bishops, called by this name. We also gave on the 11th of April the illustrious Bishop of Verona, called Zeno. There is also another to be celebrated on the 26th of December, Zeno Bishop of Majuma in Palestine, inscribed in the Roman Martyrology on the said day. A third is St. Zeno, Bishop and Martyr in Lydia, related from various Latin Martyrologies on the 27th day of April. Another St. Zeno, disciple of the Apostles, and believed to be Bishop of Diospolis in Egypt: whose memory will be to be celebrated and examined on the 27th day of September. And finally various others. Other Bishops of the same name subscribed to Councils; so Zeno a Bishop was present at the Roman Council in the year 324; and Zeno Bishop of Tyre at the Nicene Council in the year 325; and again Zeno Bishop of Tyre at the Roman Council in the year 369; whether this one is a Bishop is doubted. at the Constantinopolitan, in the year 381; and Zeno Bishop of the Teuchira or of Zeutyra; and Zeno, of Curium, of Cyprus, or of Cyrene, who subscribed to the Ephesine, in the year 431; and finally Zeno of Rhinocura at the Chalcedonian in the year 451. Let these things be said, if perhaps St. Zeno, related on this day, were some one of them. For in the printed Menaea it is thus read: Of the holy Zeno and Trophelius, Bishops. Of Tryphelius or Trophilius, Bishop in Cyprus, with the Roman Martyrology and the Manuscript Menaea, we shall treat on the following day. What if we should judge Zeno, related above, to be the Bishop of Majuma, whom on another day we have not yet found related by the Greeks? Meanwhile on the preceding day, the 11th of June, SS. Zeno and Triphyllius are referred to in the Chifletian Menaea, and only the latter is called Bishop; but of Zeno these things are read: On the same day the holy Zeno is perfected in peace. On the same day St. Zeno ends his life in peace: where these verses too are added:
Zeno now stands with Christ, as he hoped, / for Scripture says, Hope does not confound.
He stands with Christ, as he hoped, Zeno now, / for Scripture says: Hope does not confound.
Both are referred to in the Manuscript Synaxary of Constantinople, and the Ambrosian Manuscript Menaea: but on account of the Episcopal title not being written there in full, we doubt whether it is to be taken of both, or only of the last.