African Martyrs

ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS,

LUCIANUS, FORTUNATUS, CRESCENTIANUS, THECLA, FELIX, SECUNDUS, LUCIANUS THE SECOND, JOCUNDUS.

From the Martyrology of S. Jerome & others.

Lucianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Crescentianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Tecla, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Felix, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Secundus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Lucianus II, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Jocundus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

G. H.

Four copies of the Hieronymian

Martyrology open this XIII June

with these words: On the Ides

of June. In Africa of Luciani, Fortunati,

Crescentiani, Theclae:

which exactly the same are read in the Mss. of Cassino double; the four Roman ones, namely the Vatican

of S. Peter, of Cardinal Barberini, & of Duke Altempsius,

& of the monastery of S. Cyriaca; the two Florentine ones,

of the Grand Duke & of Senator Strozzi; the Augsburg

of S. Udalric; the Gellonese of S. William of the Desert;

the Trier of S. Maximin; the Aachen of the chief church;

the Parisian of Labbé; &, with the wrestling-place of Africa

omitted, in the Ms. codex of the Queen of Sweden published by Holstenius

. In the Corbie codex Tecla is called a Virgin. But,

with her omitted, three other Martyrs in Africa are referred in

the Mss. of Arras, Tournai, Liessies, Brussels,

& Cologne of S. Mary at the Steps. Only Lucianus &

Fortunatus, Martyrs in Africa, are indicated in

the Mss. of Reichenau, Rheinau, & Liège of S.

Lambert. Likewise in Rabanus, the author of the Martyrology

under the name of Bede, & Galesinius with the present-day

Roman Martyrology. Crescentianus indeed is added

in Bellinus, Greven, Maurolycus, Molanus,

& others: that from so many examples, about the ancient memory

of these Martyrs, we may be almost certain; would that also Acts

of the Martyrdom were extant!

[2] These now being proposed other Martyrs also in the ancient

Reichenau Ms. are added in these words: In Africa

of Felix, Secundus, Lucianus, Jocundus. We double

therefore Lucianus, because we judge these rather to have suffered in another

place of Africa than the former ones, & at another time.

We join however both under one title, lest we multiply

titles too much.