ON SAINT CERDO,
IV BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA IN EGYPT.
A.D. CX.
Notice from the Hagiology of the Abyssinians.
Cerdo, Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt (S.)
D. P.
That I have found this man inscribed in the Hagiology of the Abyssinians, so often praised already, In the Hagiology, which embraces nearly all the Patriarchs, among the Bishops of the Alexandrian Church, founded by S. Mark, fourth in order, but third of the three whom that same Apostle and Evangelist had consecrated Presbyters, when he ordained S. Anianus as Patriarch in his stead, I judge a felicity equal to having found at the VI day of this same month S. Justus, the sixth Bishop of the same See. But after I seemed to myself, by reasoning probable enough, to have found among them in the middle S. Primus, hiding under the name of Ephrim, for the II day of January; I judged that I had the entire series of the Patriarchs constituted, with the natal day of each, which neither the ecclesiastical history of Eusebius teaches us, nor the Coptic fasti edited by Selden. Yet so that we should not quickly find the fourth, not only did some transposition of letters in the name play a part; but also a certain diversity of day, between the Abyssinian Poet and the Patriarchal History, translated from the Arabic by Abraham Ecchellensis.
[2] In this Cerdo (by which name everywhere, ἀπὸ τοῦ Κέρδους from gain, Cerdo noted not on the 5th, but the 15th of June, the Greeks use) is said to have died on XI Buna, that is V June, on a Saturday; named in the Hagiology, by metathesis of one letter, Cedro or Cedrenus, which could also be derived from the Cedar tree, & is invoked on XXI Buna, that is XV June. But it is not difficult to judge which Author has more correctly noted the day, on account of the concurrence of the Sabbath day, on which this Saint must have died, in either the year CIII or CX. This latter however fits best with the beginning of his successor, after ten days; under the name of Cedrenus; & with the years attributed to the Saint, nearly eleven; that is, years X, days CCLXXX; by which when reckoned back Cerdo or Cedrenus is found to have been ordained, in the first years of Trajan, the XCIX of Christ, the VIII of September, then falling on a Sunday, after the See had been vacant for a whole triennium, as is read in the same History; so that all the things in the Hagiology that follow are plain, but not so for one wishing to hold the V day.
[3] he is praised as IV Patriarch Hail to thee, Cedrianus, says the Poet (thus the Ethiopic dialect expresses Cerdo's name, as Ludolf advises by epistle) who art painted fourth in the number of the Fathers, that is, of the Patriarchs. Blessed Mark, Root of the Patriarchs, or first founder of them at Alexandria, graciously conferred Baptism upon thee; & on account of thy better way of life beyond others, thou didst merit from the same the Episcopate of the Priesthood. With this elogium it fairly agrees that in the Patriarchal History he is read to have been continent, just, martyrdom is passed over in silence. meek through his whole life: but the fact that the manner of his death is passed over in silence in both places does not favor Georgius Syncellus, who asserts that, persecution being stirred up under Trajan, he met death by martyrdom. For how would the Alexandrian Church be ignorant of this? Wherefore I abstain from the title of Martyr, although I see that he died in the time of persecution.