ON THE HOLY MARTYRS POMPIANUS, GALACTION, JULIANA AND HER SON SATURNINUS,
HONORED AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
From two manuscript Synaxaries of our Society.
CommentaryPompeianus, Martyr honored at Constantinople (St.)
Galaction, Martyr honored at Constantinople (St.)
Juliana, Martyr honored at Constantinople (St.)
Saturninus, Martyr honored at Constantinople (St.)
G. H.
A very ancient Synaxary, which we found at Dijon in the College of the Society of Jesus, furnishes these Saints, under this triple title: "The holy Pompianus is consummated in the sea," St. Pompianus is consummated in the sea: "The holy Galaction is consummated in the sea," St. Galaction is consummated in the sea: "The holy Juliana and Saturninus her son are consummated by fire," St. Juliana and Saturninus her son are consumed by fire. After each one there were distichs: but the first two could not be read. But after St. Juliana this remains: "Juliana, and her child Julus, just then in bloom, the fire burns up." Juliana and her son just coming to youth, in the flower of their age, the devouring fire burned up. Concerning these, the manner of death not expressly stated, in a very ancient manuscript Synaxary of the Church of Constantinople, which is preserved at our College in Paris, we read thus: "The contest of the holy Martyrs Pompeianus, Galaction, Saturninus and Juliana, and their commemoration is celebrated in their own martyrium, which is near the holy Martyr Euphemia, at the Peteion." The contest of the holy Martyrs Pompianus, Galaction, Saturninus and Juliana. And their solemnity is celebrated in their own church near the holy Martyr Euphemia at the Peteion; which last, "at the Petreion," is lacking in the Dijon manuscript. The same solemnity, on the 21st of December, in plainly the same words, is attributed by the Greeks in the Menaia and elsewhere to St. Juliana Virgin and Martyr who suffered at Nicomedia: whose Acts we gave on the 16th of February; though she is plainly different from this Juliana the mother of St. Saturninus; but perhaps on account of her it pleased them to bring this one too with her companions thither, to avoid the contentions that would arise from the sameness of name, if they were placed elsewhere; just as for that cause the body of St. Dionysius Bishop of the Corinthians was brought into the church of St. Dionysius near Paris. Concerning St. Euphemia and her several Churches erected at Constantinople we shall treat on the 16th of September: meanwhile one may see the Christian Constantinople of Charles du Cange, who in book 4, chapter 7, number 12 and the three following, discourses admirably about these Churches. In the said Synaxary of the Constantinopolitan Church, Pompianus and Galaction are said to have been drowned in the sea; but Juliana and Saturninus her son consumed by fire. Whence it seems to be gathered, that perhaps they did not suffer martyrdom together in one place and at the same time, but are venerated joined together, because their Relics are placed together.