CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS WHO SUFFERED AT ROME,
LUCEIA THE VIRGIN AND AUCEIAS THE KING, ANTONIUS, HERENEUS, THEODORUS, DIONYSIUS,
APOLLONIUS, APAMIUS, PRONICUS, COTEUS, ORION, PAPICUS, SATYRUS, VICTOR.
IN THE YEAR 301.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
On the Acts, age, and cult, also on July 1 and among the Greeks on the 6th of the same.
Luceia the Virgin, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Auceias the King, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Antonius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Hereneus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Theodorus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Dionysius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Apollonius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Apamius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Pronicus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Coteus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Orion, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Papicus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Satyrus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Victor, Martyr at Rome (S.)
BY D. P.
The Index of the Prefects of the City of Rome,
from the times of Gallienus
and the year of Christ 254, traced
through a hundred years, The Prefect of the City indicates the year, and
produced by our Ægidius Bucherius
in Chapter 13 of his Commentary
on the Paschal Canon of Victorius, offers especial light to the
aforesaid cohort of Martyrs. For
he who there, in the consulship of Titianus II and Nepotianus,
that is, in the year of Christ 301, while Diocletian and Maximian
were persecuting the Church, is said to have administered the Prefecture
of the city, Ælius Dionysius, in
their Acts simply named Ælius,
quite probably demonstrates the year in which they suffered;
since in all those hundred years no other
Prefect, the names of the companions are had from the Acts, called Ælius, is found. We have
those Acts from two notable Mss., one Vatican
at Rome by us, the other found at the monastery of S. Amand in
Hainaut by Rosweyde: and the same we remember
to have seen often elsewhere. But the aforesaid
two Mss. agree wonderfully, in the whole phrasing and the names
of the Champions themselves; except that Theodorus
and Dionysius have fallen out for the Amand writer. But
among the Greeks, by whom the same are honored (as I shall say below)
on July 6, in place of Hereneus, Theodorus, Dionysius,
there have crept in, Serenus, Diodorus, Dion; for
Apamius also Papianus: for Coteus, Cotyius,
for Orion, Oronus is read among the same, nor
is the number of the rest indicated.
[2] From those Acts, in both places (and probably
also elsewhere) affixed to this day in the title, the place-name
of Rome was noted by Ado, and the place-name Rome Usuard, Rabanus, Notker:
and the two former indeed, in this manner; At Rome
of S. Lucia the Virgin with twenty-two others.
Rabanus, the companions being omitted, added the name of Auceias
the King alone; Notker expressed both more distinctly,
in this manner: At Rome of Luceia the Virgin and
of Auceias the King, who with twenty-two others
were likewise crowned with martyrdom. That
in the Martyrology of the monastery of Centula there is added the Salarian
Way, which Usuard and others followed. I fear lest it crept in from elsewhere; since
the Acts have nothing such, where after ten companions named
expressly, in the Vatican one, nine others, in
the Amand one ten are written, whose names are known to
God alone. But this diversity seems to have arisen
from this, that, while all writers agreed in the number 22,
they were in doubt whether they should include Auceias among them:
as Wandelbert openly did, thus singing.
With sevenfold honor Luceia adorns Rome,
Campio * glad with twenty-two and a Martyr besides,
Among whom Auceias shines with the honor of a companion.
[3] Older than all these are the four copies of the Hieronymian
Martyrology, often alleged: but
the same by their brevity cast great darkness over this martyrdom:
Copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology. for the Epternach one has only the name of Luceia
the Virgin, and indeed added to the Thessalonian
Martyrs, with the conjunction And; nor
do the others further distinguish her from them. Not the Corbie one,
where without that particle, after the memory
of Lanitanus, of Bigatus of the brothers, follow
the names of Luceia the Virgin and Auceias the King. Not
the Blumian or the Lucca one: nay rather these manifestly establish the error,
easily to be caught from the former;
since they write first indeed and in the same city
(but before it was named Thessalonica) of Luceia
the Virgin and Aceias the King; they refer only two names rather ambiguously, but afterward even
more corruptly, of Luceia the Virgin and Aceia the Virgin
in place of King. But the supplements of the genuine Bede,
at Arras and Tournai for this day vacant there,
stuff in these things, In the city of Thessalonica the birthday
of S. Luceia the Virgin. While I consider these things, and that
the same older Martyrologies add to Luceia the Virgin
who suffered at Rome, on the preceding day concordantly
22 companions, I am altogether forced to doubt whether there be another Lucia,
related here and there also under the name of Luceia:
if however they are diverse, I am much inclined to think,
that it came about, on account of the similarity of the name, that to the 12 companions
here named expressly, others were added, 9 or 10,
to complete the number related there. In Greek certainly,
besides those whom I said are named by them, so that they seem to join them to the Thessalonians, of any
Anonymous ones they make no mention.
[4] What Galesinius, Maurolycus, Felicius,
Ferrarius, and similar more recent writers have written well or ill
concerning the same Saints, it is of no concern to discuss.
One thing here cannot be omitted on account of its antiquity,
namely that the same four old copies of the Hieronymian
Martyrology, in which for
the present day so meager mention is made of both,
the 22 companions being related to the preceding day and another, probably,
S. Lucia related to July 1, agree
in the same, with nine or eight companions to be related,
and indeed expressly as having suffered at Rome, in this
manner; At Rome of S. Gaius the Pope, but more distinctly on July 1 with 8 or 9 companions, and the birthday of SS.
Luceia the Virgin and Auceias the King, with eight
others. So three Mss., the Epternach, Corbie, and Blumian.
The Lucca one indeed is silent about the city of Rome, but
while it joins them to Gaius the Pope, it sufficiently explains the place,
and increasing the number writes nine; so that
even from this our conjecture is confirmed, concerning the Twenty-
two badly transferred from the 24th to the 25th
of June; but of the twelve who are named in the Acts,
some perhaps belong to another class of Martyrs,
who suffered on the very Kalends in the same city of Rome,
under the names of Esicus or Isicus, Processus,
Marinus, otherwise Marina or Martinianus, Antonius
or Antoninus, Serenus, Victor.
[5] Rabanus from the things said gathers that on those Kalends
the former are placed for the increase of the solemnity, and perhaps as
an indication of greater cult, being referred to such a day; and so
he writes: On the same day at Rome the Octave of Luceia
the Virgin, the Nun, with Auceias the King
her spouse: but Peter de Natalibus, book 6, chapter
4, more aptly called him a carnal Lord. Meanwhile, by way (as it seems) of an Octave,
if that divination of Rabanus concerning the Octave is true, it would plainly
demonstrate that the cult of those Martyrs at Rome was
extraordinary. For the continuation of any feast through
a whole week and its repeated celebration
on the eighth day seems to have been unknown in the first ages of Christian peace,
since in the Gallo-Gothic Missal it is nowhere found.
The old Roman Calendar, which, drawn up almost more than nine
hundred years ago, John Fronto
illustrated at Paris, besides the Octaves of the Lord's Passover
and of Pentecost, knew only the Octaves of the Apostles
Peter and Paul. The Gelasian Codex of Sacraments
besides has the Octaves of S. Lawrence and S.
Andrew, but these again the Gregorian Codex omits.
Each codex indeed has, as also the Calendar
of Fronto, Luceia was born in Urbicarian Campania, on January 21 and 28, the Birthday
of S. Agnes; but while the first is called of the Passion, the second
of the Nativity, it does not so much seem an Octave
as another feast, just as are the Nativity
and the Beheading of the Baptist; and this the Secret of the Gelasian
codex on the 5th before the Kalends of February indicates when it says, that
that Saint from her beginning even to the end of her blessed
contest was so glorious, that we ought neither to pass over
her beginning nor her end. If therefore
either in this or in another way the festivity of SS. Luceia
and Auceias was sometimes doubled at Rome; that was an altogether
rare prerogative, of which it is not easy to render a reason,
unless perhaps some translation of the holy Bodies
was made on such a day, the memory of which together with theirs
soon ceased to be held.
[6] Luceia lived abroad, not as a captive, but
as free, permitted to worship her God, if she wished,
for 20 years, that is, in the suburban district; before which she had been carried away when she was
a citizen of the City from the Urbicarian territory, as the Vatican
Ms. has; but the Amand one interprets it
of the territory of Campania: whence the Greeks in the Menologion
according to Sirletus, say she was born of the Campanian Region,
and thereby distinguish her from Lucia of Syracuse.
But this is not to be understood in that sense,
in which the name Campania is extended beyond Naples;
but as it is today restricted to Roman
Campania; and as on the other side of the city
it is now called Fuscia suburbicaria, belonging to the patrimony of the Roman
Church. See
Baronius on the year 325, numbers 134 and 135. There
he learnedly teaches that Urbicarian and Suburbicarian
are said in the same sense; whence the Greeks on July 6 wrongly formed the name Rexus the Vicar, yet not in the same as Urbanus
and Suburbanus: for of these words he teaches that the signification is
stricter, and that those extend more widely; so that they comprehend not
only lands, but whole Provinces,
the Emperor Julian writing to Taurus, that the forces of emphyteutic
estates were to be preserved, throughout all
Italy, and also throughout all the Urbicarian
and African regions. But here both by the very name of the territory,
and also from this, that the Saint, ordered
to return to her own city, from which she had been captured, hastened
to Rome, it is sufficiently understood that she was born near the city
in the Suburbs. Not well understanding this,
Bartholomew of Trent, found among the rarer Mss. of Cardinal
Barberini, begins his Epitome of the Acts thus:
Luceia the Virgin, a citizen of the city Caria. He wrongly indeed
divided what was to be read as one word,
a citizen Urbicaria. And so perhaps anciently it was read,
and for the sake of explanation alone there was added
(understanding "that is," a particle usual in such cases)
of the urbicarian territory.
[7] Meanwhile the Greeks, on July 6, about to relate these Saints
in their Synaxaria; as they wrongly translated many other things
from the Latin, so when at the beginning perhaps they read,
Luceia from the Urbicarian, as the Spaniards in Pseudo-Dexter the name Rictiovarus, and in the course
of the Legend found her Lord converted through her;
and indeed similarly held the name suspect,
Auceia, as though doubled by error by the copyist; they believed
they had found the true name of the companion; and they wrote
in the title, Memory of the holy Lucia the virgin, and of Rexus the Vicar, and of very many others who were martyred in Campania. The memory of S. Lucia the Virgin, and
of Rexus the Vicar, and of very many others martyred in
Campania. Perhaps also from
the Latin Rex (King) was made for them Ῥήξου: which all things are as
deservedly to be exploded, as the Spanish Pseudo-Dexter,
who, about to bring these Saints to Juliobriga, says they suffered
there under the Governor Rictiovarus, whom we know to have been
Prefect of the Gauls under Diocletian, more rightly
perhaps to be called, the name being divided, Rictius Varus.
The Greeks proceed further, that error once posited,
to mention both Rexus and the Vicar converted through Lucia,
no mention being made of Auceias the King. This
however does not move me, to determine them diverse: for
as regards the diversity of the day, I have already found by experience,
that the greater part of the Saints, received from the Latins,
are venerated on a diverse day among the Greeks; although
of that diversity, besides arbitrary institution, in place of Auceias King of the Barbarians
I can render no cause in most cases, nor always
suspect with probability some translation of Relics, made to
them on such a day.
[8] It remains to ask, how Auceias King of the Barbarians
(for so he is called in the Acts) could have carried away from Urbicarian
Campania the captive Lucia,
a citizen of the City or Urbicarian, and that
twenty years before Ælius assumed the Prefecture of the City,
written variously by others Elius and Helius,
just as also the city Jerusalem is written promiscuously,
Ælia, Elia, and Helia; namely in the year 280 or
the following, the Emperor Probus reigning. Some light here will be brought by
Flavius Vopiscus in his Probus, who ruled the Romans from the year 276
to 282, of whom he says;
that in Illyricum he so crushed the Sarmatians and the other nations,
that he recovered everything almost without war
which they had plundered. He then stretched out through the Thracians,
and all the Getic peoples … received either into
surrender or into friendship. subdued by the Emperor Probus in the year 280 or the following. These things being done,
he sought the East … He entered the regions of the Barbarians who are among
the Isaurians, whether through terror or through their will
… He also subjugated the Blemmyes,
whose captives he sent to Rome. Why might not
someone from some of the petty Kings of those nations,
having followed Probus, whether willingly or unwillingly, even to Rome,
and then sent back to his own people, have received Luceia, not indeed
by the right of open war, or by the wrong of manifest robbery:
but having intercepted her by deceit and fraud, have carried her off with himself
with barbaric license? But if you wish open
violence at all, hear the same Vopiscus thus further
narrating. When the Emperor had transferred from the Gepids, Gautanni, and
Vandals very many to Roman soil,
they all broke faith;
and Probus being occupied with tyrannical wars, throughout almost
the whole world, they wandered on foot and by sailing,
and brought no little trouble to Roman glory.
These things being thus explained beforehand, I see nothing
why these Acts cannot be received, not only as ancient,
but also as genuine and gravely and probably
written; nor in any way similar to those which we are
compelled to excuse, as to be judged to relate fable
rather than history, having been adorned many centuries after the event
from a not very genuine tradition, or even from presumed
verisimilitude, with circumstances.
Annotation* i.e. champion, victress
THE ACTS
From two old Ms. Codices.
Luceia the Virgin, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Auceias the King, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Antonius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Hereneus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Theodorus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Dionysius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Apollonius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Apamius, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Pronicus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Coteus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Orion, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Papicus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Satyrus, Martyr at Rome (S.)
Victor, Martyr at Rome (S.)
BHL Number: 4980
FROM THE MSS.
[1] Luceia, Virgin of God, a nun, a citizen
of the City, Carried off as a captive, lest she be violated, from the Urbicarian territory
was captured by Auceias King of the Barbarians.
But when he had taken her and led her into
his own country, seeing that she was most beautiful,
he wished to corrupt her. She indeed, when she saw the madness of that lustful
King, said to him: Do not
do violence to me, since I have a great
Spouse, who will straightway avenge my wrongs upon
thee. But he, filled with anger, said to her:
And who is thy Spouse, or of what power is he,
that he should avenge thy wrongs upon me? But
she confidently, as a handmaid of Christ, fearing nothing,
answered him; I have God the Lord
Jesus Christ as my Spouse, who is in
heaven, to whom I have devoted myself a virgin, who has
power over all flesh, whom I serve without
stain, who is able to grant all things to those who ask
him in faith. she professes that she has Christ as her Spouse; But he, hearing these things, said
to her, Thou therefore, as I see, art a Christian.
The most chaste one of God said, I am plainly a Christian.
But hearing that she was a Christian, he was greatly
terrified with fear, and began worthily to honor
her. And straightway he ordered a worthy chamber
to be made, where none of the men should have entrance,
and he ordered a bed to be made there, and commanded the maidens
that they should be ready for her service, so that
they should not depart from her, but honorably should be
ready for her service, saying to them; This
virgin is great, who worships God who is in
heaven. and therefore permitted to live as she wished, But she, having entered the chamber, began
to give herself to prayers and fastings, and to give the greatest thanks
to God day and night, who deigned to look upon her, deemed worthy,
placed in captivity,
and that she should be held in such esteem in the sight of the foreign
King: for whom also she frequently prayed
to God, that no evil might befall him, nor
his house.
[2] While these things were going on, it happened after a little
time, that he went to war against his
adversaries; and as he was setting out he called
the handmaid of Christ, and said to her: Luceia,
handmaid of God, entreat thy God for me, that I may return
safe to my house, he often obtains victory for his Lord by her prayers: a triumpher
over my adversaries, and I will honor thee the more.
But she answering says to him, Go, she says,
safe and sound thou shalt return; for I believe
in my Lord Jesus Christ, that
he will bring thee back unharmed. But he, having set out, came
against his adversaries; and these being conquered he had
a great triumph over his enemies, and came
into his house with great glory; more
and more applying himself to honor her as
a mother, because it had so befallen him; for he understood
that by her petitions the Lord had
aided him. It would be long to relate in order of the deeds done all
that the Lord wrought through her:
but I will set forth all briefly.
For as often as he had gone to war, who after twenty years, she being divinely commanded to return,
whether provoked or by his own will, so it
befell him, that having laid low his enemies he returned thence
a victor to his house. But the Lord
Jesus Christ granted this to him by the prayers of his handmaid Luceia.
[3] And when the aforementioned holy Luceia
had completed twenty years there, the Lord by night
appeared to her in a vision saying: Arise,
Luceia, and tarry here no longer; all things being left behind she follows to Rome: but
return to the city or to the state from which
thou wast captured, since thou must there complete thy
martyrdom. But she arising early in the morning,
exulting and rejoicing and giving thanks to God,
that that night he had deigned to visit her, and
had commanded her this, that she should return to her own city;
but rather that she should hasten to the glory of martyrdom;
said to King Auceias, Permit
me to return to my country; because there
I have to consummate my course; since indeed
I am called to the crown of Martyrdom, for thus
my Lord Jesus Christ revealed to me,
whom I serve immaculate in body and spirit.
See therefore, that thou wilt not keep me here, and be a burden.
But he said to her; If thou goest hence thus,
why shall I remain here? where she by the Prefect of the City, Ælius, It is not expedient
for me: for my adversaries will come,
whom thy Lord has always slain by thy prayer,
and they will kill me, and therefore leaving all my
things I will come with thee. The most holy Virgin
of God, Luceia, answered, saying to him; If this please
thee, come; for I believe in my
God, that he will adopt thee to himself as a servant and will join thee
to his holy flock. But hearing these things King Auceias
forsook his house, and also
his matron and his sons, and all his things, and
accompanied the handmaid of Christ; not as a foreigner,
but as a member of the household of the Saints; not as
a barbarian, but as a Roman citizen; not as a wolf,
but as a sheep of Christ, journeying with the great
handmaid of God, Luceia; and both hasten
to Rome.
[4] But when they had entered the city, the time of persecution
was being carried on; so that the religious Luceia, is beheaded,
who in captivity had been admonished and recalled
to Rome, showed herself openly. After a few
days holy Luceia was seized by the ministers,
and is brought to the Prefect of the City, Ælius,
who said to her; Art thou a Christian? The Virgin
of God answered, I am a Christian, for to this end
the Lord after twenty years deigned to recall me from captivity,
that I might receive the crown of Martyrdom.
The Prefect said: The Emperors have ordered
that the Christians either sacrifice or be slain.
But she answered, I told thee that I am ready
to die: for to this end the Lord deigned to recall me from
captivity, that having endured the contest
I might receive the crown. So the Prefect,
the sentence being given, ordered her to be beheaded. he also offers himself to death for Christ.
[5] And when King Auceias had seen these things done
against the handmaid of Christ, he also, offering
himself to the Prefect, said: Order me too to be beheaded with her,
because truly she is my Lady. The Prefect
asked him, who he was. But he answered;
I am Auceias King of my nation,
who had captured her when I was fighting against the Romans;
for her God granted me many things through
her, whom I for twenty years
reverencing kept in chastity: but when her God
had appeared to her, that coming to Rome she should undertake
martyrdom; I too chose rather, having forsaken
all my things, to die for the name of her God
with her, than to live in my kingdom.
The Prefect said, How canst thou so, who art not a Christian,
die for the name of her God?
King Auceias answered: The shedding of
my blood, I believe, will make me a Christian, nor
will it make me an alien from his presence and from his
handmaid. And this venerable man also,
remaining in his confession, the Prefect ordered
to be beheaded. Soon twenty-one others are crowned.
[6] But when the Prefect had withdrawn into
his praetorium, there are offered to him twenty others,
that is, Antonius, Hereneus, Theodorus, Dionysius,
Apollonius, Apamius, Pronicus, Coteus,
Orion, Papicus, Satyrus, Victor, and nine
others: whose names are known to God
alone. And he asked them if they were Christians.
But they confessed that they were Christians: and he ordered
them likewise to be beheaded. Who reverently receiving
the sentence, gave thanks to the Lord,
who deemed them worthy of the confession of his name:
to whom be honor and glory unto the ages of
ages. Amen.