ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS FLORIANUS, FELIX, CASTUS, LUCIOLUS, JUSTUS, FORTUNATUS, AND FORTY OTHERS.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Florianus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Felix, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Castus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Luciolus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Justus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Others, Forty Martyrs in Africa
[1] Very many athletes who shed their blood for the Christian faith and obtained the crown of martyrdom are proposed on this day in various Martyrologies. In what place they all suffered, nothing certain can easily be affirmed. The Martyrology of Saint Jerome, which we possess written in Anglo-British script more than a thousand years ago, thus begins this day: African Martyrs found in the ancient Martyrologies: "On the fifth of the Nones of March. In Africa: of Florianus, Felix, Castus, Luciolus, Justus, Fortunatus, and forty others." With this number the first class seems to end, although other names of Martyrs are subjoined without any assigned place, perhaps killed in another city or persecution, but still in Africa. In the manuscript Martyrology of Reichenau, or Augia Dives, a very ancient one, they are read as follows: "In Africa: of Florianus, Felix, Castus, Fortunatus, and forty others. Luciolus, Justus"—these two being placed above before Fortunatus. Then in both Marcia follows. The manuscript of Saint Martin of Tournai, under the name of Eusebius, Jerome, and Bede, indicates three: "In Africa, the Birthday of Saints Fortunatus, Felix, and Justus." The number is also omitted in another manuscript, where it is increased to forty-five Martyrs with the addition of various Saints treated in the following classes; and the aforesaid Justus is joined to them.
[2] With the African arena of martyrdom omitted and the number added, they are inscribed in very many Martyrologies, recorded in others, with the place omitted: as in the Lucca Martyrology of Saint Jerome: "On the fifth of the Nones of March: of Felix, Luciolus, Justus, Fortunatus." These are also read in Rabanus, with Florianus and the following added, which is also done in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome published at Paris; but in this one Luciola is added, as also in another Corbie manuscript, in which the same four are read. The printed Bede has: "And the birthday of Saints Felix, Luciolus, Fortunatus." Then it names Marcia and nine others, and among these Florianus. In the manuscript copy of Bede, no Saint is recorded on this day. Bellinus is also silent about these and the following Martyrs; Baronius calls his Martyrology the old Roman one, and citing the printed Bede, inserted into today's Roman Martyrology Felix, Luciolus, Fortunatus, Marcia, and companions. About her and her companions we shall treat presently. In the manuscript of Saint Cyriacus, by which Baronius acknowledges he was greatly aided, the following are found: "On the fifth of the Nones of March: of Felix, Justus, Fortunatus, Martyrs." The same, but with Fortunatus placed first, are in the Laetian manuscript, and placed before other martyrs in the Roman manuscripts of the archive of Saint Peter, of Monte Cassino, and the Altemps manuscript; or interspersed among them in the Prague manuscript. In the Aachen manuscript the names are Felix, Luciolus, Castus, Justus, Fortunatus, Florianus: only the forty unnamed are lacking, and there is no mention of Africa. In the Additions of Usuard published by Greven, Justus is missing; the rest are given. In the manuscript of Ado belonging to the Queen of Sweden, Felix and Luciolus are found, to whom in another manuscript of the same Queen Fortunatus is added, who alone of these Martyrs appears in the Barberini manuscript. In the Augsburg manuscript, Felix and Lucianus (in others Luciolus), Castus, Julius, and Fortunatus are interspersed among others; omitting that one, the rest are found in the Labbé manuscript. In the Liège manuscript of Saint Lambert: Felix and Fortunatus. But Felix and Luciolus are in the Calendar of Saint Jerome published by Florentinus.
[3] Thus far the ancient records, in which no place of martyrdom is designated beyond Africa. Assigned to Rome by Galesin. Meanwhile Galesin, citing Bede and a manuscript in his Notes, reports all of them from Bede and assigns them to Rome—unfortunate often in his conjectures. Canisius follows Galesin in a later edition. Masini, in his survey of Bologna on this day, commemorates Saints Florianus and Fortunatus, Martyrs, perhaps Relics at Bologna? asserting that the relics of the former are preserved in the church of Saint Francis, and of the latter in the churches of San Giacomo Maggiore and Santo Stefano. Perhaps these relics were translated from some Roman cemetery to Bologna and, on the authority of Galesin, began to be honored on this day.
[4] Concerning these Martyrs, the foregoing would suffice were it not that the Spaniards claim them for themselves, along with others to be reviewed below. Antonio de Quintadueñas, in his work on the Saints of Toledo, part 3, page 440, assigns to Talavera, anciently Elbora On what basis are these and others attributed to Spain? or Ebura, of the diocese of Toledo, various Saints who are venerated on this third of March: these are Felix, Luciolus, Fortunatus, Marcia, Herodes, Antigonus, Januarius, Tutella, Gabianus, Quiriulus, Cleonicus, Eutropius, and Basiliscus. The same are inscribed in the Spanish Martyrology of Tamayo Salazar, and after Quiriulus are added another Felix, Florianus, and Donatus, who with the preceding are all read in this same order in the printed Usuard, which both cite, as if when no place is indicated, anyone may rightfully lay claim to them. To Basiliscus, Tamayo subjoins Quinctus, who suffered in Phrygia under Aurelian, about whom we treated on March 2. Another proof is drawn from the Roman Martyrology, whose words we here repeat along with the said Quintadueñas: "On the same day, the passion of Saints Felix, Luciolus, Fortunatus, Marcia, and Companions. Likewise of the holy soldiers Cleonicus, Eutropius, and Basiliscus, who in the persecution of Maximian, under the governor Asclepiades, triumphed happily by the punishment of the cross." And again, the place where the Martyrs earned their laurel is not stated. The place has been inserted in the recently published Chronicle of Dexter, at the year of Christ 300 and the persecution of Diocletian, in these words: "In this most bitter persecution, at Ebora in Carpetania, the holy Martyrs of Christ, Felix, Luciolus, Fortunatus, and Eusebius, were crucified under Asclepiades, Governor of Spain." Behold the foundation of the entire controversy. The place is not expressed in the printed Bede and the Roman Martyrology; therefore to these four, thirteen are to be referred by Antonio de Quintadueñas and eighteen by Tamayo Salazar, now assigned to Ebora in Carpetania. Baronius inserted two classes of Martyrs into the Roman Martyrology, the former from Bede, the latter from the Greek Menologion; these the author of the Chronicle of Dexter, as they interpret it, fused into one. About the Greeks we shall treat below, whom the Menaea, the Anthologion, and other Greek records affirm to be Cappadocians by birth who suffered at Amasea in Pontus. But why is Saint Eusebius the Martyr, praised in the Chronicle of Dexter, not retained? By what authority do Cleonicus, Eutropius, and Basiliscus take his place? Tamayo Salazar responds: "Hitherto no one recognized them as Spaniards; Bede, Galesin, the Greek Menologion, and the Roman Martyrology acknowledged them. Under whose auspices Galesin suggested they suffered at Rome, he himself does not produce, nor do the older Martyrologies record; for which reason neither Baronius nor Philippus Ferrarius list them among the Martyrs who suffered at Rome, because they everywhere reject the fictions of this author... Hence the opinion of Galesin must be rejected and that of Flavius Dexter embraced." But what authority his opinion holds is clear from what has been said above, especially if the twenty or more ancient Martyrologies already adduced by us, and others to be adduced below, are examined with a fair balance. Tamayo also transcribes the Acts of these Martyrs at considerable length, although he calls them a brief compendium. In these, Felix, a citizen of Ebora in Carpetania, professes the Catholic faith, kindles fifteen companions with the fire of charity; all are seized in the deadly persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, when the governor Asclepiades arrives at Ebora, are affixed to crosses, and crowned with martyrdom.
[5] George Cardoso inscribed in his Portuguese Hagiologion on this day Saints Felix, Luciolus, or even of Lusitania? and Eusebius with other noble and brave Athletes, who under Diocletian and Maximian, under the governor Asclepius, were affixed to the cross at Ebora in Lusitania and obtained the crown of martyrdom. In his Commentary he produces the words of Flavius Dexter, of the Roman Martyrology, and of Galesin and the Greek Menologion, and thereby suggests that the seventeen listed in these are to be understood, among them Saint Eusebius, neglected by others; then he expounds at length the dispute about the city of Ebora, which he denies can be called Talavera. On this matter Peter Mantuanus disputes at great length in his Animadversions on the History of Juan Mariana, and against him Thomas Tamayo in his Marian Vindications.