ON THE HOLY MARTYRS MARTIA, MARTIANUS, HIEROTES, ANTIGONUS, JANUARIUS, TUTELLA, GABIANUS, QUIRIULUS, MARINUS, FELIX, DONATUS, FORTUNUS, HELBIANUS, GAGUS, PAULUS, GAIOSA, GALLOSA, GALLUS, LUPICINUS,
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Martia, Martyr (Saint)
Martianus, Martyr (Saint)
Hierotes, Martyr (Saint)
Antigonus, Martyr (Saint)
Januarius, Martyr (Saint)
Tutella, Martyr (Saint)
Gabianus, Martyr (Saint)
Quiriulus, Martyr (Saint)
Marinus, Martyr (Saint)
Felix, Martyr (Saint)
Donatus, Martyr (Saint)
Fortunus, Martyr (Saint)
Helbianus, Martyr (Saint)
Gagus, Martyr (Saint)
Paulus, Martyr (Saint)
Gaiosa, Martyr (Saint)
Gallosa, Martyr (Saint)
Gallus, Martyr (Saint)
Lupicinus, Martyr (Saint)
[1] We concluded the first class of African Martyrs with the forty anonymous Saints, because this number is customarily appended at the end to other Saints proposed by their proper names; after whom, in the same Martyrology of Saint Jerome written in Anglo-British script nearly a thousand years ago, A second class of Martyrs in the ancient records: the following are added, with no place or other word interposed: "of Marcia, Hierotes, Quiriulus, Maurinus, Donatus, Fortunus, Helbianus, Gagus, Paula, Gaiosa, Galla." In the Lucca Martyrology far more are listed, whose company is led by
Saint Marcia, as Florentinus observes, and he thus prints it: "of Marcia, Hierotes, Antigonus, Januarius, Tutella, Gabianus, Quiri, Julius, Marinus, likewise Felix, Florinus, Donatus, Fortunus, Helbianus, Gagus, Paula, Gaiosa, Galla." In the Paris edition the name of Martianus is prefixed, then Marcia, Hierotes, etc., and in place of Florinus, Florianus is said, whom we omit along with the other Felix because they are placed in the preceding class. At the end the following are found: "Paula, Gaiosa, Gallosa, Galla, Lupicinus." The fourth Martyrology of Saint Jerome is held by the distinguished Julius Henricus Blumius, which agrees with the Lucca one, omitting Martianus, Gallosa, and Lupicinus. Some of these Martyrs' names are read in the printed Bede: "of Martia, Herodes, Antigonus, Januarius, Tutella, Gabianus, Quiriulus, likewise Felix, Florianus, Rogatus." In the Reichenberg manuscript, in place of Herodes, Horotis is written; the rest do not differ. In Rabanus they are thus expressed: "of Marcia, Hierotes, Antigonus, Januarius, Tultella, Gabianus, Quiriulus, Marinus, likewise Felix, Florianus, Donatus." From those which are read in the Additions of Usuard published by Greven, these names pertain here: "Donatus, Paula, Julius, Marcia, Hierotes, Antigonus, Januarius, Tutilla, Gabianus, Quiriolus." In the Aachen manuscript: "Martia, Jherotis, Antigonus, Januarius, Tutilla, Gabianus, Quitillus, Marinus, Felix, Donatus." In the Reichenau one: "Martia, Hierolius, Antigonus, Januarius, Gabianus, Quiriulus." The Monte Cassino and Altemps manuscripts have: "Martia, Antigonus, Januarius, Marinus." The same, omitting Marinus, are read in the Roman manuscript of the archive of Saint Peter. The Barberini manuscript: "Antigonus, Marinus, Gabianus." The Prague manuscript: "Donatus, Paula." But only Antigonus is in the Liège manuscript of Saint Lambert. To him Januarius is joined in the manuscript of Saint Cyriacus, but under the preceding day. In another manuscript are Donatus and Januarius. And the memory of Martia and companions is commemorated on this day in the Roman Martyrology. But Marinus with Asterius is in the Calendar of an ancient Breviary. But Asterius belongs to the following class.
[2] Behold the cult of these Martyrs set forth from eighteen distinguished Martyrologies, but with some diversity of reading: names variously written thus Martia and Marcia are written; and Hierotes, Hierolius, Jherotis, Herotis, Horotis, and Herodes; Antigonius and Antigonus; Tutella, Tultella, Tutilla, and Tutila; Quiriulus, Quiriolus, Quiriulus, Quitillus, and with the names divided, Quiri and Julius—and below there is another Julius among the others. Likewise Marinus and Maurinus, from whom a different soldier Marinus is reported separately. In place of Donatus, Rogatus is read in Bede. Finally, Fortunus and Furtinus, as also Helbianus, Belbianus, and Hebianus. In a single Martyrology are Martianus, Gallosa, and Lupicinus.
[3] The arena of martyrdom is nowhere expressed, nor do we dare rashly to join them to those who suffered in Africa, Did they suffer in Africa? where the following are also recorded as having suffered. What if they were killed in another place in Africa, or under different Emperors? This conjecture is favored by Florianus being intermingled with them, who is considered the standard-bearer of the African Martyrs. Galesin, and following him Canisius, who had found them all together from both classes in the printed Bede, they seem wrongly assigned to Rome or to Ebora assigned them to Rome, restoring Donatus in place of Rogatus, as is read in other sources. We rejected this conjecture of Galesin above regarding the African Martyrs, to whom we said these should rather be joined. Much less should these be attributed to Ebora of the Carpetani or Ebora of the Lusitanians, since in the Chronicle of Flavius Dexter, which they use as their foundation, not even one of them is mentioned.
[4] Works of the same authority as the Chronicle of Dexter have come forth—the Adversaria and Chronicle under the name of Julian, Archpriest of Saint Justa, From these, Marcia is fabricated as the sister of the Emperor Trajan, and in the Adversaria, number 78, the following is transmitted: "Marcia Matidia, sister of the Emperor Trajan, a most holy Virgin, suffered in the persecution of Antoninus Pius at Rome with other companions on March 3. She was Spanish, and Trajan had no other sister besides this one." On account of these words, Antonio de Quintadueñas in his book On the Saints of the City and Diocese of Seville, pages 231 and following, contends that the discussion in the Roman Martyrology on this day concerns Marcia, here surnamed Matidia, the sole sister of the Emperor Trajan, and her companions, and that with Galesin they underwent martyrdom at Rome. But the same Quintadueñas in his book On the Saints of Toledo, published fourteen years after the former one, assigns the same Martia and companions along with the above-listed African Martyrs to Talavera, or Ebora of the Carpetani, citing in both cases the Roman Martyrology and Galesin, then following the Chronicle of Dexter, as now the Adversaria of Julian. We are surprised that two Martyr Martias were not introduced into the Spanish Martyrology, since on the other hand Tamayo Salazar attacks Quintadueñas with considerable censure, asserting that he was deceived by a gloss fabricated among the works of Julian: whose words savor of mere invention. from the Adversaria of Julian, Likewise, in the Menologion and Martyrology no prerogative of virginity is noted; therefore he deviates from the trustworthiness of the Martyrologies. That there was no Marcia who was a sister of Trajan, nor a Christian, nor a Virgin: therefore whatever the otherwise most learned Father has written about Marcia Matidia must be rejected. Thus Tamayo Salazar, who would that he himself also suffer a modest word against his own Martia and companions, ascribed to Spain with absolutely no right, since in the said Martyrologies no mention is made of Ebora of the Carpetani or of Asclepiades as Governor in Spain—that these are fabricated glosses and mere inventions, and that the trustworthiness of the Martyrologies is thereby violated. Meanwhile Quintadueñas attempts to establish his opinion from the same Adversaria of Julian, in which at number 75 the following is found: "Matidia Augusta, sister of the Emperor Caesar Trajan, a disciple of Saint Clement, a disciple of Saint Clement received the body of Saint Onesimus, killed by Tertullus the Prefect of Rome, and enclosed it in a silver casket." The Acts of Saint Onesimus, disciple of Saint Paul, collected by us, we gave on the sixteenth day of February, and we showed that those Acts, which exist translated from the Greek in Lipomanus and Surius, are of another Saint Onesimus who suffered martyrdom at Puteoli in the third century of Christ, and that this one was the Master of Saints Alphius, Philadelphus, and Cyrinus, who obtained the laurel of martyrdom in Sicily under the governor Tertullus; and that the name of this governor, as usually happens in confused matters, seems to have been transferred from the disciples to the Master Onesimus, and from him to the other, older and more illustrious Onesimus. Furthermore, we said at number 16 that Matidia Augusta was the niece of Trajan through his sister Marciana, and the mother of Matidia Augusta, wife of the Emperor Hadrian. Finally, we indicated that little trust should be placed in the authority of Julian alone, which is confirmed above all from this evidence.
ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS GAIOLA, FELIX, EMERITUS OR EMETERUS, CELEDONIUS, LIKEWISE FELIX, SAVINIANUS, LIKEWISE FELIX, JULIUS, ANOTHER FELIX, MARINUS, DONATA, NICEPHORUS, CARISSIMUS, CLAUDIANUS, PAPIAS, LUCIOLA, SABIANUS OR SABINIANA, JUNULA, ASTERIUS, PHOTIUS, GEORGIUS, ISICUS, SISINNIUS, CASTUS, BASILIUS, SOLUS, ARTILAUS, ANTONIUS, CYRICUS, EUTICUS, GORGONIUS, ASCLIPIUS, FRUNIMIUS, AND ZOSIMUS,
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Gaiola, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Felix, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Emeritus, or Emeterus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Celedonius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Felix II, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Savinianus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Felix III, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Julius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Felix IV, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Marinus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Donata, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Nicephorus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Carissimus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Claudianus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Papias, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Luciola, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Sabianus, or Sabiniana, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Junula, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Asterius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Phocius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Georgius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Isicus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Sisinnius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Castus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Basilius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Solus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Artilaus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Antonius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Cyricus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Euticus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Gorgonius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Asclipius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Frunimius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Zosimus, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
[1] This third cohort of the soldiers of Christ advances, far more numerous than the two preceding ones, which the aforesaid Martyrology of Saint Jerome, which we possess written in ancient script nearly a thousand years ago, thus presents: "In Africa: of Gaiola, Felix, African Martyrs in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, Emeterus, Celedonius, Felix, Sabinianus, Calagurris, Meterus, likewise Celedonius, Julius, Felix, Marinus, Donata, Nicephorus, Carissimus, Claudianus, Papias, Luciola, Felix, Sabianus, Junula, Fovius, Asterius, Georgius, Sisinnius, Basilius, Artilaus, Isicus, Cyricus, Euticus, Gorgonius, Antonius, Frunimius, Asclipius, Castus, Solus." The same, but with the order occasionally varied and some names written differently, are placed in the Lucca Martyrology of the same Saint Jerome as follows: "In Africa: of Gaiola, Felix, Emeterus, Celedonius, likewise Felix, Savinianus, Galogorus, likewise Emeterus, Felix, likewise Celedonius, likewise Julius, Felix, Marinus, Donata, Nicephorus, Carissimus, Claudianus, Papias, Luciola, Salianus, Junula, Astrius, Photius, Georgius, Isicus, Sisinnius, Castus, Basilius, Solus, Artilaus, Antonius, Cyricus, Euticus, Gorgonius, Asclipius, Frunimius." The same are listed in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome published at Paris, thus expressed: "In Africa: of Gaiola, Felix, Emerita, Cellidonus, likewise Felix, Savinianus, Galogorus, likewise Emeritus, likewise Felix, likewise Ecaeledonus, likewise Julius, Felix, Marinus, Donata, Nicephorus, Carissimus, Claudianus, Papias, Luciola, Sabiniana, Junola, Asterius, Photius, Georgius, Isicus, Sisinnius, Castus, Basilisolus, Artilaus, Antonius, Cyricus, Euticus, Gorgonius, Asclipius, Frunimius, Zosimus." Thus far three codices of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, in the last two of which, after the first two—namely Gaiola and Felix—the two words "depositio reliquorum" were interposed, which we omitted along with the first manuscript, since we do not sufficiently grasp what is signified by them. With the Lucca manuscript nearly agrees what the distinguished Julius Henricus Blumius found in Germany.
[2] In other Martyrologies some of these Martyrs are listed: and in others: for the manuscript Martyrology of the Queen of Sweden has: "In Africa: of Gaiolus." The manuscript of Centula, or Saint Riquier: "In Africa: of Saints Gaiolus, Felix, Nicephorus, Claudianus." The Prague manuscript: "Gaiola, Felix." The Labbé manuscript: "Gaiola, Julius, Castus, Solus." The Augsburg manuscript: "Gaiulus, Emeterius, Julius, Castus." The Aachen manuscript: "Gaiolus, Julius, Castus." In Greven, Solus is added. Thus far the more ancient Martyrologies, from which this diversity of vocabulary should be noted: Gaiola is also called names variously expressed Caiola, Gaiolus, and Gaiulus; Emeterus appears twice, also as Hemeterus, Meterus, Emeterius, Emeritus, and Emerita; Celedonius also as Celedonus, Cellidonus, and Ecaeledonus; Sabinianus, Savinianus, Sabianianus, Sabianus, and Sabiniana; Galogorus and Calogorus; Photius, Focius, and Fovus. Likewise, the names Basilius and Solus have been conflated into one, Basilisolus, through the error of scribes. Saints Emeterius and Chelidonius, Martyrs at Calagurris in Spain, are venerated on this day; lest they perhaps be listed here, we omitted three in the title.
[3] Galesin celebrates one with this eulogy: "In Africa, of Saint Lucius, Bishop and Martyr, Was Lucius a Bishop? who, under the Emperor Valerian, was slain for the glory of Christ and illustriously crowned." Ferrarius in his Catalogue transcribes Galesin, who makes no mention of that Lucius in his Notes; hence on what basis, in the silence of the others, he calls him a Bishop and places him under the Emperor Valerian
suffered, is not clear. Marinus and Asterius, crowned at Caesarea in Palestine, are also listed on this same day, perhaps assigned to this day on which African Martyrs of the same name are venerated, Other Martyrs of the same name. because their birthday was unknown, Eusebius, who treats of them, making no mention of the day. The Greeks venerate Asterius on August 7; nowhere, so far as we know, do they venerate Marinus; and in the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, seven other Martyrs are interposed between the two, which it suffices to have noted.