ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS CYRILLUS THE BISHOP, ROGATUS, FELIX, LIKEWISE ROGATUS, BEROMA OR BEATA, HERENIA, FELICITAS, URBANUS, SILVANUS, MANILUS OR MAMILLUS, DATIANUS, IOCUNDUS.
CommentaryCyrillus, Bishop, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Rogatus, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Felix, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Rogatus the younger, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Beroma or Beata, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Herenia, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Felicitas, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Urbanus, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Silvanus, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Manilius or Mamillus, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Datianus, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Iocundus, Martyr, in Africa (Saint)
Among these African Martyrs, Saint Cyrillus stands out with episcopal dignity. He alone is celebrated in the manuscript Martyrologies of Utrecht, Saints Cyrillus the Bishop, Saint Mary's and Trier, Saint Martin's; but the Trier manuscript of Saint Maximin and the Florarium add a companion, Rogatus, which Wandelbert likewise did in this couplet: Rogatus,
"The eighth before the Ides, Martyr Cyrillus, and together with him Rogatus, to be honored with like veneration, retains."
In the Brussels manuscript of Saint Gudula, in place of Cyrillus one reads "Catillus the Bishop." In the manuscript Calendar of Cluny, mention is made of Rogatus, Felix, Felix, and Cyrillus, who is listed as a Bishop with seven others in the manuscript of Queen Christina of Sweden. A fourth is added in the manuscripts of Tournai, Saint Martin's, Arras, and Laetium: "In Africa, the birthday of Saints Rogatus, Urbanus, Felix, Urbanus, and Cyrillus the Bishop." But with Urbanus and Cyrillus omitted, these three are listed in the Roman manuscripts: Vatican of Saint Peter's, Altemps, and Vallicellian, likewise of the monasteries of Cassino and Saint Cyriacus: "In Africa, Rogatus, Felicitas, Felix, and Felicitas." In the Prague manuscript, mention is made of Rogatus, Felix, Silvanus, Manilius. Notker, adding Cyrillus, distinguishes them thus: "In Africa, Rogatus and Felix. Silvanus, Also the birthday of Cyrillus the Bishop, Silvanus, and Manilus." Manilus, These are listed without any intervening word in the Cologne manuscript of Saint Mary's-at-the-Steps. The Augsburg manuscript retains six names: Rogatus, Orbanus, Cyrillus, Heronima, Herema, Felix. In the Labbé manuscript they are expressed thus: Rogatus, Urbanus, Cyrillus, Beromia, Erenia, Felix. Rabanus adds a second Rogatus to the nine expressed so far: "In Africa," he says, "Rogatus, Felix, likewise Rogatus, Beroma, Herenia, Berema, Herenia, Felicitas, Orbanus, Cyrillus the Bishop, Silvanus, and Manilus." The same are listed in the printed Bede, but in place of Berema, Herenia, and Manilus one reads Bera, Herema, and Mamillus. In today's Roman Martyrology, where Bede is cited in the notes, in place of Bera or Berema is placed Beata (following Galesinius), and Mamillus (following Galesinius and the printed Bede). Moreover, in the genuine Bede this day is blank. In our ancient codex of Saint Jerome, written not long after the year 700, these entries are found: "In Africa, Rogatus, Felix, likewise Rogatus, Beronia, another Rogatus. Aerenia, Felicitas, Orfanus, and Cyrillus the Bishop, Silvanus, Manilus." In the Lucca codex of the same Saint Jerome, in place of Beronia and Aerenia one reads Beroma and Herenia; in the Blume manuscript, Baroma and Arsenia, and in place of Orfanus and Cyrillus a single name in the Lucca codex reads Orbanillus. In the Martyrology of Saint Jerome printed at Paris they are thus explained: "In Africa, Rogatianus, Felix, likewise Rogatus, Beroma, Erema, Felicitas, Urbanus, Cyrillus the Bishop, Silvanus and Manilus, Datianus, Datianus." The last name, Datianus, is absent from the other codices, and in place of Rogatianus one should read Rogatus, since otherwise the word "likewise" would be redundant — and all other copies agree. In the Reichenau manuscript, in place of Rogatus, the name Rogata appears twice, and with some names omitted, Iocundus is inserted, about whom there is deep silence elsewhere. The words of this Martyrology are: "In Africa, Rogata, Iocundus. Felix, likewise Rogata, Iocundus, Beromia, Orbanus, Silvanus." Finally, in the Aachen manuscript these entries are given: "In Africa, Rogatus, Felix, likewise Felix (correct: likewise Rogatus), Birona, Herema, Felicitas, Urbanus, Cyrillus the Bishop, Silvanus, Quirillus." The last name is either Manilus or Mamillus, or else the Nicomedian Martyr listed on this day, called by others Quintillus. Therefore the African Martyrs — Cyrillus the Bishop, the two Rogatuses, Felix, Felicitas, and Silvanus — are to be placed beyond further controversy. Manilus is read in seven ancient codices (or Manilius in the Prague manuscript), for which Mamillus appears in the printed text under the name of Bede and thence in the Roman Martyrology. Urbanus appears in four
of the listed codices as Orbanus, The names variously written. and in two copies of Saint Jerome as Orfanus. But the names of Beroma and Herenia vary more, since in place of Beroma one reads Baroma, Berema, Beromia, Beronia, Birona, Heronima, Bera, and Beata; and in place of Herenia one also finds Aerenia, Arsenia, Herema, and Erema. Arturus of the Monastery, in the Sacred Gynaeceum, lists Saints Herenia and Felicitas, citing Bede and the Roman Martyrology, not daring to add Bera or Beata, whom he had found in those calendars. Lest the memory of Datianus and Iocundus perish, even though each is found in only a single codex, we add them to the others — the former from the Reichenau manuscript, the latter from the Corbie manuscript.
ON SAINTS QUINTILLUS THE BISHOP AND CAPITULINUS, MARTYRS, AT NICOMEDIA.
CommentaryQuintillus or Quirillus, Bishop, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
Capitulinus, Martyr, at Nicomedia in Bithynia (Saint)
[1] Great agreement regarding these Martyrs is found in the older handwritten Martyrologies, although they differ considerably among themselves in the spelling of the first Saint, who in most codices is read as Quintillus, or, closely related, Quintilus, Quintilis, Quintulus, Quintolus; sometimes Quintilinus, and in contracted form Quintinus, Quintus. Saint Quintillus variously written, Meanwhile, in our manuscript Martyrology of Saint Jerome, written nearly a thousand years ago, it is written Quirillus, and the ancient manuscripts of Reichenau and Augsburg, Saint Ulrich's, agree. In the Aachen manuscript, Quintinus is recorded as having suffered at Nicomedia, and Quirillus is appended at the end to the African Martyrs, about whom we shall presently treat; we consider them one and the same Martyr. And here Saint Quintillus or Quirillus is read alone in various manuscript Martyrologies, as was also done in today's Roman Martyrology in these words: "At Nicomedia, Saint Quinctilis, Bishop and Martyr." Where Baronius cites Bede, or the Martyrology printed under the name of Bede. For this day is blank in the genuine copy of Bede.
[2] A companion, Capitulinus — sometimes Capitolinus — is added and Saint Capitulinus. in four copies of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, in the manuscripts of Reichenau, Corbie, Aachen, Trier Saint Maximin, Tournai Saint Martin's, Laetium, Centula, and another of Queen Christina of Sweden; likewise in the printed Notker, Rabanus, and the indicated Martyrology under the name of Bede, with the same phrase everywhere: "At Nicomedia, Quintillus the Bishop and Capitulinus." In the Prague manuscript, with the place omitted, one reads: "Quintolus the Bishop and Capieralis the Bishop." But the consistent reading of the others prevails. Likewise an error of the copyists is found in the Augsburg codex, when Nicomedi is written in place of Nicomedia. Moreover, Nicomedia, the arena of illustrious Martyrs and the seat of various Emperors, is a well-known coastal city of Bithynia, on the Astacene Gulf of the Propontis.
ON SAINT DION, MARTYR, AMONG THE GREEKS.
CommentaryDion, Martyr, among the Greeks (Saint)
The Greeks recall on this day the memory of Saint Dion the Martyr, who ended his life struck by the sword. In the Menaea this couplet is added:
"Though the tyrant's dread right hand may slay you, The Lord's right hand yet crowns you, Dion."
The cruel right hand of the tyrant may strike you down, Yet the right hand of the Lord crowns you still, Dion.
In the manuscript of Mazarin and another, he is called Dionysius. The remaining details concerning place, time, and other circumstances are thus far unknown.