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.