ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF ALEXANDRIA: ZONUS THE BISHOP, ALEXANDER THE DEACON, DUNUS, NEON THE DEACON, JULIUS; LIKEWISE ORION THE DEACON AND CAIUS.
CommentaryZonus, Bishop, Martyr at Alexandria (S.)
Alexander, Deacon, Martyr at Alexandria (S.)
Dunus, Martyr at Alexandria (S.)
Neon, Deacon, Martyr at Alexandria (S.)
Julius, Martyr at Alexandria (S.)
Orion, Deacon, Martyr at Alexandria (S.)
Caius, Martyr at Alexandria (S.)
[1] After recording Egdonus and his fellow Martyrs who suffered at Nicomedia, the following is added in the Martyrology of S. Jerome printed at Paris: "At Alexandria, of Zonus the Bishop, Alexander the Deacon, Dunus and Neon the Deacon, Julius." In the Blumian and Luccan codices, The first class of Martyrs. also of S. Jerome, with Julius omitted, the rest are recorded, but in place of "Neonas" the Luccan codex reads "Netar the Deacon." He also, along with Julius, is absent from the manuscript of S. Jerome that is in our possession. The veneration of the three former ones—Zonus, Dunus, and Alexander—is indicated in the ancient Martyrology of Tallaght among the Irish, in which the earlier days of the month of March are missing. In the Parisian manuscript of our Labbé, the following is read: "Elsewhere, of Zonus, Neon, Pionius." There is mention of this Pionius or Pionis among others on this day, but assigned to Smyrna. The Augsburg manuscript of the monastery of S. Ulrich presents three in this manner: "Elsewhere, of Zosimus, Neon, Ponius." Where in place of "Zosimi," others have "Zoni," and in place of "Pionij" one should substitute "Pioni" or "Pionis," as already stated. The manuscript of the Church of Aachen, after recording S. Gregory the Pope, adds the following: "Of Egronia, Zenus, Neon, Pionius," where in place of "Egroniæ" one should apparently read "Egdoni," and in place of "Zeni," others have "Zoni." Hermann Greven in his Supplement to Usuard mentions "Zemmeon," for which one should restore "Zenus" or "Zonus" and "Neon." In the Reichenau manuscript, mention is made of Neon, but joined to the following African Martyrs, just as on the preceding day Neon the Deacon is joined to the Martyrs Caius, Candidus, and Alexander, who are said to have suffered at Alexandria, or by others at Carthage, as was stated there.
[2] The second class. In the aforementioned Martyrology of S. Jerome printed at Paris, again, but with other classes of Martyrs interposed (of which we shall presently treat), it adds the following: "At Alexandria, of Orion the Deacon, Caius." In the Luccan codex it is written "Orionis"; in the Blumian, "Orion"; in our codex, "Arionis." And in these the name of Caius is absent. These seem to have obtained the palm of martyrdom at Alexandria on the same day as the preceding ones, but perhaps in a different year, and for this reason we have joined them together. What if they are said to have suffered in the same year also, but were brought to Alexandria from other cities or places? For it is certain that Zonus was not the Bishop of Alexandria, but of which city he was bishop remains unknown.