Martyrs Petronius the Bishop

12 March · commentary

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS PETRONIUS THE BISHOP, MODESTUS, DOMITIANUS, EUSTASIUS THE PRIEST, CARPUS, FIRMUS OR CONFIRMUS, PAUL, MACEDONIUS, PATRICIUS, FELICION, JOVINIANUS, HILARIUS, CONCESSUS, AND BASILISSA, WHO SUFFERED IN ASIA.

Commentary

Petronius, Bishop, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Modestus, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Domitianus, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Eustasius, Priest, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Carpus, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Firmus, or Confirmus, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Paul, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Macedonius, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Patricius, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Felicion, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Jovinianus, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Hilarius, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Concessus, Martyr in Asia (S.)

Basilissa, Martyr in Asia (S.)

[1] In the very ancient codex of the library of Queen Christina of Sweden, marked 313, after the other Saints whom we have treated, we read the following: "In Asia, of Petronius the Bishop, Modestus, Domitianus, Eustasius, Priests." These were excerpted from that codex by Holstenius and published in his Observations on the Roman Martyrology. The same four, with their dignity prefixed, are inscribed in the Martyrology of S. Jerome, and more names of Martyrs are added, namely Carpus, Firmus, Paul, Macedonius, Patricius, Felicion, Jovinianus, Hilarius, Concessus, or in other readings, Confirmus, Jovianus, and Patricia. Of these, in the Tallaght manuscript, mention is made of Macedonius, Jovianus, and Felix, who is above called Felicion. In later sources the name of Basilissa is added, and indeed in two as the daughter of Conis or Cionis, or rather, as it reads in our ancient manuscript: "of Eustasius the Priest, Basilissa the daughter, Cionis"—so that "daughter" could refer to either. In the Martyrologies printed at Paris and Lucca it reads: "Of Eustasius the Priest, Basilissa his wife, Felicion, etc." In the Blumian manuscript: "Of Basilissa, wife of Felicion." But a difficulty arises from the fact that in four copies of S. Jerome, on the following day, 13 March, in the first place Martyrs of Nicomedia are recorded, among whom mention is made of Eustasius the Priest and Basilissa his wife, as is read in the Parisian edition and the Blumian manuscript. But since in the other two codices the name is "Basilla," and in one without the added word "wife," we confess the reading is doubtful to us, unless greater light is shed on these obscure matters from elsewhere.

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