ON THE HOLY FORTY-SEVEN MARTYRS WHO SUFFERED AT ROME UNDER NERO.
A.D. LXVII.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
The Forty-Seven Martyrs who suffered at Rome under Nero (SS.)
[1] The wondrous conversion of these forty-seven Martyrs to the Christian faith is narrated in the very ancient Acts of SS. Processus and Martinianus, Martyrs, which Surius published with the style corrected in several places on the second day of July, when we shall present them in their original phrasing from various manuscripts. We excerpt here a few things that pertain to the conversion of these Martyrs, which are as follows.
[2] At the time when Simon Magus burst asunder within, the most impious Nero handed over the most blessed Apostles of Christ, Peter and Paul, to Paulinus, a man of most illustrious authority. At the same time Paulinus committed the most blessed Apostles to the custody of the Mamertine prison, On account of the miracles worked by SS. Peter and Paul, and many infirm Christians came to them and were healed of their infirmities, and others possessed by demons were freed through the prayers of the Apostles. Moreover, many soldiers were guarding these same Apostles... When they saw the wonders which the Lord Jesus Christ was working through the blessed Apostles, they began to marvel, saying: Venerable men, you know that the Emperor Nero has already consigned your persons to oblivion. For behold, nine months have passed since you have been in custody; we therefore ask you to go wherever you wish: and only, in the name of him in whose name we have known you to work great miracles, baptize us. Then the most blessed Apostles Peter and Paul said to them: Believe with all your heart and mind in the name of the Trinity, and you yourselves will be able to do what you have known us to work. Hearing this, all who were in custody cried out with one voice, saying: Give us water, they believe, for we are perishing of thirst. And in that same hour the most blessed Apostle Peter, while he was in the very Mamertine prison, said to all: Believe in God, the Father almighty, and in our Lord Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, and in the Holy Spirit; and all things shall be ministered to you. And in that same hour they all threw themselves prostrate at the feet of the Apostles, begging to receive baptism from them.
And indeed the most blessed Apostles prayed in that same prison. And when they had prayed, immediately, when the sign of the Cross had been made by the blessed Apostle Peter on the Tarpeian mount in the Mamertine prison, in that same hour waters flowed forth from the mount. they are baptized: Then the blessed Processus and Martinianus were baptized... When all who were in custody had seen this, they prostrated themselves at the feet of the blessed Apostle Peter, and there were baptized persons of both sexes and every age, forty-seven in number. Then he offered for them the sacrifice of praise, and all partook of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[3] So far the account, with no mention made of their martyrdom, the history of which was perhaps once appended but, as not pertaining to the Acts of SS. Processus and Martinianus, was cut off. Meanwhile, the ancient Martyrologies everywhere celebrate these Forty-Seven Martyrs on March 14. In the genuine Bede there is no mention of any Saint, but Florus or whoever supplied additions has this: At Rome, of forty-seven Martyrs, soldiers baptized by blessed Peter. But the word "soldiers" is better absent, as in Usuard and Ado, as also in the present-day Roman Martyrology, in which such an encomium is set forth: At Rome the birthday, put to martyrdom on March 14, or passion, of the holy Forty-Seven Martyrs, who were baptized by the blessed Apostle Peter when he was held in the Mamertine prison with his fellow Apostle Paul, where they were detained for nine months. All of whom, under a most devout confession of the faith, were consumed by the sword of Nero. These last words are absent in Notker. The same are read in very many manuscript calendars, but often in abridged form. Later writers have similar accounts. Galesius adds that they were tortured with the most exquisite punishments, and at last, strengthened by divine protection in the confession of the faith, they attained the palm by the severing of their necks. These things Ferrarius also relates in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, adding that the punishment of the guards was deferred, namely to the second of July on which day, or certainly to June 29, when we shall treat of SS. Peter and Paul, the matters which Baronius here discusses at greater length concerning the Mamertine prison and the Tullian dungeon may be examined. Justus Ricquius afterwards published some observations in his Commentary on the Roman Capitol, chapter 45. Peter de Natalibus mentions these Martyrs in his Catalogue, book 3, chapter 199, but by a copyist's error they are written to have been 49 soldiers. They were forty-seven of both sexes and every age, who were detained in custody. They suffered in the last year of Nero, A.D. LXVIII.