ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS BASSUS OR BASSIUS AND TWENTY OTHERS, LUCELLUS, FISCIANUS, POMENUS, IOSSERUS OR IOSIPPUS, APOLLONIUS, AMMONUS, SATURNINUS, BASILLA, AND SEVEN OTHERS.
CommentaryBassus or Bassius, Martyr in Africa (Saint)
Twenty Others, Martyrs in Africa (Saints). Lucellus, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Fiscianus, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Pomenus, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Ioserus or Iosippus, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Apollonius, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Ammonus, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Saturninus, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Basilla, Martyr in Africa (Saint). Seven Others, Martyrs in Africa (Saints).
[1] These African Martyrs seem to have been divided into two classes, perhaps having suffered either in different persecutions or in distinct places. After the entry of Saint Theodore the Presbyter, of whom we have treated, Martyrs of Africa of the first class, the following is added in the manuscript Martyrology of Saint Jerome, which we preserve written in ancient Anglo-British script: "In Africa, of Bassus and twenty others." This is read in exactly the same words in the Reichenau and Rhinovian manuscripts. In the Tamlacht manuscript, with the places of martyrdom omitted as is always done, the following is joined to the next day, to which many others have also been relegated: "Of Theodore, Bassius, and twenty others." Here Bassius is also called Bassus by others.
[2] of the second class: But omitting these, the Martyrology of Saint Jerome printed at Paris, after Theodore, proposes the Martyrs of the later class thus: "In Africa, of Lucellus, Bassus, Fiscianus, Pomenus, Ioserus, Apollonius, Ammonus, Saturninus, Basilla, and nine others." Which in the Blumian and Lucensian Martyrologies
of the same Saint Jerome, after the same Theodore, are expressed thus: "In Africa, of Lucellus, Bassus, Fiscianus, Pomoenus, Ioserus, Apollonius, Ammonus, Saturninus, Basilla, and seven others." In the above-mentioned manuscript Martyrology, also of Saint Jerome, after Bassus and the other twenty, it is added thus: "Of Lucellus, Viscianus, Pomenus, Iosippus, Apollonius, Ammonus, Basilla, and seven others." In the cited Tamlacht manuscript they are referred to on this day thus: "Of Basius, Bucellus, Fiscianus, Auxilius, Poemius, Iosephus, Britonia, Basilla, and seven others," with Apollonius, Ammonus, and Saturninus interposed among others. On account of Bassus or Bassius and the twenty companions, we omit another Bassus or Basus. The names variously expressed: Lucellus is also Bucellus and Lucillus in other sources; Fiscianus is also written Fissianus and Viscianus; Pomenus with an added diphthong becomes Pomoenus and Poemius; Ioserus is also Iosepus and Iosippus; Apollonius is also Apollonus and Appollonus; Ammonus is written in the same manner; Basilia is also Basilla. Finally, in place of seven companions, nine are also given. But the seven companions added by some to Saint Theodore are to be referred here, as we said above. Auxilius, placed in the Tamlacht manuscript, seems to be Aurilius, to be referred to the preceding day. Concerning Britonia we dare conjecture nothing.
[3] Some inscribed in various calendars, Some are related in other Martyrologies, as in the Cassinese, Altempsi, and Vatican manuscripts after Saint Theodore: "In Africa, of Saints Lucellus, Blassius, and Saint Leontius the Bishop." The same is read in the Pleschion manuscript, and these things are written in the ancient Lombard script. The Barberini manuscript likewise, after Theodore, names four: "In Africa, of Lucilla, Bassis, Apollonius, Ammonius." In the Reichenau manuscript: "In Africa, of Bassus and twenty others. Of Lucilla, Pomenus, Apollonius, Leontius the Bishop, Marcus with nine others." In the manuscript of the Queen of Sweden: "In Africa, of Bassus, Lucillus with thirteen others." Notker has thus: "In Africa, of Bassa, Lucilla, Fuscianus, and many others." In the manuscript codex of Saint Cyriacus: "In Africa, of Lucilla." The Trier manuscript of Saint Martin and the Utrecht manuscript: "In Africa, of Apollonius the Martyr and fourteen others." The Patrician or Neapolitan manuscript of the Clerks Regular: "In Africa, of Saint Bassus." And without any mention of Africa, the memory of Bassus and Bassilia is celebrated in the Augsburg manuscript, or of Bassus and Baselia in the Labbe manuscript. Of Apollonius and Bassus in Hermann Greven. In the Aachen manuscript: "Of Basius, Basileus, Leontius, Lorentius." Here Lorentius is Florentius to others, of whom we shall treat below. Thus Basileus to the rest is Basilia, and conversely Bassa, Bassis, or Blastus is better written as Bassus, just as Lucillus rather than Lucilla.
[4] Another difficulty arises which must be raised here: whether the Apollonius recorded in eight Martyrologies should be called a Bishop and joined to Bishop Leontius. Should Apollonius be called a Bishop? In the Martyrology according to the custom of the Roman Curia, emended by Bellinus of Padua and printed at Venice in the year 1498, the following is read: "On the same day, of the Saints Apollonius and Leontius, Bishops." In the same, reprinted at Paris in the year 1521, "Apollonius" -- as Molanus afterward copied in his additions to Usuard, whom Bellinus had augmented. These things are also inserted in today's Roman Martyrology, and Baronius annotates that concerning these the old Roman Martyrology, namely that of Bellinus, speaks, and that the manuscripts support it; yet nowhere is it expressed of which Church they were Bishops. These two, thus joined, are found in Usuard augmented for the use of the Church of Cologne and printed in 1490, and in the manuscript of Usuard from the Altempsi library augmented in England. But the Prague manuscript has thus: "On the same day, of Apollonius and Leontius the Bishop" -- which is read in the same manner in Usuard printed at Lubeck in 1475 and in the manuscripts of Ughelli relating to Usuard. But above, Leontius the Bishop in four ancient manuscripts was joined to Lucillus and Bassus, and in the Reichenau manuscript to Lucillus, Pomenus, and Apollonius, and everywhere they are assigned to Africa. In the Anchin manuscript, the following is also added to Usuard: "Likewise of Saint Theodore the Bishop, Apollonius, and Leontius the Bishop." Concerning these three, the following is read in the Cologne manuscript preserved among the Carmelites: "On the same day, of the holy Bishops Theodore and Leontius, and of Blessed Apollonius the Confessor." From all this evidence, we judge that Saint Apollonius, rightly joined in so many ancient Martyrologies to the other African Martyrs, should not be established as a Bishop distinct from them. Perhaps Bellinus found Apollonius placed before other Bishops, as is read in the Usuard manuscript of the Church of Brussels: "On the same day, of Apollonius, Leontius, and John, Bishops." But since no Bishop John is recorded on this day by any others, either Theodore, who is added by others, must be substituted, or certainly John the Hermit, of whom we treat below, is called a Bishop by the same error as Apollonius. We shall treat below of Saint Leontius the Bishop and the various Episcopal See assigned to him by different authorities -- and indeed of Apollonius, since both are reported by some as Bishops of Vicenza in Italy and by others of Braga in Portugal, which the reader will find there.
[5] In the Florarium of the Saints there is a memorial of many Martyrs at Rome, who are perhaps these, recorded under the following titles, but with the word "at Rome" rashly added. In the same Florarium, Leontius and Apollonius are recorded on January 19, whom we have deferred to this day.
ON SAINTS QUINTUS, QUINTILLUS OR QUINTILLA, QUARTILLA, MARCUS, AND NINE OTHER MARTYRS AT SORRENTO IN ITALY.
CommentaryQuintus, Martyr at Sorrento in Italy (Saint). Quintillus or Quintilla, Martyr at Sorrento in Italy (Saint). Quartilla, Martyr at Sorrento in Italy (Saint). Marcus, Martyr at Sorrento in Italy (Saint). Nine Others, Martyrs at Sorrento in Italy (Saints).
[1] Sorrento, in Greek Syrrhenton and Sourenton, in Italian Sorrento, is everywhere placed among the cities of Campania, once the metropolis of the Picentini, illuminated with the light of the Gospel either by the very Prince of the Apostles Peter himself, at Sorrento or by his disciples, as Ferdinand Ughelli teaches in volume 6 of his Sacred Italy, in the prooemium before the Archbishops of Sorrento, adding that on the fourteenth day before the Calends of April a solemn commemoration is made there of Saints Quartus, Quartillus, Quintilla, Marcus, and nine companions, who are considered most blessed citizens crowned by martyrdom in this city, of whom the Roman Martyrology makes mention, the cult and church of these Martyrs: and whose Church was restored by the Carmelites in the preceding century. So he says, with the names themselves not transcribed without error by copyists. In the Roman Martyrology they are read thus: "At Sorrento, of the holy Martyrs Quintus, Quintilla, Quartilla, and Marcus, with nine others." In the same manner those names were expressed by David Romaeus, a priest of Sorrento, in his Catalogue of the Saints of the Kingdom of Naples, page 400; their birthday inscribed in the calendar. but not a word about their contest, as Ferrarius also notes in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, where he treats of them.
[2] Baronius in his Notes on the Roman Martyrology cites Bede, Usuard, Ado, and others who treat of them on this day, among whom are Notker, Bellinus, and Maurolycus, in all of whom it is read thus: "On the same day, of Saints Quintus, Whether the name should be Quintillus or Quintilla: Quintillus, Quartilla, Marcus with nine others." Very many manuscripts agree, in some of which, in place of Quintillus, is read Quintilis, and in place of Quartilla in the Vallicellian and Trier manuscripts, Quintilla, so that the names would be Quintus, Quintillus, Quintilla, Marcus. But Quintilla and Quartilla are named in the Roman Martyrology and the Catalogue of Romaeus. The Dachery manuscript agrees with the words: "Surrento, of Quinctus, Quintilla, whether Florentius, Gregory, and others should be added. Quartilla," with Marcus and companions omitted. On the other hand, three codices of the ancient Martyrology of Saint Jerome have Quintillus and Quartilla with the rest. Galesin adds Florentius with these words: "At Sorrento in Italy, of the holy Martyrs Quintus, Quintillus, Quartilla, Marcus, Florentius, and nine companions," and notes that he added Florentius from handwritten books. In the said codices of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, after Marcus and the other nine, Florentius and Venecta or Vonocta are added. And in one codex, before Marcus, Saint Gregory is interposed. In the printed Bede, after the nine others, is added: "of Lucania, Ingenius, Rogata, and Timothy" -- whom we would not dare therefore to join to these. Of these, Timothy pertains to the Martyrs killed in Mauritania and commemorated on the preceding day; on which day also, in the said codices of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, these Martyrs are recorded: "In Campania, of Quintus, Rogatus, Ingenua, Quartilla, Rogata, Lucianus, Aurilius, Saturninus, Victor, and Maurus" -- to whom those mentioned above from the printed Bede are to be referred; and for "Lucania," perhaps "Lucianus" should be substituted, and "Ingenua" for "Ingenius," as we said on that day.
[3] [In various Martyrologies, in place of Sorrento, a Saint Sorentus is placed, joined to Saint Leontius the Bishop and others:] Another difficulty arises in that Sorentus seems to be established among the holy Martyrs, not Sorrento the city. Thus four codices of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome, after various Martyrs, perhaps all African, add: "The burial of Leontius the Bishop, Sorentus, Quintus, Quintillus, Quartilla, Marcus with nine others, Florentius, and Vonecta." In one codex, as we said, "of Saint Gregory" is interposed. All the same are in the Tamlacht manuscript Martyrology, but on the following day, and seven others are joined to Marcus, nine to Florentius. But in place of Leontius and Sorentus, one reads "Leotinus and Soretinus." The Labbe manuscript has thus: "Of Theodore, Bassus, Baselia, Leontius the Confessor, Sorentus, Marcus, Florentius." Which in the Augsburg manuscript of Saint Ulrich are written thus: "Of Theodotus, Bassus, Basilia, Leotius the Confessor, Sorentus, Marcus, Florentius." The first three have been treated. But some of the African Martyrs in the Tournai manuscript of Saint Martin are reckoned with these words: "In Africa, the burial of Saint Leo the Bishop and Saint Quintus." The Reichenau manuscript: "In Africa, of Bassus and twenty others. Of Lucilla, Fissianus, Pomenus, Apollonius, Leontius the Bishop, Marcus with nine others." In the Patrician manuscript, preserved at Naples among the Clerks Regular, the following is read: "In Africa, of Saint Bassus. The burial of Saint Leontius the Bishop, Orientinus with nine others." Here the one who in the earlier sources is Sorentus and in the Tamlacht manuscript Soretinus is called Orientinus. Hermann Greven, after recording the Saints of Sorrento in the Martyrology of Usuard, adds: "On the same day, of Saints Apollonius, Bassus, Sorentus, and Leontius the Bishop." Luke Dachery in the Index of the Martyrology of Saint Jerome published by him also numbers Sorentum among the Saints of this day.
[4] We preferred to lay these things before the reader rather than to decide among such illustrious Martyrologists on the basis of our own conjecture. It occurred to us that Saint Leontius could be established as Bishop of Sorrento, Should Saint Leontius be called Bishop of Sorrento? since Ughelli supposes that in those first centuries of Christian salvation, several were set over Sorrento by the Roman Pontiffs to govern and instruct that Church for salvation while the persecutions of the Christian name were raging, of whose names down to Renatus, who lived in the year 425, no memory survives. This opinion would be favored by the fact that in place of "Sorentus" one also reads "Soretinus" and "Orientinus," as if "Sorentinus" or "Surrentinus." But as we turn over those ancient Martyrologies, we note that the names of places are placed before the Saints themselves. We treat of these separately, omitting everywhere "Sorentus," whom together with the Saints here recorded and those soon
to be related, we judge, on the authority of the aforesaid Martyrologies, that all can be assigned to another place.