CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS CALLINICA, OR CALLINICUS, AND BASILISSA, IN GALATIA.
ABOUT THE YEAR 252.
Commentary Callinica or Callinicus, Martyr in Galatia (S.)
Basilissa, Martyr in Galatia (S.)
[1] Both Greeks and Latins treat of these Saints, and indeed on different days. First, in the Menologion of Cardinal Sirleto, the following is found under March 21: Sacred worship among the Greeks "On the same day, the contest of the holy Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa, and of the most sacred Martyr Birillus, Bishop of Catania"—about whom we have treated under that day. But under March 22, and indeed near the end, the following is read in the manuscript Greek Synaxarion of the Clermont College of the Society of Jesus at Paris: March 21 and 22, "On the same day, the contest of the holy Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa." Under this same day they are inscribed in the Ambrosian, Chifflet, Mazarin, and other manuscript Menaea, as well as the printed ones, and in Maximus of Cythera with these words: "On the same day, the holy Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa are put to death by the sword." And the following distich is added in the printed Menaea:
Καλλινίκην τέμνουσι σύν Βασιλίσσῃ Τὰς καλλινίκους καὶ πόλου βασιλίδας.
"They cut down Callinica together with Basilissa, The noble victresses and queens of heaven."
[2] And thus far these things have been said concerning two women Martyrs; against which a doubt is raised from the manuscript Greek Menologion, which was compiled by order of the Emperor Basil the Younger in the tenth century, and the 26th, with a eulogy, in which, under March 26 (after the eulogy of SS. Philemon and Domnus or Domninus, whom we have treated with others on March 21), the following is read: "The contest of the Holy Martyrs Callinicus and Basilissa. Callinicus and Basilissa, Martyrs of Christ, lived in the province of Galatia during the reign of Decius. Basilissa, since she abounded in riches, gave money to Callinicus so that he might go to the prisons and bring provisions for the Christians enclosed there, that they might pray for her—namely, that they too might be of ready and upright mind for undergoing martyrdom and not fail in their tribulations. During these events, on a certain day Callinicus was seized and asked what his religion was. He, not knowing how to lie, confessed it. Wherefore he was bound and handed over to the Governor. The holy Basilissa was also seized and brought before the tribunal, and both, freely confessing Christ, were first subjected to various torments and punished, so as to be forced to deny Christ and sacrifice to idols. But since they could not be brought to this, their sacred heads were cut off with the sword; and so, eminently conquering the devil, they were made partakers of the kingdom of heaven." Thus the Menologion, in which the same kind of punishment and the same allusion to each name are found, as was brought forward from the Menaea; so that only the question of sex remains in dispute, on account of which we place the name of each in the title.
[3] among the Latins, March 22. The tables of the Roman Martyrology under March 22 indicate the names thus: "On the same day, the birthday of the holy Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa." In the Notes, the Menologion is cited, in which we have said they were recorded on the preceding day. But in the margin it is noted that they are placed under Trajan by Galesinius; his eulogy is as follows: "In Greece, SS. Callinica and Basilissa, who, under the Emperor Trajan, an enemy hostile to the faith, were struck with the sword and crowned with martyrdom." In his annotations, the Greek calendars are cited—for which reason he said they suffered in Greece, comprehending the regions of Asia in which the use of the Greek language flourished. But they seem to have been attributed to the persecution of Trajan because in the Menaea, without any title, the history of the Five Canonesses and the Virgin Drosida is attached, who is said to be the daughter of the Emperor Trajan—a narrative in which some things appear rather improbable. Drosida, daughter of Trajan, is reported with
five companions, either Canonesses or women, again on September 22, in the Menologion of Sirleto, the manuscript Synaxarion, and the Menaea, when they may be treated. François Laherius in his great Menologion of Virgins established Callinica and Basilissa as two companions of Drosida; and while he reproves others for not properly reading the Greek Menaea, he himself deserves the penalty of retaliation, having fallen into a similar error.