CONCERNING SS. PAUL, JULIAN, JULIUS, AND SABINUS, MARTYRS, AT CAESAREA OR ELSEWHERE.
CommentaryPaul, Martyr, whether at Caesarea or elsewhere (S.)
Julian, Martyr, whether at Caesarea or elsewhere (S.)
Julius, Martyr, whether at Caesarea or elsewhere (S.)
Sabinus, Martyr, whether at Caesarea or elsewhere (S.)
[1] In third place this band of Martyrs is proposed in the Martyrology of S. Jerome, but not in entirely the same way: for in our very ancient codex it reads thus: "In the Province of Carmilla, of Paul, Names in ancient Martyrologies, of Cessaria, of Julian." In the Lucense and Blumianum manuscripts, Caesareae or Caesariae is read in place of Cessariae. The Paris printed edition agrees, but after Julian adds Julius: the same is done in the Corbeiense manuscript, but Julianae is written in place of Juliani. In the Barberinian manuscript, headless indeed but very distinguished, these words are found: "In the Province of Carmilla, of Paul, of Caesarea, of Julian."
[2] We remain in doubt how many Martyrs are to be established -- whether only Paul, Julian, and Julius, with the first assigned to the Province of Carmilla and the other two to Caesarea; or whether Carmilla and Caesarea or Caesaria, what should be thought of Carmilla and Caesarea? or even Cessaria, should be taken as holy women. Luke Dacherius in the Index to the Martyrology of S. Jerome which he published omitted Carmilla among the names of the Saints, but included Caesaria. Florentinus in his Notes to the same Martyrology of S. Jerome scarcely doubts that the word Caesareae should be taken as referring to a Martyr, since other Martyrs who suffered at Caesarea are noted immediately after. But he considers the name Carmilla to be corrupt, since more exact geographers make no mention of it. While we look about on every side, this too occurred to us: that a transposition of words may have been made, as we have observed elsewhere, and that perhaps one should read: "In the province, that is the diocese or territory, of Caesarea, of Carmilla, Paul, Julian, Julius." For safety's sake, we place in the title only the last three of these: Paul, Julian, and Julius. Certainly in the Laetiense and Tamlachtense manuscripts, Paul and Julian are conjoined, but in the latter Caesaria was also placed before the others, and in the manuscript Ado of S. Lawrence near Liege and in the manuscript Florarium, Julian, Caesareus, and many other Martyrs are joined with the Felix reported above.
[3] Meanwhile the Richenouiense and Rhinoviense manuscripts have "of Caesarea, of Julian." Usuard in manuscript and printed codices, Julian is assigned to Caesarea, "In the city of Caesarea, of S. Julian," which is the same reading found in the Vatican manuscript of S. Peter's, Bellinus, Canisius, the manuscript Florarium, the Brussels Martyrology, and others. Maurolycus and Felicius added the title of Confessor, along with the Martyrology printed at Cologne in the year 1490: which was also done in today's Roman Martyrology. In the manuscript of the Cathedral Church of Prague, one reads: "In the city of Caesarea, of S. Julian. Likewise of Felix the Confessor." Whether, with Felix removed or transposed, the name Confessor adhered to S. Julian could be doubted. The Labbaeanum and Augsburg manuscripts of S. Ulrich also mention Julian and Paul with no place appended, and Julian alone is mentioned in another Vatican manuscript of S. Peter's, by Galesinius, and by Wandelbert cited above. The words of Galesinius are these, though much entangled: "In Africa also, of the most blessed Martyrs Felix, Theodore, Julian, Paul, and Dionysius, whose noble struggle and illustrious confession took place in that very Vandal persecution." The Martyrology of S. Jerome was written before that persecution. Then in the Notes, Usuard is cited, who assigns Theodore to Antioch and Julian to Caesarea and does not mention the others. Of Dionysius we shall treat presently.
[4] Two manuscript Martyrologies in Lombard script, one from the monastery of Cassino, Sabinus is added, the other from the Vatican library, numbered 5949, add another Saint, and after S. Theodore the Priest, without any place indicated: "Of Paul, Julian, and Sabinus" or S. Savinus, whom we add on account of the antiquity and use of those codices in various churches.