CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS SECUNDOLUS OR SECUNDUS, VERULUS, FELIX, SATURNINUS, SORECTES, ABATAS, AND THIRTEEN OTHERS IN MAURETANIA.
CommentarySecundolus or Secundus, Martyr in Mauretania (S.)
Verulus, Martyr in Mauretania (S.)
Saturninus, Martyr in Mauretania (S.)
Sorectes or Socretes, Martyr in Mauretania (S.)
Abatas, Martyr in Mauretania (S.)
[1] This last troop of Martyrs of this day is listed in the Martyrology of S. Jerome in these words: In Mauretania, of Secundolus, Verulus, Felix, Saturninus, Sorectes, and thirteen others. In our copy is added Abata, Memory in the sacred records. and Socretis is written, as Soretis in the Lucca codex, in which fifteen others are reported. Notker lists these from them: In Mauretania, of Secundolus, Verulus, Felix, Saturninus, and many others. In the Barberini manuscript, sixteen companions are joined with the same. In the manuscript of Queen Christina of Sweden praised by Holstenius, thus it reads: In Mauretania, of Secundus, Felix, Saturninus, and nineteen others. In the Cologne manuscripts of S. Mary ad Gradus, and of S. Maximinus of Trier, the first three, Secundolus, Felix, Saturninus, with sixteen others are indicated. In the manuscript of S. Martin of Tournai and of Liessies, thus it reads: In Mauretania, the deposition of SS. Verulus, Felix, Saturninus. In the manuscript of S. Martin of Trier, Felix and eleven others are attributed to Mauretania. But with no mention made of Mauretania, Secundulus is commemorated in the Reichenau and Augsburg manuscripts of S. Ulrich, and Secundolus in the Labbé manuscript, and Saturninus in the additions of Greven to Usuard, unless this pertains to the preceding class.
[2] We gave above eight Martyrs who suffered at Caesarea in Palestine, and among them S. Romulus, concerning whom it may be doubted whether, Whether S. Romulus should be joined, as we have more often observed to have happened, he was thence transferred to these Martyrs, or whether another Romulus should be joined to these. Certainly Usuard joins him to S. Secundolus in these words: In Mauretania, the birthday of SS. Romulus and Secundolus, brothers, who suffered for Christ. The former part is read in the Vallicella manuscripts of the Congregation of the Oratory at Rome, the Trier manuscript of S. Paulinus, and the Cologne Carmelite manuscript; but with altered phrasing, thus it reads in the Centula manuscript, the Liège manuscript of S. Lambert, and our codex under the name of Bede, and to be established as a brother of Secundolus. and in the manuscript of Ado from Lobbes, Morini, and Queen of Sweden, in these words: On the same day, of SS. Romulus and Secundolus, who suffered for Christ in Mauretania. In these the name of Brothers is omitted. Wandelbert celebrates them in this verse:
Romulus also fills the ninth, and Secundulus equally.
But Wandelbert often comprehends in a single verse Saints who pertain to different regions, cities, or classes. Meanwhile Peter de Natalibus, following, in book 11, chapter 130, number 96, has these: Romulus and Secundolus, Martyrs, suffered in Mauretania for Christ on the ninth day before the Kalends of April.
[3] Some light is added from the ancient manuscript Martyrologies of Cardinal Barberini and the monastery of S. Maximinus, Attributed to Africa elsewhere. while new obscurities seem to be added. In these, therefore, the following is read: In Africa, of Agapitus, Romulus. In Mauretania, of Secundolus, Verulus, Felix, Saturninus, and sixteen others; but "of many others" is read in Notker, who reports the rest in the same manner. We shall treat of S. Agapitus presently, but as attributed to Phrygia, who is nevertheless attributed to Africa by Rabanus. But everywhere without his companion Romulus, who seems to have been wrongly placed after Secundolus by others and added to the Moorish Martyrs. In the present-day Roman Martyrology the following is read: In Mauretania, the birthday of SS. Romulus and Secundus, brothers, who suffered for the faith of Christ. In the Notes is added: Concerning these, Usuard and Wandelbert, although elsewhere Secundolus is read for Secundus. Indeed both call him Secundolus along with the remaining Martyrologies, with only the single one of Queen Christina of Sweden praised by Holstenius excepted.
CONCERNING SAINT AGAPITUS IN PHRYGIA.
CommentaryAgapitus in Phrygia (S.)
[1] The very ancient Martyrology of the Most Serene Christina, Queen of Sweden, which Lucas Holstenius chiefly used in composing his Observations on the Roman Martyrology, and the Utrecht manuscript of S. Mary, S. Agapitus, whether a Martyr, and with them Bellinus, among other things have for this day: In Phrygia, of Agapitus. But the Centula manuscripts of S. Richarius and the Trier manuscript of S. Paulinus, as also Usuard in his handwritten and printed codices, more correctly report: In Phrygia, of S. Agapitus: in the Martyrology printed at Cologne and Lübeck in the year 1490, the word Martyr is added, which seems to be implied in the former. But Peter de Natalibus, book 11, chapter 120, number 98, writes thus: or a Confessor? Agapitus the Confessor flourished in Phrygia on this very day. Maurolycus, Felicius, and Galesinius followed.
[2] In the present-day Roman Martyrology the following is found: At Synnada in Phrygia, of S. Agapitus the Bishop. Whether another Bishop of Synnada: But whether it treats of the same Saint who is celebrated by others may be doubted. In the Notes is added: Concerning the same, Bede and Usuard, although corruptly Agabus or Agabius is read in some places. We gave the words of Usuard. The genuine Bede is silent. The Centula manuscript which bears his name we have already cited. But what was printed under his name has the following: And the birthday of the Saints Seleucis and Agabus. Which are thus read in Rabanus: In Syria, of Seleucis, and in Africa, of Agabus. We treated of S. Seleucus separately, as also of S. Agapius, who is here understood, among the Martyrs killed at Caesarea in Palestine, whom we said are attributed to Africa by others, and that S. Agapius is also called Agapitus, and we gave the reason for each.
[3] his eulogy from Suidas. There were, moreover, at Synnada, which was the metropolis of Phrygia Salutaris, several Bishops called Agapetus or Agapitus. Of these, one is mentioned by Socrates, book 7 of his Ecclesiastical History, chapter 6, who presided over that Church at the time of the younger Emperor Theodosius. Concerning another, whom Baronius in his Notes on the Roman Martyrology asserts is celebrated on this day, Suidas writes under the word Agapetus: Agapetus, Bishop of Synnada, whom Eusebius Pamphili greatly praises, and makes mention of his extraordinary miracles, narrating translations of mountains and rivers and resurrections of the dead: and how Maximinus, while he was still a soldier, wished to kill him as a Christian, because he had heard that many marveled exceedingly at his deeds. Having reported which things, Baronius in the Annals at the year 311, number 19, adds: Since in the extant History of Eusebius nothing of this sort is read, it seems to have been taken from some one of those commentaries of the same author which Suidas lists, hitherto undiscovered.