Castulus

CONCERNING ST. CASTULUS, MARTYR AT ROME,

ABOUT THE YEAR 286

Castulus, Martyr, at Rome (St.)

[1] We give some illustrious deeds of St. Castulus and his noble Martyrdom from an ancient manuscript of the Imperial Monastery of St. Maximin near Trier. The same are exhibited in the Acts of St. Sebastian the Martyr, which from very many manuscript codices we gave on his birthday, January 20, Acts of martyrdom. and we said that they seemed first written by the Notaries of the Holy Roman Church, and then polished by St. Ambrose and arranged in the order in which they now stand; which can be seen there: here however we excerpt some things, as they have been translated again into Latin from the Greek. His sacred memory is inscribed in almost all the Latin Martyrologies on the 26th day of March, and first indeed in our copy of the Martyrology of St. Jerome, written about a thousand years ago, the name inscribed in martyrologies: these words are read: The 7th day before the Kalends of March, At Rome, the birthday of Castulus. But with the word birthday omitted, it is more briefly recorded in the very ancient manuscript codices of Reichenau, Rhinow, Augsburg St. Ulrich, and the Paris codex of Labbe. But the manuscript of Centula under the name of Bede: The Passion of St. Castulus the Martyr. The ancient Roman edition published by Rosweyde: At Rome, St. Castulus, Zetarius of the palace, as he is named below in the Acts. The place is indicated by the copy of St. Jerome, the Lucca and Blume codices: At Rome in the cemetery on the Lavican Way, the birthday of St. Castulus. The same is found in the Roman manuscripts, the Vatican of the Church of St. Peter, the Altemps, Barberini, also the Cassinese and that of the Queen of Sweden, and with these in his Calendar, Rabanus. In the very ancient manuscript of St. Maximin is read: On the Latin Way, St. Castulus. He is celebrated with a longer encomium by Florus in the ancient manuscripts of Arras, Liessies, and Tournai: On the same day, at Rome, St. Castulus the Martyr, who in the time of Diocletian, having been bound and three times hung up, three times heard; persevering in the confession of the Lord, was cast into a pit, and a mass of sand was let down upon him, and by such a martyrdom he departed to the Lord. Written in the Acts of St. Sebastian, where all those things are found.

[2] He is said to have been buried on the Lavican Way in the earlier Acts, and this is read in Usuard: but in Ado and Notker and the printed Bede it is added, in his own cemetery: Whether his cemetery was on the Lavican Way. but instead of "his own" is read in the manuscript of Ado belonging to the Queen of Sweden, in the cemetery of Pontian. There exists a cemetery of Pontian, also called that of SS. Abdon and Sennen, on the Portuensian Way at Ursum-Pileatum, about which Paul Aringhi treats in book 2 of Subterranean Rome, chapter 19. The same author in book 4, chapter 11, raises the question whether there was some cemetery of Blessed Castulus on the Lavican Way, or whether the words of Ado and Notker are to be understood of Castulus, or of the cemetery of the same Lavican Way, and for a resolution adds this: Among all therefore it has hitherto been undoubted that the sacred body of the unconquered Martyr was hidden by the pious hand of the faithful either in the same sand-pit where he had once suffered Martyrdom, and where afterwards the Christians had built a cemetery under his name, or certainly in the cemetery of the same Lavican Way, where the body of Blessed Tiburtius rested: and it is enough to have pointed this out to the reader. But even from this a scruple remains, whether those words "on the Lavican Way" have been transferred from the martyrdom of St. Tiburtius, which immediately precedes, with sufficient knowledge to the martyrdom of St. Castulus, since in many very ancient Calendars the mention of the Lavican Way is lacking. Meanwhile in the present Roman Martyrology these words are read: At Rome on the Lavican Way, St. Castulus the Martyr, who, being the Zetarius of the palace and host of the Saints, was three times hung up, three times heard, persevering in the Confession of the Lord, was cast into a pit, and a mass of sand being let down upon him, he was crowned with martyrdom. A Zetarius is the curator of dining rooms, and Zeta or Zaeta is said as if diaeta: about which word, after many others, Vossius variously discusses in his Etymology of the Latin Language.

[3] In the Archdiocese of Bohemia under the metropolitan see of Prague, St. Castulus is venerated this day with a double Office: the three Lessons Ecclesiastical Office: which are recited at Matins are mostly taken from the earlier Acts of martyrdom. Commemoration of the same is also made in the dioceses of Regensburg, Freising, and Passau: in the ancient Breviary of the last there is this Collect: May the reviewed Confession of your holy Martyr Castulus, O Lord, bring us an increase of pious devotion, who persevering in your name merited to be crowned. Through our Lord, etc. In the Legendarium of various Saints whose bodies rest in the church of the monastery of St. Felix at Pavia, printed in the year 1523, a compendium of the Passion of St. Castulus is related, and his body is said to be preserved with due honor in the church of the monastery of St. Felix the Pope, venerated on the 7th day before the Kalends of April. Masini celebrates St. Castulus in his survey of Bologna, because in that city among the nuns dwelling under the name of Jesus and Mary near the gate of Galerani, cultus on December 18. some Relics of St. Castulus the Martyr are kept. The Greeks venerate St. Sebastian with most of the Martyrs related in his Acts, and among these St. Castulus on December 18.

ACTS OF MARTYRDOM

From the ancient manuscript of the Monastery of St. Maximin, and the Prague Breviary.

Castulus, Martyr, at Rome (St.)

BHL Number: 1648

[1] In the time of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian there was a very great persecution of Christians: In the persecution so that throughout the whole world their most cruel ferocity remained established by edict: and afflicted all those devoted to the worship of the Christian religion with the most atrocious savagery. Let us therefore, Brothers, recall to our ears what great things our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for the glorious passion of the most blessed athlete and outstanding Martyr Castulus. When therefore a great multitude of believers was growing, and no safe place could be found to shelter their hiding place; St. Castulus receives Christians in his quarters: all were lodged with the most blessed Castulus, that outstanding worshipper of God, who at that time was the Zetarius of the palace: which Blessed Castulus himself dwelt near the palace in an upper place and very high. The reason why this ascent was found suitable was that the most blessed Castulus himself with all his household, as we have said, was most Christian, and a worthy and commendable servant of almighty God: and since the law raged everywhere with its fury, there could be no suspicion about those who were attached to the palace. Therefore, as we have said, all these were praying with Pope St. Caius at the dwelling of the most blessed Martyr of Christ, Castulus the Zetarius, in those upper rooms of the palace; and afflicted day and night with groans, occupied with fasts and prayers, they begged the Lord that they might be deemed worthy to be joined to the number of the holy Martyrs with the endurance of confession. And

religious men and women would ascend to them secretly into the house of this Martyr of Christ: whom he received with joy and provided them with fitting service in the name of Christ, he exhorts those coming to perseverance: refreshing them entirely and encouraging them to persevere in the confession, he strengthened them: and from the same Martyr Castulus and the other disciples they obtained various healings. For the Lord diligently worked many miracles of power through his servant and his other fellow-athletes and holy ones, with others he works miracles, in the house of the same Castulus, and by the prayers of the other Saints various persons were illuminated and healed, and demons were expelled from possessed bodies.

[2] For faithfully and constantly the outstanding Martyr of Christ, Castulus, preaching the Lord and Savior, by his preaching, converts drew many from the poisonous mouth of the devil, who had absorbed them by his fraud and deceived them and held them given over and enslaved to the worship of idols, and brought them to the true light of Christianity. These Blessed Castulus would bring secretly into his house and presenting them to Blessed Pope Caius, who was hiding there with the other Saints, would offer them, saying: Behold, venerable Father, receive those whom the Lord and our Redeemer has gained through me, he offers them to Pope St. Caius for baptism: his lowly servant. And the venerable Pope, receiving them with great joy, immediately taking their names one by one, baptized them all and added them to the number of the Saints.

[3] Meanwhile, while these things were happening, Blessed Tiburtius encountered a man St. Tiburtius in performing miracles, who had fallen from a height and shattered his head and all his limbs, so that those who were said to be his parents were only thinking of his burial. Then he said to them: Allow me to pray over him, and perhaps he will recover his health. And when all had given him room, he approached and over his wounds softly recited the Lord's Prayer and the Creed: and his limbs and head and all his organs were made whole, as if nothing bad had happened to him. When his parents saw this, immediately, with Blessed Tiburtius preaching to them, they believed in Christ the Lord: and bringing them to the house of Castulus, he said to Blessed Pope Caius: in converting various people Venerable Father and Prelate of the divine law, behold those whom Christ has gained through me today, in whom my faith, like a young sapling, has first burst forth into fruit. Then St. Pope Caius baptized the young man with his parents, and by his preaching has a beloved companion: giving thanks to the Lord. Blessed Castulus was joined with Blessed Tiburtius in a bond of firm love, and united alike in the ministry of preaching, at no moment of any hour did they desist from the office of preaching. For almighty God bestowed upon the most blessed Castulus such grace of restoring health to the sick, that he restored sight to the blind, the ability to walk to the lame, and by continual prayer restored former health to those who had long remained in sickness and were constrained by severe diseases: and after the recovery of bodily health, he converted all to the faith.

[4] But when such great powers of healing were being performed through Blessed Castulus, he is seized by the Prefect Fabianus: and a multitude of people was coming to the faith, his fame also spread widely and came to the ears of the most impious Fabianus, Prefect of the city. Then the same Fabianus reported about him and the other Saints to the most impious Augustus Diocletian: and immediately, filled with great fury, he ordered the Prefect Fabianus to seize Blessed Castulus and the other Saints and confine them in close custody. And because it would be too long to describe everything in order, how much those glorious Martyrs endured for the name of Christ, we explain the triumph of their Martyrdom in brief speech, and return to describing especially the Martyrdom of Blessed Castulus. Therefore after tortures of various kinds, all those Saints, persevering in the true confession of the name of Christ, were crowned. After this the most cruel Prefect ordered Blessed Castulus, he contemns the threats, whom he had kept wasted in custody for a long time, to be brought before him: and he attacked him with great fury and threats, that he should withdraw from the faith of the Christians, and that he should sacrifice to the images of Mars and Jupiter, and offer incense to them. But the Blessed Martyr Castulus, fearless and constant in the name of Christ, counted his threats and terrors as nothing. And when he could not tear his fearless mind from the love of Christ, immediately the most impious Prefect ordered the most Blessed servant of God Castulus to be suspended head downward on the rack, and to be most savagely beaten with leaden weights. he is cruelly tortured: And while he was beaten for a long time, he gave thanks to almighty God, saying: Behold the glorious day which I have always desired: behold the hour desirable with all joy, which I have eagerly awaited. I give you thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, who made me worthy to suffer for your name. But the most cruel Prefect, seeing such great constancy of the venerable Martyr in the faith of Christ, ordered various kinds of punishments to be applied to him: but he could in no way prevail against the athlete of Christ. Suspending him three times, hearing him three times, and testing him with powerful blows of scourging, since the most blessed Castulus remained firm and strong in the confession of the Lord, he was cast into a pit and a mass of sand was let down upon him, he is crowned with martyrdom: and thus with the palm of Martyrdom he departed to Christ: and in the same place, on the Lavican Way not far from the city of Rome, his body rests buried: he is buried on the Lavican Way. in which place Christ has bestowed many benefits, to the praise of his name even to the present day. With the Lord reigning. Amen.

OTHER ACTS OF MARTYRDOM

From the Life of St. Sebastian the Martyr.

Castulus, Martyr, at Rome (St.)

BHL Number: 1647

[1] After Carinus was conquered and slain at Margum, in the consulship of Maximus and Aquilinus, so savage a persecution arose When the persecution arose that no one was allowed to buy or sell anything unless they burned incense to certain small statues placed in the place where people gathered for buying. Moreover around the neighborhoods, streets, and waters, enforcers were posted who would not grant the power of grinding or drawing water except to those who had made offerings to idols. And so by the counsel of Pope St. Caius, the most illustrious Chromatius received all the Christians into his house, and so fostered them all that none at all succumbed to the necessity of sacrificing. But because the force of the persecution was so great that the reputation of the Christian religion he had embraced could no longer be hidden, Chromatius obtained by a sacred rescript that, for the sake of medical treatment, he might remain on the Campanian coast, where he was lord of broad lands. And he gave the opportunity to all Christians who wished to go with him, some migrate from the City: to migrate there to avoid the rage of persecution. Then a pious contention arose between the saints Polycarp and Sebastian, as to who should remain in the city and who should go with Chromatius, who had received so many Christians. While they were thus disputing, the venerable Pope Caius said: While you both seek the crown of suffering, you deprive the people of the Lord of consolation. Wherefore it seems to me that you, Brother Polycarp, who hold the right course of the priesthood and are filled with the gifts of God's knowledge, should go to strengthen the minds of believers and confirm wavering spirits. Hearing this, he acquiesced and bore the gentle command of the Pope with equanimity. And so came the Lord's Day, on which Pope Caius, performing the things of God, within the house of Chromatius with all assembled, addressed them all with this speech: Our Lord Jesus Christ, foreknowing human frailty, established two degrees for those believing in him, namely of confession and of martyrdom: so that those who fear they cannot bear the weight of martyrdom may hold the grace of confession, and yielding praise to the soldiers of Christ about to fight and battle for his name, they should take care of them with solicitude. Let therefore those who wish go with our sons Chromatius and Tiburtius, and let those who wish remain with me in this city. For the distances of lands do not divide us whom the grace of Christ binds: nor do our eyes feel your absence, because we behold you with the gaze of the inner man.

[2] There remained therefore with the venerable Pope, Marcellian and Marcus, and their father, the most illustrious Tranquillinus, others remain in the City, likewise Blessed Sebastian, and a young man, most beautiful in body but more beautiful in mind, St. Tiburtius: also Nicostratus the Protoscriniarius, with his brother Castorius and his wife Zoe, and Claudius also with his brother Victorinus and his son Symphorian, who had been freed from the disease of dropsy. These alone, with all the rest departing with Chromatius, remained in the city with Pope Caius: who sanctified Marcus and Marcellian with the honor of the Diaconate, but made Tranquillinus their father a Priest, and constituted Blessed Sebastian, who was hiding under the guise of military service for the benefit of many, Defender of the Church: and the rest he made Subdeacons. But because no safe place could be found to shelter their hiding place, in the quarters of St. Castulus: they all stayed with a certain Christian named Castulus, Zetarius of the palace, who dwelt in a very high place of the same palace. This dwelling was thought suitable for the reason that Castulus himself with all his household was most Christian, and the law concerning sacrifices, although it raged everywhere with its fervor, was not at all enforced against those who were attached to the palace, because no suspicion could arise about them. Therefore all these, as we said, stayed with the holy Pope Caius at the house of Castulus; and day and night, occupied with groans, weeping, fasts, and prayers, they prayed to the Lord that they might be deemed worthy of the endurance of confessing him, and might merit to be admitted to the number of the holy Martyrs. And religious men and women would ascend to them secretly, they are renowned for miracles. since they obtained from the Saints various graces of healings. For the eyes of the blind were illuminated by their prayers, and health was restored to the sick, and demons were expelled from possessed bodies.

[3] Meanwhile a certain Torquatus attached himself to Bishop St. Caius with feigned faith, saying he was a Christian. But he was an apostate, and a fraudulent man in every word, Torquatus insinuates himself among others as a Christian: and crafty in every commission. What more? When he was frequently rebuked by Blessed Tiburtius, a noble, learned, and holy man, for arranging the hair on the top of his forehead by the barber's art, for continually feasting and dining at play, for delighting in the sight of women, for withdrawing himself from fasts and prayers, for being given to sleep and not being present all night as the others sang hymns to God: when, I say, he was more sharply reproved by Blessed Tiburtius for these things, he pretended to accept his admonitions willingly, and contrived that unbelievers should seize St. Tiburtius while praying, and in that seizure he arranged to be taken himself, and to be led together before the secretariat of the raging Judge. When they had been brought there, Fabianus the Prefect said to him who had by craft betrayed himself: What is your name? And he replied: Torquatus. Fabianus said: he betrays St. Tiburtius, What do you profess? Torquatus said: I am a Christian. Fabianus said: Do you not know that the most invincible Princes have ordered that those who refuse to sacrifice to the gods be tortured with various punishments? Torquatus said:

This is my master, and he has always taught me: what I see him do, I too must do. Fabianus, turning to Tiburtius, said: Have you heard what Torquatus asserts? What do you answer to this? Tiburtius said: It is a long time since Torquatus has been lying that he is a Christian. For the very power of the holy name takes it gravely and ill that its name should be usurped by those who are not its true lovers. In truth, most illustrious sir, this Christian name belongs to divine power, namely of the followers of Christ, who have truly philosophized, who have bravely fought to trample down lusts. Do you believe, most illustrious sir, blaming his conduct, that this man is a Christian, who arranges the fringes of hair on his head in self-adornment, who cultivates the barber, who minces softly on his shoulders, who extends his loose gait with improper straining, who, neglecting men, gazes more curiously at women? Christ never deigned to have such plagues as his servants. But since this man has asserted that he would imitate me, you yourself will now prove in his presence that he was lying: for what he has always been, he now clearly shows. Fabianus said: You will do more wisely if, looking after your own safety, you do not spurn the decrees of the Princes. Tiburtius said: Indeed I consult my safety no better than by despising gods and goddesses, and confessing one Lord Jesus Christ to be my God. Torquatus said: Not only is he himself a cruel Christian, but he also deceives others, persuading and teaching that all gods are demons: and he himself with his companions, with whom he practices magical arts, is occupied day and night with incantations. Tiburtius said: A false witness will not go unpunished. This man whom you see, most illustrious sir, boiling with the cares of his malice, attached himself to the Christians for no other reason than to pretend to us that he was a Christian, and to pose as most faithful to others. But I used to reproach in him his Cyclopean gluttony, the stench rising from wine, and the sanctity of the divine name buried in him. Drunk, he suffered thirst, and vomiting, hunger: nor as a Christian, but like that famous Antonian banqueter of old, he ate, drank, vomited: and now he accuses Christians and charges Christians, and inciting a mild judge against them, he extends the sword to one unwilling, and urges us to bow our necks to demons.

[4] Then the angered Fabianus dictated the sentence, saying: Let the blasphemer of the gods and defendant of atrocious injuries be punished with the sword. then the Martyr: He was led out on the Lavican Way at the third milestone from the City, and pouring out prayer to the Lord, was struck with one blow of the sword and departed: and was buried in the same place by a certain Christian who appeared... After this Torquatus contrived that Castulus, the Zetarius of the Palace, host of the Saints, should be seized: after whom St. Castulus is crowned. who when he had been bound, and he too three times hung up, three times heard; persevering in the confession of the Lord, was cast into a pit, and a mass of sand was let down upon him, and he too with the palm of martyrdom departed to the Lord... Irene, the wife of the Martyr Castulus the Zetarius, went by night to take up and bury the body of St. Sebastian. And finding him alive, she brought him to her house on the high stairway, where she lived near the palace, and there within a few days he recovered complete health.