Martyrs Peter

CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS PETER, MARCIAN, CASSIAN, JOVINUS, THECLA OR THEODOLA. SOME OF THEM HELD TO BE BISHOPS.

Peter, Martyr (St.)

Marcian, Martyr (St.)

Cassian, Martyr (St.)

Jovinus, Martyr (St.)

Thecla or Theodola, Martyr (St.)

[1] To St. Castulus the Roman Martyr, whom we have already treated, various companions are joined: and first in the manuscript Martyrology of St. Cyriacus, which Baronius made much use of, these words appear: At Rome, the birthday of St. Castulus and Timothy. In the very ancient manuscript of Trier, St. Maximin, in place of Timothy is added Diogenes. But these two Martyrs, Timothy and Diogenes, suffered at Antioch, Various persons related with St. Castulus, recorded by various authorities on this day, by most on April 7. But without any place assigned, in the Aachen manuscript these names are joined together: Castolus, Monatus, Peter, Marcian, Capanus. Hermann Greven, after relating the words of Usuard, in which St. Castulus and then the athletes of Sirmium are treated, adds these: Of the Martyr Serotinus. Also of SS. Peter, Martian, Capanus. The Augsburg Martyrology manuscript of St. Ulrich has this: At Rome, of Castulus: elsewhere, of the Martyr Moniotnus, of Peter, Marcian, Timothy, Theodolus. Which names in the Labbe manuscript are expressed thus: believed to have been either elsewhere At Rome, of Castulus, elsewhere, of the Martyr Monatus, of Peter, Marcian, Cassian, Timothy, Theodore. Meanwhile most of these are attributed to Rome by Galesinius from a manuscript codex, and after the encomium of St. Castulus, these are joined: At Rome moreover of the most blessed Martyrs Peter, Martian, Jovinus, Thecla, Cassian, Theoricus: or to have suffered at Rome. who by an admirable endurance of torments died for Christ. Which same things are related from Galesinius in the later edition of the German Martyrology. In the present Roman Martyrology, after the eulogy of the said Castulus, these words are read: In the same place, the crown of the holy Martyrs Peter, Marcian, Jovinus, Thecla, Cassian, and others. Baronius in his Notes says they were restored from an ancient manuscript, that Galesinius also treats of them on this day, and indeed from a manuscript which Baronius perhaps intended: we have not seen one similar to it: nor do we doubt that many illustrious things still lie hidden.

[2] We shall indicate some things about each from ancient manuscripts. And first, he who in three manuscripts is called Monatus and Moniotnus, is for others Montanus who suffered at Sirmium, about whom we shall presently treat, who therefore is rightly omitted in the latest Martyrologies. After him are listed Peter, Marcian, and Cassian, about whom below, Thecla also called Theodola, where we shall also examine the Episcopal Sees assigned to them. There is also in Galesinius the name Theoricus, for which in the Roman Martyrology is read "and others." Theodore seems to be the one expressed above in the Labbe manuscript and who suffered in the Pentapolis of Libya on this day. Why could not a similar error have arisen, so that the word "elsewhere" which is read in the Augsburg and Labbe manuscripts was changed to "there" and "in the same place": and thus they were ascribed to Rome? He who in the Aachen manuscript and in the additions of Greven is listed after Marcian as Capanus, is for others the already mentioned Cassian. The memory of SS. Jovinus and Thecla was lacking on this day in the Augsburg and Labbe manuscripts, but on the day before, that is, March 25, both are listed in them: and Thecla in the Augsburg manuscript is called a Virgin, Jovinus, also Juvinus or Jocundus. in the Labbe manuscript a Martyr. In the Tamlacht manuscript in place of Jovinus is read Junius, and in the copies of Lucca, Corbie, Blume, and our St. Jerome, also in the Prague and Altemps manuscripts, in place of Thecla is read Theodola, and in place of Jovinus in the said Lucca copy of St. Jerome, Juvinie of Burgo; in the Blume manuscript, Juvin Burgun; in the Corbie copy printed at Paris, Juvini the Burgundian. And these we thought should be presented from the ancient Martyrologies. We think this Jovinus is perhaps called Jocundus in the Hieronymian Martyrology printed at Paris, and joined to the Martyrs of Sirmium.

[3] Ferrari in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy treats of these Saints mentioned in the Roman Martyrology, and asserts that in the whole diocese of Reggio, The veneration of St. Cassian at Novellara, which is situated between Parma and Modena, the birthday of St. Cassian is celebrated on this day, because under Pope Clement VIII the body was brought from Rome to Novellara, a town of the said diocese of Reggio toward the North, where it has the chief veneration: on account of the sacred body brought there, which the people of Novellara chose as their Protector and Patron. But because we have not seen any authentic documents of this translation, we do not know how to judge among the many Martyrs called Cassian whose body that might be considered. Perhaps because this one is said to have been crowned at Rome, and they received that body from Rome, they necessarily concluded it must be his: just as some veneration of this St. Marcian exists at Bologna St. Marcian at Bologna. in the church of All Saints, because some Relics of his are said to be there. Consult Masini's Survey of Bologna.

[4] Francis Maria Florentinus in his Notes on the Martyrology of St. Jerome asserts that he fears the Peter, Marcian, and Cassian who with Jovinus and Thecla are attributed to Rome by Galesinius on this day, may from the ancient manuscripts be confused names from the Bishop of Sebaste, Martian of Heraclea, and Cassian, Bishops. So he says; we shall briefly present the ancient Martyrologies, They are called Bishops: St. Peter of Sebaste. leaving fuller judgment to others. And first, four copies of the Martyrology of St. Jerome have this about St. Peter: In the city of Sebaste, of Peter the Bishop. The manuscripts of Reichenau, Rhinow, Cassino, and the two Altemps copies agree. But without any place assigned, the memory of Peter the Bishop is celebrated in the Tamlacht manuscript and in the Calendar prefixed to the manuscripts of the works of St. Isidore in the Vallicella Library of the Fathers of the Congregation of the Oratory at Rome. But when this Bishop sat at Sebaste, and was subjected to martyrdom, is unknown. We treated on March 10, page 30, of St. Peter Bishop of Sebaste and successor of St. Blaise, who collected the Relics of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, but he is nowhere called a Martyr. He could have been his predecessor and suffered Martyrdom together with St. Paulinus, who is added in the Hieronymian Martyrology printed at Paris: unless St. Paulinus was attached from another place or day through error, since his name is absent in other copies. Bellinus of Padua published a Martyrology according to the usage of the Roman Curia, which was more fully reprinted at Paris in the year 1521, in which with the aforesaid manuscripts is assigned: In the city of Sebaste, the memory of Peter the Bishop.

[5] The second of the aforesaid Saints is Marcian, about whom our ancient copy has only this: In Aradeo, of Marcian. The Blume copy has: In Aradeo, of Martinian the Bishop: St. Marcian of Heraclea, where by the fault of the copyists the letter d seems to have been formed, as often elsewhere from the letters c and l; it should be read Aracle and Aracleo. The Lucca copy has: In Heraclea, of Martinian the Bishop. The Corbie copy printed at Paris: In Heraclea, of Martian the Bishop. The Altemps manuscript: In Heracleo, of St. Martial the Bishop. Bellinus cited above: In Aracleo, of St. Martial the Bishop. The manuscript of the Queen of Sweden, and from it Luke Holstein in his Observations on the Roman Martyrology: In Thrace, of St. Marcian the Bishop. Perhaps because the city of Heraclea is famous in Thrace, the region itself was indicated: or with the intermediate Saints, about whom we shall presently speak, and the city of Heraclea omitted, a full confusion of connection was made.

[6] The third finally is Cassian, Bishop in Celerno, whom four copies of St. Jerome and the aforesaid Bellinus list, placing him only in Celer. and Cassian of Celerna, Now Donatus, Bishop of Celerna or Celerina in Africa, was present at the Conference of Carthage held in the year 411.

[7] Between SS. Peter and Marcian certain persons were interposed

certain names in the four copies of St. Jerome: of these the Corbie copy printed at Paris has: In Thrace, of Sarmatinia. The Lucca copy, others interposed. Sarmatenia; the Blume copy, Sarmataemae; but our very ancient one divides it thus: In Thrace, Sarmatae, Armeniae. In the Tamlacht manuscript in place of these is the name of Maria. Whether from this the name of the Martyr Serotinus, which is found in the manuscript Florarium and in Greven and Canisius, was derived, we dare not conjecture. We add these in place of others who are joined to the above-mentioned Saints in the Roman Martyrology.