CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS OF CAESAREA: ROGATUS, ALEXANDER, DOROTHEUS, AUDACTA, MARY, MODESTUS, AND DAGOLAPHUS.
CommentaryRogatus, Martyr at Caesarea (Saint)
Alexander, Martyr at Caesarea (Saint)
Dorotheus, Martyr at Caesarea (Saint)
Audacta, Martyr at Caesarea (Saint)
Mary, Martyr at Caesarea (Saint)
Modestus, Martyr at Caesarea (Saint)
Dagolaphus, Martyr at Caesarea (Saint)
This group of Martyrs we present from the more ancient Martyrologies, the first of which can be considered the one attributed to St. Jerome, which various copies exhibit, and our own, which we have written nearly a thousand years ago, has the following: "On the fifth day before the Kalends of April, at the city of Caesarea, Rogatus, Alexander, Dorotheus, Audacta" -- with a Tarsan Martyr interposed -- the first four in various Martyrologies, Mary "likewise at Caesarea, Mary." But the Luccan and Blumian copies of the same St. Jerome report the following: "At Caesarea, Rogatus, Alexander, Dorotheus, Audacta." The same is read in the Cassino manuscript. In the Martyrology of St. Jerome printed at Paris, the name of Modestus is added. Modestus In the manuscript of the Queen of Sweden cited by Holstenius, only three are indicated: "At Caesarea, the birthday of SS. Rogatus, Alexander, Dorotheus." Three are also recorded in the Barberini and St. Cyriacus manuscripts: "At Caesarea, Rogatus, Dorotheus, and Audacta." But the first two only in the Arras manuscript. The Tournai, St. Martin's and Laetian manuscripts name the same two thus: "At Caesarea, the birthday of SS. Rogatus and Dorotheus, with ten others." Perhaps in place of these, others report sixteen, but as having suffered in Africa. But with no place indicated, the Augsburg and Labbe manuscripts report the names of Rogatus, Audactus, Castor or Castori, Alexander, Dorotheus. The first three names are also read in the Aachen manuscript; but Audactus and Castor also in Grevenus. Of these, Castor or Castorius is a Tarsan Martyr. The Trier manuscript of St. Maximin substitutes another city: "At Nicomedia, Rogatus, Castolus, Dorotheus, Caecilia, Alexander" -- where we fear "Caecilia" was put because Castor was crowned at Tarsus in Cilicia. Another arena is substituted in the Reichenau manuscript in Swabia and the Rhinovian in Switzerland: "In Africa, Rogata, Successus, and Dorotheus; and at Caesarea, Mary." Rogatus and Successus are African Martyrs also reported by others on this day, of whom we treated on the preceding day. Grevenus in his Additions to Usuard and Canisius also report the Virgin Rogata. Rabanus in his Martyrology has the following: "At Caesarea Mare, the deposition of St. Dagolaphus." Dagolaphus Where, for "Mare," we substitute "Mary" along with the Martyrologies of St. Jerome, the Reichenau, Rhinovian, and Tamlacht manuscripts. The Martyrology that exists under the name of Bede presents at the end the following: "At Caesarea, St. Dagalassus," in the Richeberg manuscript, "Dagalaphus the Martyr." Where we hesitate whether the name is perhaps corrupt from others, or rather should be joined to the others, which we do with this caveat. We also retain Alexander, although we have already given an Alexander as a companion of SS. Priscus and Malchus, since we know that name was very common in ancient times, and the fellow-soldiers are different both in number and names. Finally, what Caesarea this is where they suffered is not specified, since others were crowned at Caesarea in Palestine.
That some relics of St. Rogatus are at Bologna in the church of St. Francis is reported for this day by Masini in his Bologna Perlustrata, relics of St. Rogatus at Bologna perhaps because Rogatus the African is reported on this day in the Roman Martyrology, whom we said is celebrated by others on the 27th of this month.