Felix the Deacon

ON ST. FELIX THE DEACON

MARTYR AT SEVILLE IN SPAIN.

Felix the Deacon, Martyr at Seville in Spain (St.)

G. H.

The tables of today's Roman Martyrology, on

this second of May, these words have:

At Seville of St. Felix Deacon and Martyr.

Then notes Baronius: Of him likewise in

the Toledo Breviary, Sacred worship where more in his

Ecclesiastical Office. Further in the Calendar of the Breviary, according to

the rule of B. Isidore, called Mozarabic, printed at Toledo

in the year MDII by command of Francisco Ximenes the Archbishop, these on

this day are indicated, Of Felix Deacon of Seville IX

Lessons. And these thence translated by Tamayo Salazar to

the Spanish Martyrology, because other ancient Acts are wanting,

here we give. CAPITULA. Felix, thy Martyr, O Lord,

both by name approved, and by gift consecrated, while

thou callest him by name and by gift consecratest him, Elogies from the Gothic Breviary that thou both

mightest call him foreknown and glorify him elect.

Of this confession therefore make us partakers, and of beatitude

partners render us: that thou consenting, the unhappy

he may rescue from the workhouses of the infernal regions, while he himself happy remains

unto eternity. BENEDICTION. Christ the Lord,

who this most blessed Martyr, both by merit Felix

made to be and by name, from every stain of unhappiness

may purge you. Amen. That he who through him happily the temporal

unhappinesses of the unhappy overcame, to felicity

eternal may bid you be numbered. Amen. That he who through this

Martyr enjoys the privilege of granted felicity, in

eternal felicity without end joyful may delight you.

Amen. PRAYER. Felix is, O Lord, whom thou so by thy

gift makest to be felix, that he knows not the pleasures

of transgression, that though he can transgress, that he has transgressed

he does not know, nor to do ill, since indeed

he can deviate from right paths. Who therefore, not by his own,

but by thy gift of this felicity merited the gift,

of our unhappiness by his prayers may wipe away the opprobrium;

that under the leadership of so great a Martyr governed in the world,

both the will of sinning may we not know to have,

and the faults of transgression may we be ignorant to perform.

PRAYER. O God author of eternal felicity, who

so much madest Felix thy Martyr to be felix,

that neither after gold he went nor in treasures

and moneys hoped, since without the contagion of avarice

shining pearls by preaching he sowed among the people;

grant us, that all the bonds of avarice abhorring,

the word of justice in our mouth we may bear, that the law

and mercy in our tongue having, the unhappiness

of the world by the merit of thy Felix we may overcome, and the felicity

of eternal life by his happier suffrage may attain.

Through the Lord. These in the said Breviary: to which

what he adds nowhere to have been able to find asserts Marieta in book 2

of the History of the Saints of Spain chapter 99. figments not even worthy to be refuted. An empty field therefore for sowing

tares having found those, who out of their own brain fabricated

afterward the Chronicles of Dexter and Maximus, of the same Felix devised

various things, from which and others some elogium of him

composed Tamayo Salazar: but it pleases not to dwell on figments

to be refuted. It suffices to have indicated, that in the church and the whole

diocese of Seville is venerated St. Felix Deacon Martyr under

a double rite of the second class, with the Credo in the Mass, the rest from the

Common of a Martyr taken, and the feast of St. Athanasius into the day

fifth of May translated.