ON SS. DIODORUS AND RHODOPIANUS THE DEACON
MARTYRS AT APHRODISIAS IN CARIA.
CommentaryDiodorus, Martyr at Aphrodisias in Caria (St.)
Rhodopianus the Deacon, Martyr at Aphrodisias in Caria (St.)
G. H.
Cult on May 3 The Greeks in the Menaea and at Maximus Bishop of Cythera celebrate these Martyrs on the III day of May with these words: Contest of the holy Martyrs Diodorus and Rhodopianus the Deacon. These were in the times of Diocletian: but for the faith from their own fellow citizens many contumelies, punishments and stripes they bore
at Aphrodisias in Caria: at last with frequent stoning by the same overwhelmed, they returned their spirit to the Lord, and on April 29 which same words on April XXIX are read in the MS. Synaxarium of our Clermont College, which we received on loan at Paris; and in another which we saw at Milan in the Ambrosian Library. In the Menology of Sirletus they are said to have been stoned by executioners. The rest is the same. With this Menology cited, they are inscribed in today's Roman Martyrology with this phrase: At Aphrodisias in Caria of the holy Martyrs Diodorus and Rodopianus, who in the persecution of Diocletian were stoned by their fellow citizens. The same Galesinius reports and ascribes to Greece in his manner, by which he does not distinguish from it neighboring Asia, in which is the province of Caria between Ionia and Lycia, and in it Aphrodysia or Aphrodisias the metropolis.
ON ST. ARBONUS THE MARTYR.
CommentaryArbonus Martyr (St.)
G. H.
Four transcripts of the Hieronymian Martyrology, after the Roman Martyrs Alexander, Eventius and Theodulus reported, refer this Martyr only with these words: Birthday of Arbonus. In the Echternach codex was prefixed the copulative particle, &. Whether also at Rome he suffered, but in some year different from the aforesaid Martyrs, can be doubted: perhaps from other monuments at some time a resolution will be found. We have hitherto not yet known a Saint of this name.
ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS
MARIANUS, FORTUNATUS, SATURNINUS, RUFINA, FORTUNIO, AND ALSO FORTUNATUS
CommentaryMarianus, Martyr in Africa (St.)
Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (St.)
Saturninus, Martyr in Africa (St.)
Rufina, Martyr in Africa (St.)
Fortunio, Martyr in Africa (St.)
Fortunatus II, Martyr in Africa (St.)
G. H.
The Echternach Martyrology of S. Jerome thus sets forth these Martyrs: In Africa of Marianus, Fortunatus, Saturninus, Rufina, Fortuno, and also Fortunatus. In the remaining three transcripts of the same Martyrology Fortunionis is read, and the name of another Fortunatus is absent, but wrongly transferred to the Roman Martyrs Alexander and his companions. In the MS. of Reichenau these are held: In Africa of Marcianus, Fortunatus, Rufinus: for which Rufinæ is read in others. In the MSS. of S. Udalric of Augsburg and the Parisian of Labbe are reported the names of Urbanus or Orbanus (which pertains to the African Martyrs of the following day), Marcanus or Marcianus, and Fortunatus. In the MS. of Tamlactum, Rufina, Saturninus, Marianus, and Fortunatus.
ON SAINT VIOLA
VIRGIN AND MARTYR AT VERONA.
CommentaryViola, Virgin and Martyr at Verona (St.)
G. H.
Philip Ferrari in the Catalogue of Saints, who are not in the Roman Martyrology, on this III day of May from the tablets of the Veronese Church writes these things: At Verona Commemoration of S. Viola Virgin and Martyr: and adds in the Notes that her Commemoration is held there on this day. But where she suffered and when, neither from the monuments of the aforesaid Church, nor from elsewhere had he been able to know. The same Ferrari in the Catalogue of Saints of Italy celebrates the same, asserting that at Verona she is venerated on V Nones of May, as the Ecclesiastical tablets composed for the use of the Veronese Church testify. The rest is unknown. Following Ferrari, Arthur du Monstier reported the same in the Sacred Gynaeceum. Nicholas Brautius Bishop of Sarsina in his Poetic Martyrology honors the same with this distich.
The cruel tyrant could lacerate the body with torments,
But could not violate the faith of Viola.