Theodotus

ON SAINT THEODOTUS

BISHOP OF CYRINIA IN CYPRUS.

UNDER CONSTANTINE

Theodotus, Bishop, of Cyrinia, in Cyprus (S.)

G. H.

Among the cities of Cyprus on the Northern shore is Cyrinia, commonly Cerines, by the ancients Cerannium, situated on a high rock, where S. Theodotus the Bishop is reported in the Menaea to have suffered many things, with this eulogy: On the same day VI of May the contest of the most sacred Martyr Theodotus the Bishop of Cyrinia in Cyprus. Eulogy from the Menaea May 6, He lived under the Emperor Licinius and Sabinus the Governor, to whom brought he is beaten with ox-sinews, then suspended is lacerated through his whole body, then is stretched on an iron bed glowing with fire. Afterwards cast into prison, when the persecution ceased, by the decree of Constantine the Great he is freed from custody: and after he had survived two years more, he migrated to the Lord to the glory and praise of God, who made him glorious. These things in the said Menaea, which from there Sirletus transferred to his Menology. With this cited he is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology with these words: In Cyprus of S. Theodotus the Bishop of Cyrinia, who under the Emperor Licinius having suffered most grievous things, finally rendered his spirit to God in the peace of the Church. So the Roman Martyrology.

His Festival appears to have been more celebrated in the month of January; either on day XVII, on which it is referred in the said Menaea; or XIX, on which his encomium is in MS. Synaxarium of Clermont of the Society of Jesus at Paris: likewise the MS. Menaea of Milan of the Ambrosian library and the Paris of Cardinal Mazarin. and Jan 17 and 19 from MS. Synaxarium. That from the said Synaxarium we repeat, which is thus turned into Latin: On the same day XIX of January the contest of the holy Martyr Theodotus, Bishop of the city of Cyrinia in Cyprus. He was under the Emperor Licinius and Sabinus the Governor of the island of Cyprus. But for the confession of the Christian faith brought to Sabinus the Governor, he is beaten with ox-hide whips, then suspended and his flesh lacerated. Then is stretched on a fiery iron bed, from which by the grace of Christ he is wonderfully freed. Afterwards with nails driven through his feet he was forced to run. Cast finally into prison he remained, until at the end of the persecution, by decree of Constantine the Great he was loosed from chains, and the second year afterward departed from life. The festival is celebrated in the oratory of the most holy and immaculate Mother of God Our Lady, in the place which is called Harmatius. So there. The place called Harmatius, was the house of Harmatius the Master, who was a Domestic of Zeno, and betrayed the army of Basiliscus to him. Wherefore by the order of Zeno himself he was killed, when by a vault he was ascending to the tribunal of the Hippodrome. So Georgius Codinus on the Origins of Constantinople page 47 of the Louvre edition.

ON SS. VALERIUS AND VALERIANUS.

BISHOPS OF AUXERRE IN GAUL.

CENTURY IV.

Valerius, Bishop of Auxerre in Gaul (S.)

Valerianus, Bishop of Auxerre in Gaul (S.)

By G. H.

We have various ancient Breviaries of the Church of Auxerre, transmitted by Pierre le Venier the Penitentiary of the said Church: in which some veneration of SS. Valerius and Valerianus the Bishops and Confessors is prescribed, Cult in the Breviaries. and this Prayer is recited: God who us by the glorious confessions of your holy Confessors Valerius and Valerianus surroundest and protectest, grant us by their imitation to advance and by their intercession to rejoice. Valerius is delivered as the third Bishop of this See of Auxerre, and his successor Valerianus: who was present in the year CCCXLVI at the Council of Cologne, and subscribed to the deposition of a certain Bishop, denying Christ to be God: this indeed his sentence is indicated there: Valerianus the Bishop said, S. Valerianus condemns the Bishop of Cologne, Even if not all the fellow-elders here at Cologne, by the will of God who are gathered, had convened, it would have sufficed by five Bishops N… the blasphemer, who denies Christ to be God, according to his merits to be sentenced and by the same right to be deposed. Now however in the present we have learned greater things: for by the subscription of many dear laymen it is manifest, that he denies the primordial Lord and our God, when through all the Prophets it is manifest that He was before the foundation of the world with God the Father almighty, and that all sang that He was to come and to suffer for the salvation of the whole world, just as He himself fulfilled. Wherefore N… the false Doctor, who asserts only a mere man Christ to be, rightly by the voice of all his fellow-priests has been condemned. Therefore I consent, that if anyone shall bring his epistles through the Catholic Church, he be deprived of communion, and the same I judge justly to have been deposed. So there: from which we ascertain the time, in which he himself, as well as his predecessor Valerius, lived.

[2] Eulogies from the History of the Bishops of Auxerre. Philippus Labbe in volume 1 of the New Library of MSS. Books published the History of the Bishops of Auxerre, where this eulogy of his is read thus: Chapter III on S. Valerius. Valerius sat XVII years. Of S. Valerius, He was however in the times of Diocletian and Maximian, with Carus and Carinus Consuls, while at the city of Rome were administering the dignity of the Priesthood Caius, Marcellinus and Marcellus the Prelates, who also by the same tyrants were martyred: this blessed man having faithfully completed the course of life, on the II Nones of May migrated to Christ, and was buried near the mountain Autricus, beside his predecessor S. Marcellianus the Bishop. Chapter IV on S. Valerianus. And of S. Valerianus. Valerianus by nation a Gaul sat XXX years. He was however a man of the greatest sanctity and simplicity; but this Blessed One, when by the parents of S. Amator he was asked to come to his nuptials, namely that he might sanctify both with his blessing; by the will of God taking up the little book of the Sacraments, in place of the conjugal blessing imposed Levitical orders on them. He also with other Co-Bishops, namely Severinus of Sens, Solemnis of Chartres, Camillianus of Troyes, Pronicius of Meaux, Marcellus of Paris, ordained S. Euortius Bishop of Orleans. He was however in the times of Pope Melchiades and the holy Sylvester, under Constantine the Emperor, with Constantius and Volusianus Consuls, who full of sanctity died on the day before the Nones of May, and was buried beside his predecessors on mount Autricus. These from the said history of the Bishops of Auxerre.

[3] The Life of S. Amator, afterwards Bishop of Auxerre, we gave above on the Kalends of May: S. Valerianus a remarkable Preacher, in which is said S. Amator a most diligent man, whose mind, already inclined toward heaven, was held more inclined, with the precepts of the Lord more frequently inculcated to him by the most blessed Valerianus: for he was uphill and prone in the preachings of the most holy Valerianus. Then with some matters interposed about the nuptials of S. Amator these things are handed down: He is invited according to the custom of religious people at the entry of the bridal chamber Valerianus the Bishop, that he might confirm the omen of their union with the Lord's invocations. Who while approaching, taking up with his right hand the little book of sacred prayers, by the divine instinct already and providence of the perennial nature of the Maker of humanity, He consecrates S. Amator a Levite; for the union of association and the conjugal good when he wished to pour out prayers, he dedicated them by the sacred office of Levites. But none of those standing by, the things which had been done by the Bishop, except only those who enjoyed the blessings, was able to know… But after the most celebrated days of the nuptials had been completed, eager and concordant to S. Eladius the Bishop, who had succeeded the most blessed Valerianus, Amator and Martha the bride direct their steps: and falling down before him, and revealing the desires of their vows, he begged to be made a Cleric, she more and more asked to be associated with the number of the religious. So there. S. Eladius is venerated on May VIII: but S. Marcellianus predecessor of S. Valerius on the XIII of the same month of May, and the first of all Bishops S. Peregrinus the Martyr, also in this month of May, on day XVI.

[4] The sacred memory of these Bishops is inscribed in various Martyrologies. name of each in the Fasti, In MS. Liège of S. Lambert these are read: At Auxerre the deposition of S. Valerianus the Bishop and Confessor, and S. Valerius the Bishop. The same are read in MS. Florarium, and is added that S. Valerianus was the third Bishop after B. Peregrinus. In MS. Ado of the monastery of S. Lawrence at Liège both are treated, and is inserted the history of S. Amator related above. Which also is had in the illustrious MS. of the Queen of Sweden, perhaps written at Fulda and another MS. of the Lobbes monastery: but without mention of S. Valerius. So only of S. Valerianus the Bishop's deposition at Auxerre is asserted in the most ancient copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology of Echternach, and separately of S. Valerianus likewise in MS. Reichenau, and the fasti of Maurolycus and Felicius: and of S. Valerius. and on May XXI in MS. Florarium. But on the contrary of Valerius alone the Bishop's deposition at Auxerre is inscribed in the apographs Lucca, Corbie and Blumianus, and the MSS. Trier of S. Maximinus, Tournai of S. Martin, likewise in the Martyrologies of Notker, Greven, Canisius, and another of Cologne and Lübeck printed about the year MCCCCXC. These things we wished to describe more accurately, because someone outstandingly learned in Burgundian antiquity supposes the same Bishop to be Valerianus and Valerius, as if this name had been written by contraction.

[5] There is no other Valerius Martyr there. Galesinius from a cited MS. codex but very imperfect, published these: At Auxerre in Gaul of SS. Felix and Valerius the Martyrs. The same with Galesinius alleged has Ferrarius. But Felix one and another on this day is referred above among the Milanese Martyrs, from whom S. Valerius Bishop of Auxerre and Confessor is to be distinguished. Valerianus is mentioned in MS. Tamlactense.

[6] Time of the See Of the time in which S. Valerius sat or died nothing certain can we pronounce because the See could have been vacant for some years. Another reason is for S. Valerianus, because from the Life of S. Amator it is manifest that after the death of S. Valerianus immediately succeeded S. Eladius, whose death we shall refer to the year

CCCLXIV. Consult what was said on his Life and S. Amator's.

But because S. Valerianus is delivered to have sat at least thirty years, these are to be taken from about the year CCCXXXIV up to the said year CCCLXIV, and so in the third year of his See he would have been present at the Council of Cologne, and would have sat under the Emperors Constantine and his sons, Julian the Apostate and Jovian; and in his times the Roman Pontiffs were, Sylvester at least for some time, Marcus, Julius, Liberius, Felix II, Damasus, and Siricius. Of the years of both Pontiffs and Emperors, with great confusion of times adjoined in the History of the Bishops of Auxerre, we treated on the Life of S. Amator, about to treat again on the Life of S. Eladius. But if anyone shows a more certain way, that we shall gladly enter. In the Council of Cologne for the abdicated blasphemer, that the Bishop Ephratas was substituted, clearly orthodox, and in the history of S. Athanasius a most praised old man, and on that account soon a legate from the Synod of Sardica to the Emperor Constantius, we doubt nothing: and we judge by a base error to have been made, that his name was taken for the name of his predecessor, which as worthy to be unnamed perhaps was suppressed: and therefore we have expunged it from the above-related sentence, having substituted the letter N, sign of an indefinite name: but more on this matter we treat, on day XIII of May Chapter I on the Life of S. Servatius, who in the presence of S. Athanasius had refuted the blasphemer, when the latter still was in exile at Trier.