ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS
CELERINUS, MAXIMUS, VICTURUS, POTENTELLA, ABBA, FAUSTINA AND MANY
OTHERS, LIKEWISE AUGUSTINUS BISHOP, VICTURUS, GAIUS, ANTUS, MAXIMUS,
CELERINUS, FRONTONUS, QUINTUS,
FLAVIA, MARTIALIS, PRIVATIANUS, SEPTIMIA, DEXTER, QUINTA, ARNESUS, DONATUS,
LIKEWISE DONATUS, OCTAVIANUS, LIKEWISE DONATUS, MARINUS, NAVIGUS, PULVERUS, ROGATA,
VICTORIUS, MUDERUS, FORTUNUS, VICTURUS, SECUNDUS, CELEDONIA, OR CECILUS AND
DONATA, SATURNINUS, DONATA, NAVIDA, FORTUNATA, FELIX, JULIUS, CRESCENTIUS,
GALLICUS, JUSTINIANUS, VITALICUS, ROGATIANUS, LUCELLA, HONORATUS, FELICIA,
SAVINA, SALTUS OR SULLITUS, SIMPLICIUS, FLAVIA, ALEXIUS, CATULA, EUTICIA,
PECULIARIS, GERMANUS, ROGATA, MARCELLA, ODEMARUS, ERCOLA, SATURNINA,
PRIMOLUS, CASTULA, DONATUS, FELIX, VICTORIUS, PROCESSUS, ANTONINA, SAPIDA,
DONATA, SECUNDIANA, LIKEWISE DONATA, MARTIALIS, JANUARIUS, TUNIDUS, VICTURUS,
LIKEWISE FORTUNATUS, CRESCENTIUS, GERMANUS, AVIDA, FORTUNATUS, LIKEWISE ROGATA,
EPAPHRODITUS, MARCELLINUS, FLORIANUS, PALATINUS, FAUSTINUS BISHOP, EUTICUS
AND ANOTHER LVI OR XLV.
CommentaryCelerinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Maximus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Potentella, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Abba, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Faustina, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Many others, Martyrs in Africa. Augustinus, Bishop, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Gaius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Antus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Maximus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Celerinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Frontonus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Quintus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Flavia, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Martialis, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Privatianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Septimia, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Dexter, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Quinta, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Arnasus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Octavianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Marinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Navigus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Pulverus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Rogata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Victorius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Muderus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Fortunus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Secundus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Celedonia or Cecilus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Saturninus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Navida, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Fortunata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Felix, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Julius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Crescentius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Gallicus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Justinianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Vitalicus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Rogatianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Lucella, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Honoratus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Felicia, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Savina, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Saltus or Sullitus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Simplicius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Flavia, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Alexius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Catula, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Euticia, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Peculcaris, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Germanus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Rogata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Marcella, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Odemaris, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Ercola, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Saturnina, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Primolus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Castula, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Felix, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Victorius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Processus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Antonina, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Sapida, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Secundiana, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Martialis, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Januarius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Tunidus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Crescentius, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Germanus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Avida, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Rogata, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Epaphroditus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Marcellinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Florianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Palatinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Faustinus, Bishop, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Euticus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Another LVI or XLV Martyrs in Africa
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
[1] This is the other class of Martyrs, which with purpled blood in Africa was crowned: and perhaps to be distinguished into two bands: The first band Of these the first is inscribed in the ancient apographs of the Hieronymian Martyrology in this manner in the Epternach codex: In Africa of Celerinus, of Maximus, of Victurus, of Pudentella, of Abba and of many others. In the arena of martyrdom and in the two first athletes the other codices agree, but to the third Victurus or Victorus is added the title of Bishop; and in place of Pudentella is written Porentella, Potentella and Potentilla: and the name of Abba is wanting, perhaps drawn from the prior name, and wrongly repeated. In Notker in its place is had the name of Faustina, and so the rest are set forth: In Africa of Celerinus, of Maximus, of Victurus, of Potentilla, of Faustina and of innumerable others. In the MS. of Trier of S. Maximinus there are commemorated in Africa Celerinus and Maximus. But the arena being omitted there are indicated in the MS. of Tallaght Celerinus, Maximus, Victorius, Pudentella, Abba: and Celerinus alone in the MSS. of Prague, of Augsburg and of Labbe, likewise in Greven and Canisius, but these call him Bishop and Confessor: so also they make Victurus or Victorus a Bishop in the codices of Corbie, of Lucca and the Blume one.
[2] The other band is so widely indicated in the most ancient Epternach apograph. Likewise of Augustinus, of Victurus, of Gaius, the second band from the Epternach MS., of Antus, likewise of Maximus, of Celerinus, of Fortunus, of Quintus, of Flavia, of Martialis, of Privatianus, of Septima, of Dexter, of Quintus, of Arnesus, of Donatus: likewise of Donatus, of Octavianus: likewise of Donatus, of Marinus, of Navigus, of Pulverus, of Rogata, of Victurus, of Muberus, of Fortunus, of Victurus, of Secundus, of Celedonia, of Saturninus: likewise of Donata, of Navida, of Fortunata, of Felix, of Julius, of Crescentius, of Gallicus, of Justinianus, of Vitalicus, of Rogatianus, of Lucella, of Honoratus, of Felicia, of Savina, of Stultus, of Simplicius, of Flavia, of Alexius, of Catula, of Euticia, of Peculiaris, of Germana, of Rogata, of Marcella, of Udemarus, of Stercola, of Saturnina, of Primola, of Castola, of Donatus, of Felix, of Victorius, of Processus, of Antonina, of Sapida, of Donata, of Secundiana: likewise of Donata, of Marcialis, of Januarius, of Diuvus, of Victurus, of Tunidus: likewise of Furtunatus, of Criscentius, of Germanus, of Asida, of Furtunatus: likewise of Rogata, of Epaphroditus, of Marcellinus, of Palatinus, of Faustinus the Bishop, of Euticus and of others LVI.
[3] compared with other MSS. Behold eighty-four Martyrs expressed by their names, whom by decades we compare with other apographs of the Hieronymian Martyrology, and we add some. Of the rest the standard-bearer is called Augustinus the Bishop in the MSS. of Lucca and Blume: who I fear lest from the class of the Nicomedian Martyrs he be here repeated: I leave it however as I found it. Then in place of Victurus is written Victorius in the same: of Gaius, Gagius, Gajanus and Gagiantus, and then the name Antus is omitted, as also the name of Furtunus, of Frontinus, or of Frontanus; and with Martialis the Blume MS. fails for some space. In the second decade is the name of Septima, of Septimia and of Septimina, and in place of Quintus is in others Quinta, then of Arnesus, of Ornesus and of Amesus. The other Donatus is wanting in the Corbie one, and in it is read the name of Marianus, as in the Lucca one of Octaviana. In the third decade are in the Lucca one the names of Rogatus, of Mulierus, of Victorius. In the Corbie one the names of Muberus, of Fortunus are wanting, and for Victurus is Victurius and in place of Celedonia in each is read a double name, of Cecilus, of Donata. In the fourth decade and thenceforward the order is changed, and in place of Justinianus in the Corbie one is had the name of Justianus, and is interposed the name of Donatus, who above in the Corbie one had been wanting. In the fifth decade in place of Stultus is had Saltus and Sullitus. In the sixth decade the names vary greatly; and for Germana, in others is Germanus; for Marcella in the Lucca one Maricella; and Udemarus, Odemarus and Odemara is written: likewise Stercola, in others is Ercola: and Primola, Primolas: and Donatus in the Corbie one Donata. In the seventh decade for the names of Victorius and of Sapida, in the Corbie one is Victurus and Sapis. The name of Antonina in each is wanting, and for Januarius in the Corbie one is Januaria, and Donata is wanting in the Lucca one. In the eighth decade in place of Diuvus is in others (even in the Blume one which is here resumed) the name of Tunidus or Tunnidus; and of Victuria or Victoria in place of Victurus: and Avida in place of Asida is written: and the name of Fortunatus is wanting, and in the Lucca one of Rogata. Finally in the last order is added in others the name of Florianus or Floridianus, and in place of Euticus in the Lucca one is Eusticus. The number of Martyrs subjoined to those, LVI, is in others XL or XLV. Of these in the MS. of Tallaght are reported the names of Martialis, of Fronto, of Quintus, of Celerinus, of Privatinus, of Arnesius, of Donatus, likewise of Donatus, of Gaginatus, of Navigaius, of Pulunius, of Octavianus, of Flavia, of Septimna, of Dextra, of Quinta, of Rogata, of Felicitas.
[4] some in other calendars. He who of this band of African Martyrs is placed first, Augustinus, is also reported in the MS. of Trier of S. Maximinus: and Quintus in the MS. Calendar found before the works of S. Isidore of Seville, and Antus in the MS. of Monte Cassino. He who to the prior class as Frodisius and Afrodisius by some is added, we have here rejected; judging that he can be the one who here is called Epaphroditus. He who to the Nicomedian Martyrs in the MSS. of the Vatican of S. Peter, of Monte Cassino and of Altemps is added, Maximus, also pertains here.
[5] Did they suffer in the time of S. Cyprian? At what time these Martyrs suffered is not clear. Florentinius inclines toward the times of S. Cyprian, whose is that saying in his Exhortation to martyrdom chapter XI. Afterward, the abundance of virtue and faith overflowing, the Christian Martyrs cannot be numbered. Furthermore to the prior band Notker adjoins innumerable others, and so honorably omitted the latter band.
ON S. JUVENAL THE MARTYR.
CommentaryJuvenalis, Martyr (S.)
G. H.
[1] The name of this Saint, referred to this VII of May and some other days, is most well-known, Sacred cultus in the ancient calendars. but his deeds lie hidden, so that not even concerning the place and time, in which he flourished, can anything certain be brought forth. Usuard in all his exemplars without exception, both written by hand and printed in type, hands down these things: On the same day of S. Juvenal the Martyr. The same things are had in Bellinus, Molanus, Greven, in the Martyrology printed at Cologne and Lübeck in the year MCCCCXC, and in the present Roman Martyrology. In Ado, both in various parchments described and printed by Mosander and Rosweid, these things are thus expressed: The birthday of S. Juvenal the Martyr. Bede on this day is empty: but the Martyrology afterward printed under his name reports the aforesaid things from Ado. Notker has nearly the same things in this phrase, The nativity of S. Juvenal the Martyr. And these are by Ado and Notker in the first place reported: and concerning him alone Wandelbert has this verse on this day: Saint Juvenal honors the Nones with a pious death. Similar things are in the ancient MS. calendars of Trier of S. Maximinus and of S. Martin, of Liège of S. Lambert, and in the Dijon Supplement to the genuine Martyrology of Bede, and in the MS. Florarium of the Saints: likewise in Maurolycus, Felicius and other more recent ones. These things since they were everywhere thus had, and no place was expressed, it seems that liberty was given to others of attributing this Martyr to their own churches.
[2] Marius de Vipera in his Catalogue of the Saints whom the church of Benevento celebrates, judges that this Saint is there venerated under a double rite on the second day of May, and brings forth this elogium of him: Juvenal the Martyr, distinguished for the frequency of miracles, The body of some Juvenal at Benevento shone forth especially at Benevento. For when the city itself was wonderfully afflicted with pestilence, by his intercession and patronage it was made free and sound. His body in the city itself, within the venerable temple of S. Sophia, under an altar specially dedicated to him is kept, and with great concourse of the people is venerated: especially on the sixth of the Nones of May, on which day his feast is celebrated at Benevento: cultus on May 2 as from the deeds of the glorious Martyr himself, in the same church it is had. And we confess him to be the one, of whom the Roman Martyrology under the seventh day of this month treats, and we believe this day to be that of the Translation. Thus Vipera, citing in the margin an ancient MS. Martyrology of the library of Benevento marked with the number 178, besides which, if there are had any deeds of some S. Juvenal of Benevento, we desire them to be communicated to us, who are about to treat of him separately, lest the disputations be multiplied. At the same second day of May the name of S. Juvenal is inscribed in the ancient Martyrology of the Queen of Sweden often alleged by us. May 3, But on the day III of May in the MS. Roman one of Cardinal Barberini toward the end is added: Elsewhere of S. Juvenal the Martyr. In Greven also, after the reported S. Juvenal the Bishop, from Usuard is added: On the same day of Juvenal the Martyr. But on the fifth day of May in the MS. of Monte Cassino, May 5 and 6. among other Martyrs, is the name of S. Juvenal: and again on the sixth day is reported S. Juvenal the Martyr in four MS. Calendars of ours. Which all things concerning S. Juvenal, referred to this VII day, seem to be understood.
[3] Baronius in the Notes to the Martyrology at the day III and this VII of May, whether the one here referred is the Bishop of Narni is of opinion that S. Gregory makes mention of him in Homily 27 on the Gospels, as if S. Juvenal the Martyr were the Bishop of Narni, and in that church buried. But Ferrarius in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy
at this VII of May, of S. Juvenal the Roman Martyr writes these things: On this day Juvenal the Martyr in the Martyrology of Usuard and the Roman one is commemorated: whom Baronius is of opinion to have been Bishop of Narni, of whom S. Gregory the Pope in Homily 27 speaks. But we, since at Narni no memory of Juvenal the Martyr exists, or the Deacon of S. Alexander the Pope, distinct from Juvenal the Bishop and Confessor; rather believe this Juvenal to be the Deacon of S. Alexander the Pope, of whom Peter Galesinius in his Martyrology treats on the day III of May, and ancient MSS. cites. But that those MSS. of Galesinius do not deserve much credit we have often shown, and we have accurately discussed the acts of S. Alexander, without any mention of Juvenal the Deacon.
[4] or the Bishop of Terni? The same Ferrarius in each Catalogue at this VII of May refers S. Juvenal Bishop of Terni: from whose Acts, if they were extant, it would be perceived whether he was different from Juvenal Bishop of Narni. For this one S. Proculus Bishop of Terni, the second of that name, built a church on a hill, to which from the holy Bishop the name is given, in the territory of Terni. Thus he. In the Milan Missal of the year MDXXII and the Breviary printed in the year MDXXXIX no mention is made of S. Juvenal the Bishop and Confessor on the day III of May, but his memory is transferred to this VII of May: which things concerning S. Juvenal of Narni are to be understood. Of whom we have sufficiently treated on May III, and we have shown that there is no reason why besides this one another Bishop of the same name of Narni or of Terni should be established.
ON S. PLACIDUS OR PLACITUS
PRESBYTER AT AUTUN IN GAUL.
CommentaryInnocentius, African Bishop, at Gaeta in Italy (S.)
G. H.
Autun, an ancient and famous city of the Aedui, on the river Arroux, in the present Duchy of Burgundy, adorned with an ancient Episcopal See under the Archbishopric of Lyon, has very many Bishops ascribed to the Saints; among whom whether S. Placidus is to be reckoned, S. Placidus of whom we here treat, is with reason doubted. Such he is acknowledged in the MSS. of Arras of the Cathedral church, by some he is held a Bishop, and of Tournai of S. Martin, and under the name of Placitus in Notker, and in the MSS. of Trier of S. Maximinus, and of Liège, a double one, of S. Lambert and of S. Laurence; likewise in the Florarium of the Saints, and in the auctary of Usuard by Greven and Molanus in the first edition with Canisius and Ferrarius, in which these words are had: At Autun of B. Placidus or Placitus the Bishop. Adds Galesinius, "and Confessor": and Saussay, "of divine grace an excellent dispenser." But to all these it is an obstacle, that no Placidus or Placitus Bishop of the Aedui, or of Autun do they acknowledge, Antonius Monchiacenus, Demochares, John Chenu, Claudius Robertus and the Sammarthani: so that it seems that the more ancient MSS. are to be believed, who call him a Presbyter, as are the four apographs of the Hieronymian Martyrology, even the Epternach one written almost a thousand years ago, in which these things are had: At Autun the deposition of Placitus the Presbyter. The MS. of Corbie printed at Paris, the Lucca one edited by Florentinius, and the Blume MS., and Rabanus in his Martyrology report these things: At Autun the deposition of Blessed Placidus the Presbyter. On the day before this day, that is the VI of May, in the ancient MS. of the Queen of Sweden much praised by Holstenius, and in the MS. Martyrology of the monastery of Luxeuil, the same is more clearly confirmed in these words: and Abbot of S. Symphorian. At Autun the deposition of B. Placidus the Presbyter, and Abbot of the basilica of S. Symphorian the Martyr. S. Symphorian is venerated, the Martyr of Autun, on August XXII: but of the basilica existing under his name Fortunatus makes mention in the Life of S. Germanus Bishop of Paris to be illustrated at the day XXVIII of May: and at n. 3 he asserts this one to have been by Nectarius the Bishop appointed Abbot at S. Symphorian. But whether before or after S. Germanus S. Placidus obtained this dignity, is uncertain.