ON SS. ANASTASIUS THE CORNICULARIUS, THEOPISTA HIS WIFE,
ESODES, ARADIUS, CALISTUS AND FELIX HIS SONS, EUPHEMIA, AND PRIMITIVA
HIS DAUGHTERS, AND THREE OF THE HOUSEHOLD,
MARTYRS AT CAMERINO IN UMBRIA.
CommentaryAnastasius the Cornicularius, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Theopista the wife, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Esodes, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Aradius, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Calistus, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Felix, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Euphemia, daughter, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Primitiva, daughter, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Three servants, Martyrs at Camerino in Umbria
G. H.
The sacred memory of these Martyrs in the present
Tables of the Roman Martyrology on XI May,
is celebrated with these words: At Camerino of the holy
Martyrs Anastasius and his companions, Memory in the Roman Martyrology, who
in the persecution of Decius under Antiochus
the Governor were slain. Baronius adds, that their
Acts are read in the deeds of S. Venantius the Martyr,
which we examine below on XVIII May. in the catalogue of Ferrarius, From those some
compendium of Life Ferrarius excerpted in the Catalogue of the Saints
of Italy, and published it on this XI May. Anastasius, he says,
Cornicularius (this was the name of an office in the Praetorium:
for the Cornicularius was in charge of executing the sentences
of those condemned) lived at Camerino, at which
time S. Venantius was afflicted with martyrdom. Who,
moved by his marvels, believed in Christ, and
with all his household was baptized by S. Porphyrius the Presbyter.
Which when Antiochus the Governor learned,
he ordered him with his own to be seized and brought to him, and when
they persisted immobile in the confession of the faith received,
ordered them to be beheaded on the V Ides of May, with Decius being Emperor.
These things there. Decius reigned from the year CCXLIX until
the end of the year CCLI. Under whom S. Porphyrius
the Presbyter we said was crowned with martyrdom on IV May, his
birthday.
[2] Ludovicus Iacobillus in volume 1 of the Lives of the Saints and
Blessed of Umbria, from the MS. History of Camerino of Angelo
Benigni and the MSS. Lessons adds some things to the foregoing, and Iacobillus in the Lives of the Saints of Umbria. namely,
that by S. Porphyrius the Presbyter were instructed in the holy faith
Anastasius, his wife, four sons,
and three others of their household, and these together
nine were reborn by him from the holy font of baptism. Anastasius
now made Christian with his whole household,
frequently came to S. Porphyrius, and
by him was animated to undergo holy martyrdom generously,
to the contempt of the perishable things
of this world, and to the desire of heavenly things:
was present when S. Porphyrius his Master
fell as a Martyr for Christ; saw many
miracles, which God worked through S. Venantius.
Finally with glorious martyrdom all these ended their mortal
life on XI May, and their bodies
were afterwards buried in the church dedicated to S. Venantius.
[3] These things there. But in the Acts of S. Venantius S. Anastasius the Cornicularius
with his are said to have been crowned with martyrdom before
S. Porphyrius: of whom the wife is called Theopista,
four sons Esodes, Aradius, Calistus, Felix,
two daughters Euphemia and Primitiva. In the same Acts no
mention is made of Decius: but they are said under Antiochus the King,
who by others is called Regulus and Governor of Decius, to have obtained
the crown of martyrdom. Would that it had pleased God to reserve their bodies
to the devotion of the faithful peoples! for of these from
popular tradition the believed truth would more confirm us
in the faith of the martyrdom borne by them, than the aforesaid
Acts could do, written so late and with so little accuracy,
as we shall see below. Now since they alone are the foundation
of all the aforesaid, we cannot wholly shake off
the fear from our mind, that in this part also,
in which they treat of S. Anastasius and his companions, they have much chaff
mixed in, which by want of better notices
is difficult to separate from that which perhaps is true.
Wherefore we have not thought their names should be passed over here in silence, although
under the mark of great uncertainty about the true existence of the same.