ON ST. EVELLIUS THE MARTYR
COUNSELOR OF THE EMPEROR NERO.
UNDER NERO.
CommentaryEvellius, Counselor of the Emperor Nero, Martyr (S.)
G. H.
Rabanus, Archbishop of Mainz, in his
Martyrology, celebrates this single Martyr
with these words: V Ides of May. The passion
of S. Evellius the Martyr, Sacred cult. who, seeing the passion
of S. Torpes the Martyr, and the marvels
which he did, believed in Christ: who previously had been Counselor
to Nero, in what manner Christians were martyred.
Similar things, but much more correctly, has Notker in the first place,
The passion of S. Evellius the Martyr, who was previously Counselor
to the Emperor Nero: but seeing the constancy
of the Christians how they were Martyred,
and especially the patience of S. Torpes and the marvels
which were done through him, he believed in Christ, so that even
he suffered for him. There follow the Author of the supposititious Bede,
Molanus, Galesinius, Canisius, Ferrarius, with the present Roman
Martyrology, in which these things are reported: On the same day
S. Evellius the Martyr, who, when he was of Nero's household,
at the passion of S. Torpes believed in Christ,
for whom he was also beheaded. We give from various MSS. and
from Mombritius the Acts of the martyrdom of S. Torpes on the day XVII
of May: in which at no. 7, when after other miracles it had been narrated
about the lion, slain by the sign of Christ, and the leopard,
rendered tame and licking his feet, Martyrdom these things are added:
Then Evellius, the Counselor of the Emperor, seeing
the marvels of God, believed in Christ, fleeing
to Rome: and there he was beheaded. On the fifth day
of the Kalends of May he completed his martyrdom in peace.
Thus plainly all MSS. with Mombritius and the ancient Legendary:
although nevertheless he is venerated on the V Ides of May. Ferrarius reckons
this to be the day of translation, and his body in the Church
of Pisa, where he is venerated, to be preserved. I would rather believe that some
MS. existed, in which by a scribal error Kalends crept in for
Ides on the writer, Body at Pisa. and that this came into the hands
of Rabanus or some other older Martyrologist, whom himself
and others followed. Meanwhile what is now received in whatever way,
it does not seem necessary to labor greatly that it be changed:
rather it would be desirable, that of the truth of that martyrdom,
it should stand more certainly to us from elsewhere, than from the aforesaid
Acts of S. Torpes, since they are fabulous. Moreover Ferrarius's assertion
about the body translated to Pisa we ask to be confirmed to us,
and the church indicated in which it is venerated: for then we shall not doubt,
that such a Martyr truly existed in the nature of things.