ON SAINT WITESINDUS,
MARTYR AT CORDOVA IN SPAIN.
A.D. 855.
CommentaryWitesindus, Martyr at Cordova in Spain (S.)
G. H.
The holy Martyr Eulogius, crowned under the tyranny of the Moors, wrote a Memorial of the Saints, who in that same persecution confirmed the faith of Christ either by the constancy of confession or also by the shedding of blood, and in book 3 chapter 13 describes the martyrdom of SS. Amator, Peter and Louis, whom he asserts slain on the 11th Kalends of May in the Era 893, that is the year of Christ 855, as we said on their Acts April XXX. The history of the martyrdom, Then in chapter 14 he subjoins these things: At that time a certain Witesindus, a man already full of age, from the province of Cabra, who I know not on account of what persecution had long ago incurred a lapse from the holy faith; while he was being exhorted to the exercise of the lately received worship, denies that he remains infected with sacrilege of this kind: and that either by infirmity of the flesh, or by the circumvention of the devil he had committed the crime, with constant soul abjured and reprobated. At that moment when he confessed such things, with swift indignation he was slain in the Era as above, namely 893, or the year of Christ 855. But because the day of the martyrdom is not indicated, memory in the calendars April 30 Ferrarius in the General Catalogue
referred him with the preceding three Martyrs to the day also of April XXX in these words: At Cordova in Spain of S. Witesindus the Martyr, of Cabra: and adds from the tables of his Church: for in the general Tables of the Church of Cordova on this day is treated of S. Amator and also his companions. These things Ferrarius, so that he seems to indicate the tables of the Church of Cabra. He adds then that by Marieta the birthday is assigned to the X day of the same month of April. He treats here of him in book 2 on the Saints of Spain chapter 92, and expressly at the end asserts, that by Eulogius neither the month nor the day is indicated, as everywhere elsewhere is done. Martin de Roa in the book on the Saints of Cordova, and May 15. and Tamajus Salazar following him, refer to this XV of May S. Witesindus the Martyr, asserting that by the Romans this day was left to his feast, John del Pino instancing, a most pious Presbyter and conspicuous for devotion toward his Saints. For him and other Saints, whose cult because their names were lacking in the Roman Martyrology he grieved to be intermitted, exhibiting the authority of ancient Breviaries, of which one, says Roa writing in the year 1615, is with me, one hundred and twenty-four years older. Ambrose Morales, in the Commentary on this Life, asserts that ancient Egabrum, that very thing which now is Cabra, was a town, and formerly had a Bishop, and now affords the name and title of a County: that it is distant from Cordova thirty-six miles, or (as Marieta says) about twelve leagues. Thence therefore sprung S. Witesindus, at Cordova attained the palm of martyrdom.