Martyrs

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

TIMOTHY, POLIUS, AND EUTYCHIUS

DEACONS IN MAURITANIA.

From very many Martyrologies.

Timothy, Deacon in Mauritania (S.)

Polius, Deacon in Mauritania (S.)

Eutychius, Deacon in Mauritania (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

Almost all Latin Martyrologies begin this day with these three Martyrs, of whom Ado has these things: In Mauritania Caesariensis the natal day of SS. Timothy, Polius and Eutychius the Deacons, who, sowing the word of God throughout the aforesaid region, equally deserved to be crowned. Notker and Peter de Natalibus have the same: but the former writes the city Caesariensis, which to others indicates the other region of Mauritania. With this word omitted the rest is referred in today's Roman Martyrology, indeed even in Usuard, who however does not use the plural Diaconorum, but the singular Diaconi, as if Eutychius alone were such. The ancient copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology agree with him; from which the Corbeian copy printed at Paris and the Blumian have these things: In Mauritania the natal day of Timothy, Polius, Euticus the Deacon. In the Lucensian codex Polia is read; and in the Epternacensian, as if there were one and the same, Polientici Deacon, which must be pardoned to a hasty copyist. In the Ms. Vatican of S. Peter is read: In Mauritania Caesariensis the natal day of the holy Martyrs Timothy, Polius and Euticius the Deacons. The same things are handed down in the Mss. Cologne of S. Mary ad Gradus, and Liège of S. Lambert, except that the word Deacon is added in the singular, and is written Polius and Euticus in the former, in the other Poleus and Euticius. In the Ms. Divionensian Timothy is named Presbyter and Eutycius Deacon. In the ancient Casinensian Ms., the place of contest palaestra omitted, all three are reckoned Deacons; as also in the Mss. of Trier of S. Maximinus, and of the Ado of Liège of S. Lawrence. There also is added the elogium indicated above, which in the Mss. Atrebatensian, Tornacensian and Lætiensian is of this kind: In Mauritania the natal day of SS. Polius, Eucticus the Deacon, Timothy and Victus, who deserved to be crowned in one day: of whom Victus pertains to the following class of Africans. We omit reviewing the Mss. Richenoviensian, Rhenoviensian, Augustan, Labbaean, and other more recent Martyrologies, because they have nearly the same. From these Maurolycus and Felicius call the second Hippolytus, who to others is Polius. At Bologna in the church of S. Dominic some relics of S. Timothy Martyr are kept, as Masini hands down in his Bononia perlustrata at this day; who seems to have been chosen, because the memory of S. Timothy Martyr is now inscribed in the Roman Martyrology.

ON SS. EPOLUS OR POLUS, VITUS, JOCUNDUS,

MARTYRS IN THE PROVINCE OF CAESAREA.

From the Martyrology of S. Jerome.

Epolus, or Polus, Martyr in the province of Caesarea (S.)

Vitus, Martyr in the province of Caesarea (S.)

Jocundus, Martyr in the province of Caesarea (S.)

G. H.

These Martyrs are referred to in the second place in the ancient copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology, and in the Corbeian printed at Paris three are referred in this manner: In the province of Caesarea the natal day of Epolus, Euticus, Jocundus. But Jocundus having been omitted in the Ms. Blumianus there are the names Polus, Evitus: in the Lucensian Polita, Vicus: in the Epternacensian of Caesarea Polievictus, which name seems to need to be divided, so that it should be Polus Evictus or Evitus; or certainly, Polita, Vitus as is read in others. It is difficult, however, to establish anything certain, since no light comes from other Martyrologies, and Polyeuctus is referred with other Martyrs on this day as having suffered at Caesarea in Cappadocia. But these are attributed to the Caesarean or Caesariensian province: and perhaps that name was wrongly attributed to the preceding Mauritanian Martyrs.