ON ST. JOATHAS THE MARTYR
AND PATRON OF BELLUNO IN THE VENETIAN DOMAIN.
From the Catalogue of Philip Ferrarius.
UNDER MAXIMIAN
CommentaryJoathas, Martyr, Patron of Belluno in the Venetian Domain (S.)
G. H.
Belluno, an Episcopal city of the March of Treviso in a valley by the river Calor, among the mountains nearer verging toward Venice, has a Church Cathedral of ancient architecture, dedicated to S. Martin, whose arm it is said to possess. Of that city the tutelary Patron is S. Joathas the Martyr, whom to have suffered in Africa, He is venerated as Patron of Belluno, and his body there laid with the highest veneration to be held, writes Ferrarius in the general Catalogue, whose Acts in Ms. he says he saw. But the same Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy only cites the Lessons ancient, on his feast by the Church of Belluno wont to be recited. These through the R. P. James Willi, Rector of our College of Trent, being asked to communicate the Vicar of Belluno Episcopal the Most Reverend D. Peter de Zanna, most kindly answered, in the year MDCLXXXI, on September XVI; that they
just as to be used, so also to be seen had ceased: that he would spare no diligence, to dig them out lying hidden. Which although it did not succeed for him, yet we do not despair that they will yet come forth from somewhere, where the body is. so that they may be able to be added to the Supplements of this work: meanwhile from the letters of the same Vicar I add, that the body in the Cathedral church, together with other notable Relics, in an urn of polished marble, before the high altar placed, is kept; and the head enclosed in a silver case is carried round in a solemn procession: which with the concourse of the whole Clergy and people within the Octave of Corpus Christi yearly is celebrated. Ferrarius from the aforesaid Lessons this Epitome brings forth.
[2] Joathas, by nation a Pentapolitan, before Dadius the Judge, He is said to have suffered martyrdom in Pentapolis, sent from Rome into Pentapolis by Maximian the Emperor, that he might punish the Christians, accused and interrogated, freely that he was a Christian, and would not the Gods (who have eyes and see not, have ears and hear not, have a mouth and speak not, have hands and feel not, have feet and walk not, which are the works of men and in their mouth there is no spirit) venerate, answered. By which words the angered Judge, his mouth with stones to be beaten, and himself with clubs cut and bound into prison to be thrust orders, and a wheel meanwhile with the sharpest swords, by which the body of the Martyr might be cruelly mangled, to be made ready. The next day Joathas, who that night his contest to God by prayers had commended, led forth, when in the resolve of not worshiping the gods he persisted, by command of the impious Judge is bound: and on the wheel so long is led round, until the holy Martyr his body broken, when crying he had said, Receive, Lord, my soul, he breathed out his spirit. Whose bones, lest by the Christians found they should be buried, by the Judge's command, into a hidden place were cast. But B. Theodorus the Bishop, with Eudoclitus the Deacon, the body wonderfully found, oxen yoked to a wagon, and sitting upon it (when in the name of God to the oxen he had commanded, that to the place, where the Martyr's Relics lay hidden, they should lead him) thither he came; and the Relics collected reverently on the wagon he placed. But the oxen at the Adrian villa when immovable they had stood still; the holy Bishop there the holy Martyr's Relics laid: in which place afterward a church was constructed, while God many wonders worked. Which Relics to Belluno wonderfully brought, the people of Belluno S. Joathas as Patron to have and to venerate began. These things from the said Lessons Ferrarius, and translated to Belluno. who notes; at what time or how from Cyrene to Belluno the Relics of S. Joathas were translated, the Lessons mentioned do not teach.
[3] A Pentapolitan he is said in the Lessons, and the Judge Dadius sent from Rome into Pentapolis. But Pentapolis is in Africa, Hence Ferrarius infers that he suffered in Africa, and that from Cyrene the Relics to Belluno were translated, which he could from elsewhere have known. For there is indeed five cities, which are Berenica, Arsinoe, Ptolemais, Cyrene and Apollonia, so called. But also a Pentapolis region of Italy on the Adriatic sea there was, whose cities are Rimini, Pesaro, Fano, Osimo and Ancona, and another in Italy. What if in those parts having suffered at some Adrian villa (as there also is the city of Adria and the Adriatic sea) he had been buried: so more easily could the Relics be transferred, at that time, in which there Pentapolis was named. But these things not even by conjecturing do we assert, but a doubt being moved, to further inquiry to the people of Belluno to be discussed we leave it.