ON ST. MANAHEN,
PROPHET AT ANTIOCH IN SYRIA.
From the Martyrologies and the Acts of the Apostles.
CommentaryManahen the Prophet, at Antioch in Syria (S.)
G. H.
The memory of this Saint is celebrated in most Martyrologies ancient and more recent, of Usuard, Ado, Notker, the author under the name of Bede, Bellinus, Grevenus, Molanus, Maurolycus, Galesinius and others together with the present Roman Martyrology, Sacred cult. which begins this day in almost the same words as those in this manner: On the ninth Kalends of June, at Antioch the birthday of St. Manahen, foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, Doctor and Prophet under the grace of the new Testament, resting in the same city. Thus there, which words in St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles toward the beginning of chapter XIII are read thus: There were in the Church which was at Antioch, Prophets and Doctors, among whom Barnabas, and Simon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manahen who was the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. And as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas for the work whereunto I have taken them. Then praying and fasting, and laying their hands on them, they dismissed them. Thus there, which things will have to be discussed more accurately at the Life of SS. Barnabas and Paul, on the day XI and XIX of June. Notice in the Acts of the Apostles. Here it suffices to understand that St. Manahen was of a noble and very illustrious family, namely one who had once been suckled with the milk of the same nurse as Herod. Now Herod Antipas was Tetrarch of Galilee, by whose command St. John the Baptist was beheaded, Foster-brother of Herod Antipas. and Christ at the time of his passion had been clad in a white garment and mocked, and afterward was sent with Herodias into exile at Lyons, stripped of the Tetrarchy of Galilee: which we have said came to pass in the tenth year from Christ's passion, and the XXXVIII of the common Era,
in the preliminary Diatribe before the first volume of April, page X. Doctor, But than his foster-brother Herod the holy Manahen was more happy and much more illustrious, both in the Christian doctorate, whereby he interpreted the sacred Scriptures, and taught the faithful what was to be believed and done; and in the spirit of prophecy, Prophet, whereby, divinely inspired, he foretold things to come. Moreover according to his rank and office he ministered to the Lord with the others there named. He also fasted, that his mind might be more elevated to divine things; and he was made worthy of a divine revelation, that he should set apart Paul and Barnabas with the others for the Apostolate unto the conversion of the Gentiles: and that upon them, after the fast undertaken for that purpose, he lays his hands upon SS. Paul and Barnabas. he should lay his hands and (as SS. Pope Leo and Chrysostom speak) consecrate them Bishop, together with Simon Niger and Lucius of Cyrene. Of him we have treated on the day VI of May: of Simon Niger no memory is had anywhere else than in Luke: how long St. Manahen lived afterward is not established. In a manuscript Calendar preserved among the Carmelites at Mechlin he is referred to the XXII of May.