ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS,
FLAVIANUS OR FABIANUS, SEPTINUS OR SEPTIMUS OR SEPTIMIA.
From the old Carthaginian Kalendar and the Martyrology of St. Jerome.
IN THE YEAR CCLIX.
CommentaryFlavianus or Fabianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Septimia or Septinus or Septimus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
The four Transcripts of the Hieronymian Martyrology now three times consecutively alleged and never sufficiently praised, suggested to Henschen of blessed memory, who collected from them various classes of Martyrs distributed through the month of May, in the Hieronymian related with the names somewhat changed; on this VIII Kal. of June a memory to be cherished, as of those who suffered in Africa, Fabianus, Septinus: under this diversity however, that who in the most ancient Epternach, and also Lucca Ms. is Septinus, in the Blume and Corbie printed is called Septimus; nor did anything else occur to be added to him; than what in the Corbie besides was found the name Julius: so those three jointly he had resolved to propose.
[2] But in the second year after Henschen's death, the most erudite and most diligent Father Jean Mabillon, publishing the third Tome of his Analecta, brought to light the most ancient Kalendar of the Carthaginian Church, by a happy chance found by him in a certain very old Codex of the famous monastery of Cluny, from the old Carthaginian Kalendar, containing B. Jerome's commentaries on Isaiah; nay not in the codex, but on the codex's wooden cover, by moths and worms corroded, affixed. The front part of the cover the beginning of the Kalendar, the back the rest contained, in Roman script, in majuscule letters, not inferior to the seventh century, written: about which these things besides he notes. A more ancient Kalendar, since in
it no Saints, much less Fulgentius the Bishop, are found, later than those who in the Vandal persecution under King Hunneric suffered. Those who then in Africa were honored with annual cult as Saints, most were local: some however from Italy and from Spain besides Apostolic men. No feast of the Mother of God, of whom no treatise in Augustine or sermon. The year begins from the XIII Kal. of May, namely after Easter, ends on the XIII Kalends of March. No feast through the whole of March, that is through the whole of Lent. The title conceived in this manner: Here are contained the days of the Birthdays of the Martyrs and the Depositions of the Bishops, whom the Church of Carthage celebrates annually.
[3] These things therefore I would think, from the mind of the author, thus to be restored; the birthdays of those… whom the Churches of Carthage celebrate annually. whence certain others this month had to be illustrated But these were read by me too late for me in the five prior Tomes of this month to have been able to mention that Kalendar, which otherwise ought to have been done: first at the II Nones of May, on the occasion of SS. Marinus and Jacobus, among other African Martyrs related on such a day from the aforesaid Hieronymian Martyrology: then at the V Ides of May, where occurs the leader of another African band S. Majulus. But who in all the transcripts of that Martyrology is deferred to the day before the Ides of May, the leader of the whole Host S. Secundianus, is here named at the III Ides; but on the day before the Ides is here suggested, elsewhere nowhere found notice of Saint Felix, Caecilius and Companions. Confirmation also from this Kalendar ought to have received, what at the XXII we said, of SS. Castus and Aemilius, here Emilius. But nothing equally deserved to be noted, as that on the X Kal. of June, is prescribed the memory to be celebrated of the Saints Lucius and Montanus, and on the third day from there the XVIII Kal. of June, of Saint Flavianus and Septimia.
[4] especially however St. Flavianus Henschen had treated at the day XXIV of February, of SS. Montanus, Lucius, Julianus, Flavianus, and the Fellow Martyrs in Africa, and their most excellent Acts there had illustrated with a preliminary Commentary, in which he taught, that, S. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage having obtained the palm of Martyrdom in the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus, on the XIV of September in the year CCLVIII; in the year next following to the same prize several of his disciples came: of whom one Flavianus, in the Acts is narrated in number 21 to have seemed to himself to interrogate the holy Bishop, suffered on the third day after SS. Montanus, Lucius and Julianus, appearing in a vision, whether to suffer the blows pained, because namely a future Martyr about the toleration of the passion he consulted. He was made moreover a Martyr (as there several times is said) on the third day, or after two days, or after the morrow from the passion of the aforenamed fellows, having performed a most beautiful and oft repeated combat. Whose day because in the Acts themselves was not found, as neither an indication of the month or year, nor yet did it seem worthy that such illustrious champions should be passed by unnamed; some one of those who variously augmented the Martyrology of Usuard, or perhaps first Notker Balbulus, the aforesaid day of February to them all together assigned, which even today the Roman Martyrology keeps.
[5] Meanwhile that the same pertain in truth to the XXIII and XXV of May, from the collation of the Hieronymian most ancient of all and from ignorance of the true Birthday Martyrology and of this Kalendar, I am persuaded; by no means thinking it probable, that their Birthdays the Carthaginian Church did not celebrate annually, and in its Kalendar inscribed did not have: be it that in the Hieronymian he is constantly called Fabianus, who in the Acts Flavianus. For how easily neighboring names are altered, by frequent experience and use of the old Martyrologies we learn, inscribed with them on the 24th of February. especially of the Hieronymian. We do not therefore wish the day of cult to be changed, already once by the Roman Church, though without a suitable foundation, stabilized: but we decree that what is here said is to be transferred thither, for a future supplement of the month of February: when to this day will have to be left S. Septimia, elsewhere Septimus and Septinus; having nothing with Flavianus common except the day of Martyrdom, in another year perhaps and in another place, yet not far from Carthage, endured. To be noted further is, that in the same Kalendar the same name recurs, while at the III Kal. of August is noted the Birthday of the Holy Tuburbitan women and of Septimia: on which day perhaps future time will bring some light. But Julius, from the single Corbie hither adduced, I pass over; because him I believe the same with Julianus, the fellow of SS. Montanus and Lucius, and with them in all the Hieronymians concordantly related at the XXIII of May, on which in truth we hold those suffered.