Eleutherius

ON ST. ELEUTHERIUS

ROMAN PONTIFF.

IN THE YEAR CLXXXV.

HISTORICAL COLLECTION.

Of the time of his See, the Acts in his Pontificate, & his Crown.

Eleutherius Roman Pontiff (St.)

G. H.

Eleutherius the Saint, fourteenth Pontiff of the Holy Roman Church, was by nation a Greek, his father Abundius, to some Abundantius, His native land Nicopolis, begotten in the town Nicopolis, as the ancients here and there testify. Nicopolis is at the mouth of the Ambracian gulf in Epirus, founded by Cæsar Augustus, after Antony & Cleopatra were conquered in a naval battle; which, increased from the ruins of the remaining cities, afterward grew into a great & metropolitan city.

In the older Catalogue of the Roman Pontiffs the time of his See, The time of his See under both Aurelius Antoninus, after some gap, is thus marked: He was in the times of Antoninus & Commodus, from the Consulate of Verus & Erenianus, unto Paternus & Bradua. The former Emperor is Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, surnamed the Philosopher, who, after Lucius Ælius Verus his son-in-law & adopted into the consortship of the Empire, in the year of his reign LX, of Christ CLXIX was extinguished by apoplexy, reigned alone, the Consuls here marked being the Seventh Severus, to others Verus, & Herenianus, in the year of Christ CLXXI, when, Soter the Pontiff having ended his life on XXII April (to which day we treated of him & the year of his death) S. Eleutherius succeeded, ordained by the reckoning of my Colleague Papebroch, from the year 171 on the day III of June on a Sunday. Under his Pontificate the mentioned Antoninus the Philosopher died at Sirmium in Pannonia, on the day XVI of March in the year of Christ CLXXX, to whom then succeeded his son L. Ælius Aurelius Commodus. Under his reign the above-indicated Consuls were Paternus, to others Triarius Maternus & M. Atilius Metilius Bradua in the year CLXXXV, & L. Ælius Aurelius Commodus whom S. Eleutherius had as Consuls in the last year of his life, having died according to the Hieronymian Martyrology VI September: for thus at the VIII Ides is read, At Rome on the Salarian Way the Birthday of S. Eleutherius the Bishop. Thus Eleutherius sat XIV years III months VI days; unto the year 185 but, the Consuls being the Emperor Commodus V & M. Aurelius Glabrio, that is in the year CLXXXV, S. Victor succeeded, ordained by the reckoning praised above on the day XI September, after an interpontificate of one year & four days.

[2] The successor ordained in the year 186. This reckoning of time is confirmed in the other Catalogue of the Roman Pontiffs from the Ms. Codex of Christina Queen of Sweden, elsewhere published by us, likewise in the Lives of the Pontiffs in Anastasius the librarian & Luitprand, & the Ms. Deeds of the Pontiffs brought down to Martin the Fifth, & in the Roman Breviaries manuscript & struck in the years 1479, 1490, & 1524 which we have by us: for everywhere it is said that he was in the times of Antoninus & Commodus unto Paternus & Bradua, or corruptly Patrianus & Barduam. But if so long a vacation of an entire year displeases, no sufficiently fitting reason of it appearing, the time being tranquil enough & the persecution ceasing: there could indeed with the aforesaid second Catalogue, Anastasius, & the rest before noted, be given XV years & thus the See have been vacant only IV days; but the former Catalogue will be said, beyond its style, to have attributed the Consuls of the year CLXXXVI to Victor, who obtained the lesser part of it, the past being attributed, who reached the ninth month of that year, to Eleutherius. My Colleague therefore judges, that in that very peace which the Church then enjoyed, some tares of ambition & emulation grew up, through which it came to pass that the Roman people less patiently bore three consecutive foreign Pontiffs, & began to wish for a Roman one; the Clergy on the contrary wishing a free election, & inclined toward Victor their Archdeacon, although an African. He, even though elected sooner, could have been hindered, either by a grave disease, or some other cause unknown to us, from being immediately ordained.

[3] Among his actions S. Eleutherius is said to have made three ordinations through the month of December, 3 ordinations made: & to have consecrated eleven or twelve Presbyters, seven or eight Deacons, fifteen Bishops in number through divers places. But that is singular, that he received an epistle from Lucius King of Britain, that he might become a Christian by his mandate; which Bede confirms book 1 of the Ecclesiastical History of the English nation chapter 4, in these words: When Eleutherius a holy man presided over the Pontificate of the Roman Church, Lucius King of the Britons sent to him an epistle, the conversion of Britain aided, beseeching that by his mandate he might be made a Christian. And soon he obtained the effect of his pious request, & the Britons kept the faith received inviolate & entire in quiet peace until the times of Diocletian the Prince. Lucius is venerated III December, when there will be occasion of discussing his remaining Acts. Meanwhile may be seen the Writers of English affairs, with Baronius in the Annals & Notes to the Martyrology, in which he explains the heresies opposed: how S. Eleutherius opposed the heresy of the Montanists & others, who abstained from certain foods, as founded by an evil genius: which in the Catalogue from the Ms. of the Queen of Sweden is thus indicated in few words: And so he obtained, that no food should be repudiated by Christians, especially the faithful, which God created, which yet are rational; or, as Anastasius explains, that no usual food should be repudiated, which after all is rational & human.

[4] At the time when the seventeenth year of the Empire of Antoninus Verus was passing, then a more vehement persecution was moved in Gaul, in which two cities, beyond the rest distinguished & excellent mothers of cities, are celebrated, Lyons & Vienne. So Eusebius book 5 of the Ecclesiastical History in the Proem & chapter 1. This year was of Christ CLXXVII, S. Irenæus sent to him from Lyons. when at Lyons suffered Photinus the Bishop & others, on the second day of June. It was also the seventh year of the Pontificate of S. Eleutherius begun, whose virtues were known to the Christians of Lyons. Wherefore, that we may use the words of Eusebius related in chapter 5, the same Martyrs commended Irenæus, who at that time was still a Presbyter of the Church of Lyons, to the aforesaid Eleutherius by letters, adorning him not slightly with their testimony, as their words declare, which run thus: We wish thee in all things & perpetually to be well in God, Eleutherius. We have exhorted our brother & colleague to carry this letter to thee. Whom indeed we beg thee to hold commended, as an emulator of the testament of Christ. For if it were known to us, that place confers justice on anyone, we would have commended him to thee chiefly as a Presbyter of the Church (for this Grade he holds). With a catalogue of Martyrs & Confessors. But what need is there here to recount the catalogue of Martyrs expressed in the above-said epistle, of whom some were struck with the axe, others cast to beasts, others killed in prison? What likewise need is there to relate the number of Confessors, who afterward survived? For all these whoever shall wish, will be able most fully to know from the reading of the epistle itself, which indeed we inserted entire in the Passions of the Martyrs collected by us. The names of these Martyrs from Ado & others will be given on the second day of June, when the Acts of the martyrdom will be illustrated from Eusebius & others; as also on the XXVIII day of the same June in the Acts of S. Irenæus. Here it suffices to have observed, with what reverence those holy Christians of Lyons venerated S. Eleutherius the Roman Pontiff, to whom they indicated all things done in their Church. his body & cultus in the Vatican church:

[5] That S. Eleutherius was buried beside the body of B. Peter the Apostle in the Vatican on the VII Kalends of June, is read in the cited Ms. Catalogue, & in Anastasius in the codices struck & written by hand, likewise in the Roman Pontifical & the Ms. Deeds of the Pontiffs brought down to Martin V: but my Colleague's Dissertation IV to the Catalogue of the Roman Pontiffs shows, that the day which is said by Anastasius & those following him the day of burial, is the day of the Translation, from the place of the first

burial (which we know to have been on the Salarian way from the Hieronymian Martyrology) made to the Vatican, in the full peace of the Church under the Emperor Constantine. That the body is still kept there the Romans testify in the Order of the divine Office, wont to be struck yearly for the use of the most sacred Vatican Basilica, where the Office is prescribed under the rite of a double, & the Creed is recited in the sacrifice of the Mass, & besides the single proper Lesson, which is extant in today's Roman Breviary, all things are said of the Common of one Pontiff & Martyr. Abbot Piazza adds that some Relics are in the church of S. Anna de Funariis. This nevertheless does not hinder, but that the Relics which are now venerated at Troia in Apulia, brought from Tivoli, in the year MCV, may rather be also his, the martyrdom asserted by some. than of S. Eleutherius Bishop of Æca, as we said it seemed to us XVIII April, being about to give the very history of the Translation XIX November, on the occasion of S. Pontianus. Of the martyrdom of S. Eleutherius the Pope no mention is found among the ancients; nay, as is had in the Lesson cited, Under the Emperor Commodus the Church of God enjoyed the highest peace & quiet, & throughout the orb of the lands, especially at Rome, the faith was propagated. Meanwhile Peter de Natalibus book 5 chapter 46 asserts that he suffered by martyrdom in the time of the Emperor Commodus. Bellinus of Padua, in the Martyrology according to the manner of the Roman curia struck in the year 1496, celebrates S. Eleutherius the Pope & Martyr XXVI May; & in this were followed Maurolycus, Molanus, Galesinius, & others with today's Roman. But on the day before, or XXV May, Ado, Notker, & the Author of the Martyrology supposititious under the name of Bede set forth his veneration, without mention of martyrdom. Likewise on the day XXIV May mention of S. Eleutherius the Pope is made by Maurolycus & Felicius, & XX February in the Ms. Brussels Martyrology of the Church of S. Gudula. In the Ms. Florarium of the Saints at the day VI December is expressly recollected the memory of S. Eleutherius Bishop & Confessor at Rome. But whether these things are to be understood of this holy Pontiff, we know not.

[6] S. Felician aided in his studies. In the Life of S. Felician, Bishop of Foligno in Umbria & Martyr, published by us from the Mss. at XXIV January, these things are read: When S. Eleutherius Bishop of the city of Rome had seen the sublime purpose of S. Felician, & that he desired worthily that he be made effective, that he himself might merit the Priesthood; S. Eleutherius, Bishop of the city of Rome, ordered Victor the Archdeacon, that he should receive him among his scholars, & refuse the habit of the world. Returned to his country… enrolled in the Clergy by his fellow-citizens he is substituted Bishop: & brought to the city of Rome, S. Eleutherius the Bishop having already passed to Christ, S. Victor the Archdeacon being made Bishop, when he had seen Felician come to him after long times, he greatly rejoiced. We adjoined the Acts of the same S. Felician from the lessons of the ancient Breviaries, used in the Churches of Hamburg & Minden, where in the last lesson it is thus had: He was elected Bishop & set out for Rome, that he might be consecrated by the holy Bishop Eleutherius. Who when he came to Rome, found the same Pontiff had migrated from the world to the Lord, & in his place Victor the Archdeacon constituted. These things there, without any indication of martyrdom endured by S. Eleutherius, which before the age of the aforesaid Peter perhaps it came into no one's mind to assert.

ON SS. PRISCUS AND COTTUS, AND THE OTHER VERY MANY MARTYRS,

AT COCIACUS IN THE TERRITORY OF AUXERRE.

UNDER AURELIAN

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

Of the Acts of the Passion & Translation, the cultus & Relics of the same.

Priscus, Martyr at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (St.)

Cottus, Martyr at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (St.)

Very many, Martyrs at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (SS.)

G. H.

[1] We give the Acts of these Martyrs from very ancient German codices, the Trier codex of S. Maximinus & the Paderborn codex of the monastery of Bödeken, The Acts from various Mss. likewise from the Gallican Paris codex of S. Victor & the Meaux codex of the monastery of Jouarre on the river Marne; & chiefly from the ancient Breviary of the Church of Auxerre itself, given to us by Peter le Venier the Penitentiary of the same Church: where they are divided into six Lessons, which were wont to be recited at Matins; which Breviary we too have struck in the year MDLXXI. We add the Charter of John Baillet, Bishop of Auxerre, on the Translation of the body of S. Cottus the Martyr, made by him in the year MCCCCLXXX: which Charter Georgius Viola Monk of S. Germanus communicated with the Ms. of Jouarre: & we experienced the kindness both of this man & of the said Penitentiary, when in the year MDCLXII we were at Auxerre. Some things from these Acts are read in chapter 1 of the History of the Bishops of Auxerre, in Philip Labbe in the new Library.

[2] Memory in the ancient Calendars: The memory of the same Martyrs is celebrated here and there by all the Martyrologies, even the four Hieronymian apographs, in nearly these words: In the territory of Auxerre at the place Quociacum, the passion of S. Priscus the Martyr, with his companions an innumerable multitude. Usuard, Ado, Notker, & others indicate them in this manner: In the territory of Auxerre, the passion of S. Priscus the Martyr with a vast multitude. Elsewhere is added, of the faithful of Christ. In the Ms. Martyrologies of Corbie & Thérouanne this Eulogy is had. VII Kalends of June. At Auxerre at the place Cottiacum, the passion of S. Priscus with his companions, Eulogy from the Mss. concerning the Martyrdom with an innumerable multitude of Martyrs, in the time of the Emperor Aurelian, under Alexander the Governor: who when they were compelled to deny Christ & to sacrifice to idols, & those by no means acquiesced, but rather proclaimed the Lord Christ with free voice; were soon slain by gladiators, & cast into a pit. But one of the fellow-soldiers, by name Cottus, having seized the head of S. Priscus took to flight: but, the Pagans pursuing him, & the Finding of S. Priscus he too ended his life by a precious death. But the head of the Martyr Priscus lay hidden until the times of B. Germanus the Bishop, which when the omnipotent Lord soon wished to reveal to him in wondrous ways, the same most sacred Pontiff, consecrating the place after custom, gave it to the peoples to be venerated. But also the body of B. Cottus the Martyr, after the circuits of many times, & of S. Cottus. was revealed by the Lord to B. Desiderius the Bishop, & by him honorably given to burial, not far from the head of S. Priscus, on the day XIV Kalends of February. These things there: of which the former part, even to the slaying of S. Cottus, is read also in the Ms. of S. Laurence of Liège, & another of the Queen of Sweden. Of the Bishops there named S. Germanus succeeded S. Amator who died in the year CCCCXVIII, as we said at his Life on the Kalends of May. The other is S. Desiderius, who flourished at the beginning of the VII century, & is venerated XXVII October.

[3] Furthermore we copied the following Notice at Auxerre itself from the autograph of the mentioned D. Georgius Viola. Cociacus the place, The Relics of the Martyrs at Cociacus, is now a parochial church in the greater Archdeaconry of Auxerre: in the sacristy of which church many Relics of the companions of S. Priscus are still preserved: & to no one in the Choir of this basilica is burial given, on account of the singular reverence of the Martyrs; since there was there a cistern, in which they were first laid up. at Auxerre, Some Relics of the Holy Martyrs companions of S. Priscus, which had remained outside the casket in the year MCCCCLXVI, in the translation made by Peter Bishop of Auxerre, were given to Brother Stephen of Master John, of the Order of the Friars Preachers, by D. John Robinelli the Presbyter, Rector of the Parochial Church of Saints in Puisaye, that they might be deposited in the church of the Auxerre convent of the aforesaid Friars. at Paris. Some relics of SS. Priscus & Cottus we once saw in the Cathedral Church of Paris: of S. Priscus also at Tociacum, in the territory of Auxerre. Thus far the Ms. of Georgius Viola before praised.

Acts

From various Mss. & the Breviary of Auxerre.

Priscus, Martyr at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (St.)

Cottus, Martyr at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (St.)

Very many, Martyrs at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (SS.) BHL Number: 6930

FROM THE MSS.

CHAPTER I.

The Martyrdom of S. Priscus & his companions.

In ^a the days of the Emperor Aurelian, the worship of idols decreasing, & the doctrine of the Christian religion advanced with better success, The Emperor Aurelian having set out for Gaul, the fury of the persecutors so blazed up, that the Emperors themselves, by no means trusting the satellites of their crimes, traversed the inmost recesses of the several provinces. For at the same time the Emperor Aurelian, a most cruel man, the city of Rome being left, had come into the parts of Gaul: who coming into the city ^b of Sens, sent forth the companions of his ferocity, to search out the Christians through all Gaul. Having gone forth therefore from the sight of the Emperor the deadly satellites went about the cities & castles, & also the ^c hiding-places of the woods: that each might obtain the effect of his crimes, they divided also the districts among themselves with a solicitude for searching. Then at length the district of Auxerre fell to the lot of the most impious Alexander, Protector of the sacred side ^d, sent by Alexander the Protector to Auxerre,. He went therefore truculent; & like a boar with foaming jaws, like the hunting-spears of a fleeing huntsman, raged against the holy Martyrs of God. And when he had come to the place which ^e is called Cociacus, he found a Christian, ^f by name Priscus, with an immense multitude of the same ^g religion singing psalms: into whose ranks bursting with most ferocious course, he says: What ^h sedition compelled you to stand crowded together in this place? The captured Christians there profess the faith: or of what religion are you? ⁱ why do you not fear to profess it? To whom the most holy multitude answered: Not sedition, but most reverend religion drew us to this place: for to Christ we offer gathered together the libations of our prayers, who, redeeming with His blood, joined together our dispersion. Alexander answered: Whence has such & so great confidence boldly entered into you, that before the Imperial Envoys you profess yourselves to be Christians? The holy men said: He strengthens us by the grace of His mercy, who furnishes to your Emperors & Kings a vital protection. Alexander answered: Then you are of our sect: for the Emperors & Kings, or us subject to them, none other quickens, than Jupiter the ruler & founder of the heavens. The Christian throng answered: They abominate Jupiter, Thou art deceived, unhappy one, who contendest that a drunken & luxurious man can bestow life? Is not that very Jupiter the defiler of his sister, who by petulant lasciviousness was changed into various forms of animals? Alexander, moved with wrath, said: You wicked ones, seduced by the lies of I know not what Crucified one, do you blaspheme the supreme Jupiter, the savior of the whole world? The religious & happy crowd answered: Dost thou attest him a savior, who for cause of foulness, under the simulation of showers, broke into others' roof-tiles? Alexander said: By the safety of the Emperor, you are all sacrilegious, & ought hence ^k to be hurried into torment. The holy men said: Who commits sacrilege with wicked mouth? We, who confess the true God, the true founder of things visible & invisible? or thou, who assertest Jupiter an execrable God? Alexander answered: Long you have abused my patience: therefore either confess Jupiter the omnipotent God by your libations, or the order of the Emperor shall straightway lay you waste. All with one voice said: Do what is commanded thee, for we do not abandon the Creator, that we may serve (which is impious) the creature.

[2] Hearing this the most impious Alexander said

to Priscus: Dost thou too consent with these? Priscus answered ^l: Bid the satellites withdraw a little outside, & having taken counsel with these Brethren I ought straightway to answer thee about this. But this he said not because he feared the passion; but that he might console the Brethren & strengthen them to a greater constancy of bearing adversity. Alexander, deluded by a vain hope, ordered the Imperial satellites to go out; estimating that Priscus, who was the chief & master of that holy multitude, would seek a way of escaping, & consent to the sacrifices. All being therefore excluded, Priscus says: Behold, Brethren, behold our Lord Jesus Christ, carrying about the banners of the Cross, & walking in the midst of us says: Who ministers to me, let him follow me. When he had said these things, all & each concordantly answered: We embrace thy saving counsel, Father: & we willingly desire the will of God to be fulfilled in us. After these things Alexander enters, & bursting in with uproar, surrounds the multitude of the Saints with a band of satellites horrific by countenance, words, & threatening swords. Priscus being asked by Alexander what he had treated of, or what he had deliberated to do concerning his safety, answered: & with them he is slain. Why should I draw thee out with words? As we worship one God, so also for Him we all hasten unanimously to be slain. Then Alexander ordered S. Priscus to be smitten with the sword: & also punishing the rest with the same sentence, ordered Priscus to be cast headlong into a pit.

[3] Soon one of the survivors, by name ^m Cottus, secretly snatching the head of Priscus, S. Cottus after carrying off his head is slain. sought the byways of the woods. Which being known, the persecutors, searching the hiding-places of the neighboring places, at almost thirty stadia caught the fugitive with the head of B. Priscus the Martyr, not far from the city of Auxerre, beside the ⁿ Vestren road: where they slew him: & there by the Christians both he & the head of the most reverend Priscus was buried with gladness. But the bodies of the Holy Martyrs, who were slain with B. Priscus on one day, the Christians, having secretly drawn them away, buried in a cistern not far from the pit, into which his body had been cast headlong ^o.

ANNOTATIONS.

CHAPTER II.

The Relics of the Saints honored. The temple of S. Priscus erected, desolated, & restored.

The memories therefore of the glorious Saints lay hidden until the time of the most blessed ^a Germanus the Bishop. By which Prelate God, The temple desolated in the time of the Vandals. in whose sight they were more illustrious, wishing to come to the aid through their patronage also, declared them to all ^b. But the head of Priscus the Martyr He revealed in wondrous ways to the Christians: which the same Antistes, consecrating the place after custom, gave to the peoples to be venerated. But after not many courses of years, the Vandals ^c rushing in, Gaul was almost wholly depopulated. Then indeed that sacred place remained unfrequented by worshipers. Now there was in the valley a basilica, in which a certain Porcarius a most noble man, lord of the same land, on a certain day pursuing a boar with clamor, carried down to the same valley, unaware & ignorant of the most sacred place, beholds the place deserted, but its tiles still new: who returning to his house, ordered that covering, from that place as if private & desolate, to be carried off by his servants & placed on his own roofs. But the servants obeying the words of their lord, quickly fit the tiles brought to the upper rooms of the same ^d. But on the next day Porcarius, indulging in the hunt, was hurt in the foot by a certain stumbling, so that, burnt with an unexpected heat of fevers, he had despair of life. On account of the tiles carried off Porcarius fallen into sickness, But after exceeding griefs, which the pain of the wound & the fire of the fevers brought on, sleep crept upon his eyes: & behold a man terrible in aspect, & surrounded with a snowy stole, shone forth before him in the place: by whose vision astounded he fell silent. Then that most reverend man approached the one lying: Why hast thou destroyed my dwelling, which is in thy field; & repaired private mansions, which is impious, from the tiles of the same dwelling? But Porcarius, although terrified with fear, answered: Lord, who art thou, who addressest me ignorant of these matters? admonished by S. Priscus, Priscus answered: I am Priscus, a humble servant of God: against whom thou hast committed a fault, destroying my temple, & greedily restoring thy dwelling: & that thou mayest know, for this this sadness has befallen thee, & the hurt of the foot followed. To whom Porcarius, his strength now taken, answered as a suppliant: Spare, I pray, Lord, me: not knowing this I did it. For I, not as a sacrilegious man, took the tiles from thy sacristy, but esteeming it an old place, once widowed of inhabitants, I ordered the instruments of that roof to be brought in. For I think, Lord, it is no crime, which through ignorance is committed by anyone. But because thou hast deigned to console thy ignorant servant, by showing who thou art, & to reveal that thou art a Martyr of the omnipotent God; not only will I restore those, but even, by adding more besides, will render the place worthy of praise & solemn to all. Only I beseech, that this sickness from me, by which the wound & disease oppressing me has afflicted me, he restores the church, thou order to be straightway removed. The man of God answered: Unless thou do what now thou promisest, I will take away thy soul from thee. Morning therefore being come, Porcarius, calling forth his servants, says: Whatever you took away from that place situated in the valley, quickly restore: & just as the place had been composed, most diligently adorn it: since it is not of sinners, but the dwelling of venerable Martyrs. But he himself commanded the other things which were needful for rebuilding the basilica to be done; & kindled with a continued ardor of divinity, he indulged the building, & has it dedicated. his former soundness of limbs being now received. And ignorant that what has once been consecrated cannot be abolished, the Priest being again summoned he asked the basilica, which he had brought back to a better state, to be consecrated by him; & accommodated to the same venerable place the solemnity of so great frequentation, in all the times of his life, that he established a concourse there at his own expense. But all these things wrought in His Saints the holy & individual Trinity, whose command being made the world acknowledges, by whose increase all things subsist, & the graces of the Martyrs are crowned. But these things were done in the Gallican province, the catholic faith reigning, on the day seventh of the Kalends of June.

ANNOTATIONS.

The Charter of John Baillet Bishop of Auxerre, from the library of the noble Man D. de la Chasse, Senator of Auxerre.

On the translation of the body of S. Cottus, made by the Bishop himself.

Priscus, Martyr at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (St.)

Cottus, Martyr at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (St.)

Very many, Martyrs at Cociacus in the territory of Auxerre (SS.)

a

FROM THE MSS.

To all who shall inspect the present letters, John, by the grace of God & of the holy Apostolic See Bishop of Auxerre, The Bishop in visitation, for the future memory of the matter. Although the souls of the Saints need not human praises, since they rest in the heavens, where they have merited to receive the unfading crown of eternal glory from the hand of the Lord; We nevertheless, who in the shipwreck of this world sail perilously, cannot honor too much their Relics on earth, that by their prayers & merits we may merit to be made partakers of a crown of this kind. Coming therefore to the parochial church of B. Priscus, of our diocese of Auxerre, to bestow the due office of visitation, Stephen Regnaud, an inhabitant of the said place, devoutly & humbly supplicated us, that the relics of S. Cottus, in the aforesaid church resting in a certain stone casket, behind the great altar of that church, from that casket into a certain other new wooden one, which he had honorably made for transferring the said Relics, we would be willing to transfer: that there, for the greater excellence of the said Saint, they might more honorably rest, & the devotion of the people toward the same Saint be more fervently & propensely increased. But we, induced by zeal of devotion to a supplication of this kind benignly assenting, & wishing to cherish the same Regnaud in his devotion; on account of the miracles heard, because we have found & heard how very many miracles were done through the intercession of S. Cottus; & a certain very ancient letter, sculptured in the stone above the very stone casket in the wall, which we saw & caused to be read, containing in effect; Here rests Saint Cottus, who with the head of S. Priscus the Martyr received martyrdom; as also several other things, both us & our mind moving to these. Therefore desiring to proceed to a Translation of this kind, we ordered & caused the said ancient stone casket in our presence, he transfers the relics of S. Cottus, adorned with Pontifical ornaments, to be opened: in which we found the honorable Relics of the said S. Cottus, namely the head of the body, & the bones in particles, as we piously believe; & the said Relics from the said ancient stone casket, into the said new wooden one, we transferred with our own hand, on the day of the date of these presents. There being present & assisting us the Lords, ^b Hugo, Abbot of S. Germanus, of the Order of S. Benedict; ^c John, Abbot of S. Marianus near Auxerre, of the Premonstratensian Order; & ^d John, Abbot of S. Peter of Auxerre, of the Order of S. Augustine. before 3 Abbots, We also enjoined & ordained a solemnity of this kind of Translation, to be perpetually celebrated in the said parochial church each year, on the day of the date of these presents; that aided by the merits & intercessions of the said S. Cottus & of all the other Saints, we may be able to attain the aforesaid crown.

In testimony of which matter we have thought our oblong seal should be appended to the present letters, together with the sign & subscription of Master Radulf Chef-de-Ville, Presbyter, public Notary, our Secretary. And these letters we caused to be enclosed in the aforesaid wooden casket with the said Relics. Given & Done in the aforesaid church of S. Priscus, in the year of the Lord MCCCCLXXX, on the day XIX of November, there being present the Venerable men Masters, Stephen Naudet, Curate of the said place; John Odry, our Official of Auxerre; Edmund Boilceni, in the year 1480, 19 Nov. Presbyter of our Church; the Canons, John Lanceaulmus, Michael Rebot; the Presbyters, Nicholas Odry & Peter Gral, Notaries of our Court of Auxerre, with several other witnesses there flowing together.

ANNOTATIONS.

ON SS. ABERCIUS AND HELENA

GERMAN MARTYRS.

From the Synaxarium of Dijon & others. Were they born of Alphæus the father?

Abercius, Martyr among the Greeks (St.)

Helena, Martyr among the Greeks (St.)

D. P.

The printed Menæa of the Greeks, & the Menology published by Sirletus, with Maximus Bishop of the Cythera, name on this XXVI of May, The name in the calendars. the Holy Martyrs Abercius & Helena, with no Eulogy added. The Ms. Claromontane Synaxarium at this XXVI of May also refers them, but for Abercius names Abenius. In the Ms. Greek of Dijon it is thus read: Ὁ ἀγιὸς Ἀβέρκιος, ὁ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀποστόλου Ἀλφαίου ὑιὸς, ἑν μελισσῶνι γυμνὸς ἁπλωθεὶς καὶ δακνώμενος, ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν τελεῖουται: The kind of martyrdom. S. Abercius, son of Alphæus the Apostle, exposed naked in a bee-yard & stung by the bees, is by them slain. There is added a distich, which in the separation of the sons, ill cohering (as elsewhere said more fully), was so corrupted that it could not be read. Then is said Ἡ ἁγια Ἑλένη ἡ ἀδέλφὴ αὐτου λιθοβοληθεῖσα, S. Helena, his sister, stoned; with this distich:

Σὸς Χριστονύμφη κόσμος Ἑλένη λίθοι, Δι᾽ ὧνπερ ὠφθης ἐυπρεπὴς ἐν Κυρίῳ.

O bride of Christ, the stones are thy world, Helena: by which thou wast seen most fairly adorned in God.

Ferrarius, the tables of the Greeks being alleged I know not whence (for he seems neither to have used any Greek originals for weaving his Catalogue, nor at all to have known Greek), referred them to XXIV of May. We found also in the Combefisian Synaxarium, Was the father Alphæus? in the Fathers Preachers of the stricter observance at Paris, the same Martyrs, referred to the day XX, & elsewhere to XXVII of May. But that S. Abercius is called in the Dijon Ms. son of Alphæus the Apostle, I fear lest it be hence, that in most (as above said) Synaxaria, this man is found praised, as the father of the Apostles James & Matthew, but elsewhere he himself & his sons, the names not expressed, are commemorated; & then is subjoined the memory of these Martyrs, whom the collector of the Dijon Synaxarium could have taken for the sons. Certainly we dare not, on the faith of this one Ms., assert their kinship with the aforesaid Apostles, unknown to all other writers.