ON SS. NATALIUS AND SARONAS,
ROMAN MARTYRS.
From the Greek Manuscript Synaxaries.
CommentarySt. Natalius, Roman Martyr.
St. Saronas, Roman Martyr.
BY D. P.
The already praised Manuscript Synaxary of the Church of Constantinople, and with it the Manuscript Menaea of Milan of the Ambrosian library, and of Turin of the Duke of Savoy, indicate these Martyrs in few words on this XXVIII of May. Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἄθλησις τῶν ἁγίων Ναταλίου καὶ Σαρωνᾶ Ρὡμαίων. On the same day the combat of the holy Natalius and Saronas, Romans. In the Manuscript of Dijon, found with Pierre François Chifflet, of the same on the day XXX of May this is thus read. Τῇ ἀυτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ ἁγιος Νατάλιος ξίφει τελειοῦται. On the same day St. Natalius, cut down by the sword, finishes his life, and that Distich is added with an allusion to the title of Martyr, signifying a Witness, in this manner:
Χόρου γενέσθαι Μαρτύρων διὰ ξίφους Τὸν Νατάλιον μαρτύρουσιν ὁι βίβλοι.
That, slain by the sword, he was inserted in the choir of Witnesses, Many books duly testify of Natalius.
What these books were it is not granted to divine: but it is permitted to wish that from somewhere they may come forth, and render to us more certain the notice and veneration of the aforesaid Martyrs. Meanwhile it remains doubtful whether to Old or New Rome, or to Italy or Thrace, which was called by later men Romania, these Martyrs are ascribed, of whom notice is had from the Greeks alone; and so, whether they are of those more ancient ones, whom the fury of the Gentile Judges took away; or whether perhaps they pertain to the VIII century and the times of the Iconoclasts: but if this were so, we believe a more express mention ought to have been made of Images defended, even in so brief a verse.