ON ST. BARACTALIS, MARTYR, AT SPOLETO IN UMBRIA,
IN AN UNCERTAIN CENTURY.
ANACEPHALAEOSIS.
Baractalis, martyr, at Spoleto in Umbria. (S.)
BY J. B.
We are going to say very few things about St. Baractalis: Scarcely anything about this holy Martyr is whatever the writers of a more recent age who have treated of the affairs or Saints of Spoleto have committed to writing about his age, condition and deeds is plainly uncertain. He is said to have been of the number of twelve Saints who, under the leadership of Anastasius, are said to have landed in Italy from Syria. Their Acts, stuffed with errors and contradicting themselves, and hence of no credit or value, Conrad Janning published and discussed in the Preliminary Treatise to volume 1 of July, in which you will find nothing besides the name that pertains specifically to St. Baractalis. Jacobilli, however, in volume 2 of the Saints of Umbria, describes St. Baractalis prettily enough, but from documents no better; Ferrari, almost agreeing with Jacobilli, hands down a compendious history of St. Baractalis of this kind.
[2] Baractalis of Antioch, together with Anastasius his paternal uncle, certain, Britius and Eutychius his cousins, and John, Isacius, Carpophorus, Abundius, Teudila, Laurence, Proculus and Herculanus his brothers, came to Rome, and thence to Narni. And Proculus and Eutychius having set out elsewhere, and Anastasius having died at Rome, he made his way with the others to Spoleto: where, Britius having been ordained bishop as the eldest, and the others having been shut up in prison by order of the governor Marcian under Diocletian and Maximian (some say this was done under Domitian, others under Julian), Baractalis, the youngest by birth, who on account of the elegance of his appearance and manners was dear even to the gentiles, freely ministered to them; and when he exhorted the gentiles themselves to the Christian faith, and with gentle words reproved their vices, he stirred up against himself the grave hatred of certain youths, who denounce him to the governor as very often praying at the tomb of St. Gregory the martyr (of Spoleto). Baractalis therefore, led to the governor, and freely professing himself a Christian, since he could not be induced by any threats or terrors to venerate the gods, was led outside the city and beheaded beside the aforesaid tomb on the 7th day before the Ides of October. His body was buried in that same place by the Christians.
[3] except his cult. These things Ferrari says of Baractalis; which, although we may say they are plainly uncertain, far be it from us nevertheless to call into doubt the sanctity of St. Baractalis, who indeed both was famous for miracles, and long ago had a sacred cult in the diocese of Spoleto, and a church dedicated to his own name and that of St. Gregory, as is to be seen in the praised Janning, chapter X, where he treats of St. Baractalis separately. He had hoped that at this day we would perhaps have more to say of St. Baractalis; but what could be added over and above his words has been sought by us in vain.