ON SS. MARCELLUS AND GEMINUS AND NUVIUS AND PRIMINA, MARTYRS, AT ROME, OTHERWISE MARCELLINUS, GENUINUS AND NIVIUS,
FROM THE HIERONYMIAN MARTYROLOGIES.
CommentaryMarcellus or Marcellinus, M., at Rome. (S.)
Geminus or Genuinus, M., at Rome. (S.)
Nuvius or Nivius, M., at Rome. (S.)
Primina, M., at Rome. (S.)
BY J. B.
Here is another class of Martyrs from the same martyrologies, called Hieronymian, which is announced at Rome in this manner in Fiorentini: At Rome, of Marcellinus, Gemuinus, Nuvius, and between the two Laurels of holy Primina. The Corbie Martyrology has it a little otherwise: At Rome, of Marcellus, Genuinus, Novius, Justus. Between the two Laurels of holy Primina, Custus, Julius. Custus, mentioned here, is perhaps the same as Justus; and Julius the same who has been entered in the class above; wherefore I have thought that neither should be added to the rest in this place. The ancient Martyrology of Jerome in d'Achery agrees with the Corbie one. There, however, Primiva is read in place of Primina. The Gellone Martyrology in the same has thus: Elsewhere, of Afra, Primina. At Rome, of Marcellinus and Genuinus. The very ancient Martyrology published by Martène in volume 3 of the Anecdota mentions at this day Marcellinus alone; and the Augsburg one, published by us in volume VII of June, Genuinus alone. The Labbe one separates Septimus from Marcellinus and Genuinus: Of Diodorus, Septimus… Elsewhere, of Afra, Primina. At Rome, of Marcellinus and Genuinus, martyrs. Finally, the Additions to Ado have thus in Mosander: At Rome, of Marcellinus and Genuinus, and between the two Laurels of St. Primina. Knowledge of the place called between the two Laurels is furnished by the Acts of SS. Marcellinus and Peter, martyrs slain under Diocletian, in volume 1 of June, page 173, in the following words: Whose bodies, namely of the most blessed martyrs Marcellinus the priest and Peter the exorcist, Lucilla gathered, and placed in a vehicle by night, and brought them along the Via Labicana to the third milestone from the City; and by Anastasius the Librarian in the Life of St. Silvester, Pope, writing thus: In the same times the Augustus Constantine made a basilica for the most blessed martyrs Marcellinus the priest and Peter the exorcist between the two Laurels … on the Via Labicana at the third milestone from the city. Lucilla's companion was a certain Firmina, a most Christian woman, as the Acts of those Martyrs call her, who fixed her dwelling beside the remains of those Martyrs, and could have obtained martyrdom, burial or sacred cult in that same place, and could have been the same who is today announced between the two Laurels in the Hieronymian lists: but since the name of the latter is constantly expressed with the letter P, I think, together with Fiorentini, that one must abstain from this change.