Saturninus

ON SS. SATURNINUS, NEREUS, MIREUS, AUFIDUS, AND THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE COMPANIONS, MARTYRS, IN AFRICA,

FROM THE MARTYROLOGIES.

THIRD OR FOURTH CENTURY.

Saturninus, as it seems, in Africa. (S.)

Nereus, as it seems, in Africa. (S.)

Mireus, as it seems, in Africa. (S.)

Aufidus, as it seems, in Africa. (S.)

Two hundred and sixty-five companion martyrs, as it seems, in Africa.

J. V. H.

These Martyrs, wrongly assigned to Spain, Fiorentini suspects that the codices are dislocated, since they report these martyrs with astonishing variety, so that scarcely two or three are found which agree exactly with one another. Tamayo in his Spanish Martyrology would easily solve the tangled question, if it were safe to follow this guide; for he writes: At Clunia in Hither Spain, of Saints Saturninus and Nereus with three hundred and sixty-five companions, who, seized for the confession of Christ in the impious persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, completed as martyrs a glorious contest. We have Clunia as the arena of the martyrdom, a Roman colony in Hither Spain, that is, in the Tarraconensian Province, as Father Flórez of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine has it in his most learned work España Sagrada Volume XXIV, part II, page 126.. We have the time of the martyrdom, the persecution of Diocletian and Maximinian. But since Tamayo himself offers no other guarantors of his announcement than Pseudo-Dexter and his followers or commentators, every sensible man will judge that this splendid announcement of martyrdom must be banished to the fables [Compare Nicolás Antonio's Censura de historias fabulosas, book V, chapter XII, §6.].

[2] they belong to Africa Leaving these aside, the more ancient and genuine Martyrologies note on this day, albeit with some diversity among themselves, the holy Martyrs Saturninus and Nereus, to whom most of the Hieronymian ones add Mireus and Aufidus. Thus the Hieronymian Martyrology of Corbie of the eleventh century, in Luc d'Achery Spicilegium, volume II, page 20, Paris edition 1723.: In Africa, of Cecra and of two hundred and seventy others who suffered likewise; of Merius, Aufidus, Saturninus, Nereus. Another Martyrology, of St. William of the Desert, or of Gellone, which was written at the beginning of the ninth century, announces in Luc d'Achery Ibid., page 35.: Africa, of Cecra, Mareus, Aufidus, Mariana, Nereus. Two elogia seem to be confused here, both by the interpolation of Mariana, who in the Gellone Martyrology ought to be joined with the following band, and in others on the following day with Ninus, Victoria, and Nobilitana; and by the omission of Saturninus, who in the remaining copies is constantly praised with Mireus and the Companions. Since, however, Fiorentini found the four holy Martyrs in his codices, I have no hesitation in attaching Aufidus and Mireus to the Saturninus and Nereus of the Roman Martyrology.

[3] and their passion seems to be referred to the third or fourth century. But as to Cardinal Baronius adding a band of three hundred and sixty-five martyrs, Chastelain, in his universal Martyrology published in French, observes that all the Hieronymian codices are silent about a numerous cohort of three hundred and sixty-five. Wherefore Fiorentini too would readily incline to the opinion that this band is the same as the two hundred and seventy Martyrs already dealt with above, unless, he says, the authority of the corrected Roman Martyrology persuaded that these are different, since it placed them separately from those and in another class, from old manuscripts, as Baronius adds there. For the rest, various Martyrologies declare that the Martyrs were Africans, while others are silent, among which is the Roman: unless perhaps one chose to interpret the particle item as ibidem, which, however, is not easily admitted in that sense. Greater still is the obscurity concerning the time of the passion. Galesini, citing Victor of Vita on the Vandal Persecution, ties the martyrdom to the fifth century; but this, says Cardinal Baronius, is to divine, since it is proved by no one's authority. Further, since today's announcement flows from the Hieronymian copies, one may suppose that these Martyrs suffered before the peace restored to the Church under the Emperor Constantine. Accordingly I think the martyrdom occurred in the third or fourth century. Pietro de' Natali, bishop of Equilio, says that Saturninus was a priest; but, as it seems, relying on no suitable testimony: whence most, by their silence, deny this dignity to the holy Martyr.