ON SS. ATHANASIUS AND IRENE, MARTYRS,
PROBABLY BETWEEN THE YEARS 305 AND 313.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Athanasius, martyr in Egypt. (S.)
Irene his sister, martyr in Egypt. (S.)
BY R. D. B.
The contest of St. Athanasius and his sister St. Irene is praised both in the Coptic Synaxary and in the Ethiopic, at the 3rd day of the month of Hedar, In the Synaxary which corresponds to the 30th day of October. At the same day they were entered in the Ethiopic Calendar published in part by Ludolf Ad historiam Aethiopicam Commentarius, page 396., in these words: The holy martyrs Athanasius and Iraeus. But, as far as I find, they are mentioned in no older books than those just cited. Who their author was, what their age, it has now seemed good briefly to discuss. Copies of the Coptic Synaxary, written in Arabic, exist in the Vatican Library [Mai, Scriptorum veterum Nova Collectio, volume IV, codices 62, 63, 64, 65, pages 93, 109, 121, 122.], in the Florentine [Assemani, Bibliothecae Mediceae codicum manuscriptorum orientalium catalogus, page 168.], and also, as the distinguished Zotenberg writes, in the National Library of Paris Catalogue des mss. éthiop. de la Biblioth. Nation., page 152.. The copy which Heinrich Brugsch, together with other Arabic manuscript books, brought with him into Europe from the Coptic monastery of Amba Bishoy at Mount Schibat in the neighbourhood of the Natron lake [Compare Andréossy, Sur la vallée des lacs de Natroun, in Panckoucke, Description de l'Égypte, volume XII, page 27; Ritter, Die Erdkunde, volume I, page 860 and following.] was used by the distinguished Wüstenfeld, when he rendered the Synaxary from the Arabic language into German, and had it printed at Gotha in the year 1879. The beginning is conceived in these words: In the name of God, creator, living, eternal, good: to him be honour, amen. We begin with the help of the most high God and under his merciful assistance the writing of the Compendium of the Lives of the martyrs and saints of the first six months: and this is the book which in the Greek language is called Synaxary, in the Arabic language it signifies a collection. The opening is taken from the month of Tut, which is the first of the Coptic months and near the autumnal equinox: the day then has twelve hours Synaxarium, das ist, Heiligenkalender der Coptischen Christen, page 5.. In the inscription of the second part of the same Synaxary the author is called: Father Amba Michael, bishop of Atrib and Malij, with other fathers Ibid., page VI..
[2] Coptic, The inscription of the copy of the Vatican Library is this: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God, to whom be glory always in perpetuity and eternity. Amen. We begin by the help of God most high, and by the goodness of his providence, to write the first volume of the book of the synaxary containing an epitome of the lives of the martyrs through the whole circle of the year; and also memorials of angels, apostles and saints, according to the recension made by Father Michael, bishop of Atrib and Malij, and by other holy fathers. The book itself is called in Greek synaxary, which in Arabic sounds collection Mai, volume cited, page 93.. Assemani Work cited, page 164. Compare Selden, De Synedriis Hebraeorum, p. 1398. recites in summary nearly the same inscription of the Florentine codex; but Michael alone is mentioned there, the other holy fathers being omitted, so that it is not indicated that additions were made to the work of the bishop of Atrib. And in truth indeed, if some things were added, they are fewer than those added to the Vatican codex.
[3] and in the Ethiopic The Ethiopians both translated the Coptic Synaxary into their language and enlarged it with several saints. This will seem plain to those who compare both the index woven by Assemani and Mai and the translation of Wüstenfeld with the catalogue of Dillmann [Catalogue of oriental manuscripts of the British Museum, part III, Ethiopic codices, page 46; compare Dillmann, Catalogue of manuscripts of the Bodleian Library, part VII, page 37.] and of Zotenberg Catal. des mss. éthiopiens de la Bibl. Nation., page 161.. Nor is it surprising that the Ethiopians took up with such veneration the Coptic or Alexandrian-Monophysite Synaxary: since they were enlightened with the light of faith especially from the church of Alexandria. For their chief Apostle, St. Frumentius, had been sent there by the Alexandrian prelate St. Athanasius, to teach them the religion of Christ. They afterwards so obeyed the successors of the holy patriarch that they generally followed as their leader the Alexandrian church, interpreting Catholic doctrine now rightly, now wrongly. Now the opening of the Ethiopic Synaxary in a codex of the Bodleian Library of Oxford is this: In the name of the Father, etc. With the help and benefit of God, let us begin to write the book of the Synaxary, which signifies a collection, drawn and collected by the holy Fathers, Doctors of the Church, the glorious Father, abbot Michael, bishop of the cities of Atrib and Malij, and the glorious Father, abbot John, bishop of the city of Burlos, and other holy and glorious Fathers, from all the contests of Angels, and Prophets, and Apostles, of the Just, and Martyrs, and holy Patriarchs, and of hermit monks, from which their commemorations might be celebrated, and their contests read daily, from the beginning of the month of Maskaram to the end of the year. They completed the collection of this book in the year of the innocent Martyrs 963 (or of Christ 1247 Art de vérifier les dates, page XVII.: may their prayers and blessing be with their beloved Tawalda-Madhen for ages of ages! Amen Dillmann, Codices of the Bodleian Library, Oxford, part VII, page 37..
[4] composed by Michael and others From this preface it is understood that the Synaxary was especially enlarged by John, bishop of Burlos (a city of Egypta Secunda). That a certain John, prelate of the same church, lived in the age of Damian, patriarch of Alexandria, or in the sixth century, we learn from Renaudot [Historia Patriarcharum Alexandrinorum, page 146. Compare Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, volume II, column 571 and following.]. But, as Dillmann rightly asserts Catalogue of oriental manuscripts of the British Museum, part III, page 46., he is another than the author of the Synaxary. He also thinks him different from John, likewise bishop of Burlos, who is praised in the Synaxary at the 19th day of the month of Tachsas. The other writer of the Synaxary, Michael, seems to be the same Ibid. as that bishop of Atrib and Malij of whom Renaudot Historia Patriarcharum Alexandrinorum, page 298.: Among the writers of the Jacobite church a renowned one is Michael, bishop of Malij, who published juridical or canonical Responses … and whose Questions and Responses exist in Arabic in the Paris Library [Catalogue of manuscript codices of the Royal Library, volume I, page 107, Paris, 1739; Dillmann, in the place cited.]. His age, adds Le Quien, is uncertain. Who the other holy and glorious fathers were, of whom in the opening, seems not to have been ascertained so far. But since Vansleb [Histoire de l'Église d'Alexandrie, pages 62, 333 and 335. Compare Wüstenfeld, Synaxarium, page VI and following.] calls Amba Peter, bishop of Malij, the author of the Synaxary, it is credible that he too added some things to the work.
[5] before the end of the fifteenth century, But whoever at last the authors were, scholars think their hagiological monument is to be greatly esteemed. If you take away from the Synaxary a few things, says Assemani, which are invented there by the Copts about fictitious miracles of Monophysite pseudo-saints, we think the rest most worthy of the light; especially because in them nearly the whole history of the Coptic and Abyssinian nation is described, and the traditions and ecclesiastical rites of the Alexandrian church are illustrated Catalogue of oriental codices of the Medicean Library, page 187.. Nor did it seem otherwise to Cardinal Mai Scriptorum nova Collectio, volume IV, Arabic codices, page 93.. Both judge that the book appeared in the fifteenth century, since they assert that Michael, bishop of Malij, flourished about the year 1425. But others note the times in another way. In the preface of the Ethiopic Synaxary which exists in the Bodleian Library [Dillmann, Codices of the Bodleian Library, Oxford, part VII, page 37; Codices of oriental manuscripts of the British Museum, part III, page 46.], we read: They completed the collection of this book in the year of the innocent martyrs 963 or of Christ 1247 Art de vérifier les dates, page XVII.. But in the Paris copy the work is said to have been finished in the year of the martyrs 903 (of Christ 1187). But that certain things were composed long before is indicated by the Ethiopic praise of St. Cyriacus, which the distinguished Wright copied for us from the London oriental codex 667, collated with codex 660 [Catalogue of the Ethiopic manuscripts in the British Museum, page 152 and following.]. For there it is said: St. Cyriacus died about six hundred years ago; for he lived in the time of Theodosius the Great (who died in the year 395), father of Arcadius and Honorius. The same in the Coptic Calendar of Wüstenfeld, except that here seven hundred years is read Wüstenfeld, Synaxarium, page 97; compare page VI.; from which it may be gathered that one of the authors lived about the year 1090, or indeed 990. But in the same place it manifestly appears that certain things were added to the original writing at the end of the fourteenth or the beginning of the fifteenth century; certainly after the years 1382 and 1387 Ibid.. Nor, documents being lacking, have we anything more certain to bring forward, nor has it seemed good to use conjectures to settle the dispute.
[6] SS. Athanasius and Irene are praised. Further, whether we use this or that manner of noting time, it can equally be said that the Synaxary was in use between the years 1450 and 1500, that is, more than a century before the Urban
decree of the year 1634, and when the Ethiopians professed the faith of the Catholic Church under the supreme authority of the Roman pontiff Compare above, page 239.. So SS. Athanasius and Irene were venerated by the heretical Copts, and by the Ethiopians, now Catholic, now heretical. They were also received into their Martyrologies or Lexicons of Saints by Chastelain, the Chevalier de Saint-Allais, Pétin, Stadler Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexicon, volume III, page 49 and others. But more or clearer indications of cult paid to them have not met us in our inquiry. For what Pétin says, that they are venerated on the 30th day of October among the Greeks, he does not indicate whence he fished it, nor have we found it anywhere.
[7] martyrs, We have obtained only a very brief Passion of the holy sibling martyrs, nor is it known to us whether a longer one was ever written. He would not be called ill-advised who had no very great confidence in the surviving Acts, since the Coptic and Ethiopic Synaxaries are infected with not a few errors. Yet from each we have thought good to report here the praise of our saints, beginning with the Coptic. Several have copied its title in their catalogues [Assemani, Bibliotheca Medicea, page 168. Mai, Scriptores veteres, volume IV, Arabic codices, page 99. Dillmann, Bodleian Catalogue, part VII, page 43.]: Contest (or martyrdom or rest) of St. Athanasius and his sister Irene, under the emperor Maximian. The Acts themselves were brought forward rendered into German by Wüstenfeld Wüstenfeld, Synaxarium der Coptischen Christen, part I, page 97., which we in turn shall render into Latin: On this day too there entered into eternal beatitude the holy father Athanasius and his sister Irene, after they had been afflicted with many tortures by Maximian. When he had tried everything against them in vain, he ordered them to be thrown into an empty cistern, and water to be poured over them: where they perished and attained the crown of martyrdom.
[8] killed by Maximian, In nearly the same words our martyrs are proclaimed in the Ethiopic Synaxary: in publishing which eulogy we have used the work of the most learned and most courteous William Wright, who expressed it for us word for word in the English language from the manuscript codex of the British Museum 667, collated with codices 660 and 656. We from it in Latin:
On this day too (the 3rd of the month of Hedar) the holy father Atnatewos and his sister Irai found rest there, after they had been tortured with great torment by Maksemyanos. When he was tired of torturing them, he threw them stripped into a well, whose mouth he closed *. In which well they found rest.
It is good to add the rhythmical salutations which we find in the Ethiopic Synaxary, but not in the Arabic:
Glory to Atnatewos and Irai, who, joined by love and fraternal concord, agreed To shed their blood for the sake of Christ, When the mouth of the well was closed over them, And there they gave back their spirit.
[9] and, as it seems, in Egypt. These few things about SS. Athanasius and Irene have become known to us. Nor is there anything there about their family, home, age and profession. These could be better defined if those holy siblings were the same as Abathir and Irene, his sister, martyrs, who are mentioned both in the Ethiopic Calendar of Ludolf Ad historiam Aethiopicam Commentarius, page 392. and in the Coptic Synaxary [Assemani, Bibliothecae Mediceae codicum orientalium catalogus, page 166. Mai, Scriptorum nova Collectio, volume IV, Arabic codices, page 16. Compare Dillmann, Bodleian Library, part VII, page 40.], where there is set forth at the 28th day of the month of Tut: Martyrdom of St. Abatir and his sister Irene, under Arianus, prefect of Egypt. But to one reading their Acts Wüstenfeld, Synaxarium, page 47 and following. it will appear that that pair is different from our saints Athanasius and Irene. Where these died may be attained by conjecture. For since they have their name inscribed nowhere but in Coptic hagiological books and their Ethiopic offshoots, we are not absurdly of opinion that they were Egyptians. Nor are we much moved to enter on another path by Chastelain, in the Universal Martyrology, and his imitators the Chevalier de Saint-Allais, likewise in the Universal Martyrology, and the venerable priest Pétin, in the Hagiological Lexicon, saying at the 30th day of October: In Ethiopia the holy martyrs Iraeus and Athanasius; for Chastelain used nothing but the Ethiopic Calendar of Ludolf, where only these words occur: Athanasius and Iraeus, martyrs; thinking that both saints merited the crown of martyrdom in Ethiopia. Of the time when they met death, they are reported in the Acts to have been tortured by order of Maximian. But, as all will concede, it is not at all incredible that in this place Maximin Daza is signified, in whose dominion Egypt was from the year 305 to the year 313; so that the martyrdom can be judged to have taken place at that time too. For the rest, that the surviving ancient writings are silent about SS. Athanasius and Irene is not surprising; since few martyrs are designated by their name, although under Maximin, now Caesar, now son of the Augusti, now Augustus [Eckhel, Doctrina nummorum veterum, part II, volume VIII, page 51 and following, edition of 1828.], many were slain for the sake of the Christian religion: whose contest and triumph have been reported in brief words by Eusebius [Ecclesiastical History, On the martyrs of Palestine, page 674; ibid., book VIII, number 13, page 641, book IX, number 6, page 734, Laemmer edition.], Lactantius [Works, volume II, De Mortibus Persecutorum, chapter 36, column 251, Migne edition.] and St. Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria [Acta Sanctorum, volume I of January, page 130. Compare Works of St. Athanasius, volume II, column 910, Migne edition.].
Annotatum* occluserunt elsewhere