ON ST. CHARITON, MARTYR.
From the Menæa and the Menology.
CommentaryChariton martyr (S.)
J. S.
The Saint's memory in the Calendars, Saint Chariton the martyr the Greek Calendars announce today most briefly; nor do I find it anywhere expressed in what place or at what time he suffered. From so great a brevity a suspicion can arise that this Chariton is venerated on another day, either alone or with others; but that on this day he was only mentioned because today he was venerated in some particular church. But I find no Chariton of whom it can probably be said that he is the same as today's. For this cause I shall transfer hither what is read of him in the Greek Calendars. The Sirletian Menology at the IX of September has thus: On the same day the birthday of B. Chariton, consummated by the sword. The printed Menæa: Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ ἅγιος Ξαρίτων ξίφει τελειοῦται. On the same day saint Chariton is consummated by the sword; that is, he is slain. Then these two little verses are subjoined:
> Πολλή σοι χάρις χριστομάρτυς Χαρίτων, > Χριστοῦ χάριν τράχηλον ἐκκεκομμένῳ. > > Great is the grace to thee, Chariton, martyr of Christ, > Whose neck was cut off for Christ's sake.
The poet alludes to the Saint's name Chariton, which is derived from χάρις, grace.
[2] and his veneration at Constantinople. In the Sirmondian manuscript Synaxary these things are found about S. Chariton at the same day: Ἄθλησις τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Χαρίτωνος· τελεῖται δὲ ἡ αὐτοῦ σύναξις ἐν τῷ Δευτέρῳ. The contest of the holy martyr Chariton: but his synaxis is celebrated in the Deuterum. Since the Deuterum is a district of the city of Constantinople in which there were various churches, as Du Cange shows at length in Constantinopolis Christiana, book 2, pag. 170, it is clear from the words adduced that the festival of S. Chariton was celebrated at Constantinople, not indeed throughout the whole city, but in some part of it. The word σύναξις, which I have not turned into Latin, because it signifies various things, and is not unknown to the Latins, can here be taken for the festival itself, or for the ecclesiastical Office, as it is often taken among the Latins. Certainly it would here be incongruously rendered collect, although some, clinging to the letter, everywhere so expound the word. I have nothing more to record of S. Chariton.