Martyrs of Alexandria in Egypt

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS OF ALEXANDRIA IN EGYPT: CRONIDES OR HIERONIDES THE DEACON AND LEONTIUS AND SERAPION AND OTHERS, MARTYRS,

AT ALEXANDRIA IN EGYPT.

From the Calendars of the Greeks and the Roman Martyrology.

Cronides or Hieronides, deacon, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (St.)

Leontius, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (St.)

Serapion, Martyr at Alexandria in Egypt (St.)

BY J. S.

Several martyrs joined in one place in some calendars, Different classes of martyrs are celebrated with one eulogy in the Menaea on the thirteenth day of September. Hence it seems to have come about that some confusion arose in the Sirletian Menology, where at this day those are announced who belong to the first class, and others are joined to them who seem rather to belong to another handful of martyrs. That confusion was transferred to the Roman Martyrology also by Baronius on this day; but on the following day he mixed one of the second class with yet another martyr, as we shall see there. The words of the Menology, in which the name of the first martyr has been changed, I first transfer hither: On the same day, the contest of the holy martyrs Hieronides, Leontius, Serapion, Seleucus, Valerian, and Strato, who under the emperor Maximian, being detained at Alexandria, since they were unwilling to sacrifice to the idols, were cast into the sea and received the end of the present life. These things Baronius adopted, as he himself intimates in his notes; but Seleucus, as he is always called among the Greeks, he named Selesius, probably by the error of copyists or typesetters; for Maximian also he substituted Maximinus, which could have been done on purpose, because Maximinus II persecuted the Christians most bitterly in Egypt at the time when Galerius Maximian was doing the same in various provinces of the East. Receive the words of Baronius: At Alexandria, the birthday of the holy martyrs Hieronides, Leontius, Serapion, Selesius, Valerian, and Strato, who under the emperor Maximinus were plunged into the sea for the confession of the name of Christ.

[2] But from the remaining calendars of the Greeks it seems clear that only the first three suffered in Egypt and were plunged in the sea; but only three of these suffered in Egypt, while the rest attained the crown of martyrdom in other places and by other punishments. Besides, the first, who is here called Hieronides, is constantly called Cronides in the Menaea, and is said to have been a deacon. For the printed Menaea at the thirteenth of September commemorate indeed in one announcement Cronides, Leontius, Serapion, Strato, and Seleucus. But such a eulogy follows: Ἐν τῇ Αλεξανδρέων μητροπόλει τοῦ μακαρίου Κρονίδους διακόνου ἀναλάμψαντος, ἐπίστευσαν δι᾽ αὐτῶν \ Λεόντιος καὶ Σεραπίων. In the metropolis of the Alexandrians, when Cronides the deacon shone forth with virtues, through him Leontius and Serapion believed.* Then others are subjoined who were converted in Galatia and at Nicomedia. But the martyrdom of the three preceding then follows, and is set forth in these words: Καὶ ὁ μὲν μακρόβιος Κρονίδης, Λεόντιος καὶ Σεραπίων ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, μετὰ πλείστους βασάνους, δεθέντες χεῖρας καὶ πόδας, ἐν τῇ ταλαάσσῃ ἀπεῤῥίφθησαν· καὶ τὰ τουτῶν λείψανα τῇ ξηρᾷ διασωθέντα, δι᾽ ὀπτασίας ἄγγελοι πιστοῖς ἀνδράσι τῇ γῇ καλύψαι προσέταξαν. Thus far the Menaea concerning the martyrs who suffered in Egypt, to whom they add no others; but to the rest they assign another place of martyrdom.

[3] Now, before I express the Greek words in Latin, I judge that the reader must be warned and, after other torments, cast into the sea. that the word μακρόβιος is not here the name of another martyr; for what precedes and what follows do not admit this interpretation; but that it is an adjective, long-lived, so that it must be said that Cronides the deacon was of advanced age — unless perhaps the word μακρόβιος, long-lived, has crept in for the word μακάριος, blessed; for the printed Menaea are defiled with frequent faults. This observation being premised — because I have seen the word μακρόβιος printed as a proper name in Maximus Margunius — I subjoin the Latin interpretation: And the long-lived Cronides indeed, and Leontius and Serapion, in Egypt, after many torments, with hands and feet bound, were cast into the sea. Moreover their bodies, borne unharmed to the dry land, the angels through a vision commanded faithful men to cover with earth. The same things Maximus Margunius, bishop of Cythera, repeated; nor do I find more elsewhere concerning these martyrs. For the rest, the Strato who was added in the Roman Martyrology from the Menology is that same Strato of whom I treated, with the praised calendars, at the ninth of September; for the things that were there related concerning his martyrdom are repeated on the thirteenth day in the Menaea, and it is only added that he suffered at Nicomedia. But of Seleucus and Valerian I shall treat on the following day, together with Macrobius and Gordian, to whom they belong.

[4] The same martyrs commemorated by the Latins at the 15th day. Further, the praised martyrs are read also among the Latins at the fifteenth day of September, but the name of the first is very much varied. Hear the Hieronymian calendars in Florentinius: At Alexandria, the birthday of the holy Cyrinus. Leontius. Serapion. Crocus. In the Epternach codex the place is omitted, and thus it is had in the first place: The birthday of Serapion, of Leontius. And among other martyrs mention is made of Cyrinus, Crocus. The Corbie codex has thus: At Alexandria, the birthday of the three holy brothers, Cyrinus, Leontius, Serapion, Crocus. Three are called brothers, and four are enumerated. In the shorter Corbie codex among us only this is read: At Alexandria, the birthday of the three holy brothers. The Rheinau Martyrology and the Reichenau among us have in plainly the same words: At Alexandria, of Serapion, of Leontius. With these Rabanus agrees, who has thus: At Alexandria, the birthday of St. Serapion, of Leontius. These two Galesinius also commemorated. Greven gave three in these words: At Alexandria, of the three holy brothers, Cirinus, Leontius, and Serapion. I should think that the name of Cronides, if that is the true one, was changed into the name of Cyrinus, or at least that the same martyr is designated by either name; and thus that the three martyrs whom we have given from the Greeks are to be admitted, but that Crocus was added from elsewhere, or perhaps wrongly commemorated from mere error.

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