Gislemerius

ON ST. GISLEMERIUS, MARTYR,

A SOLDIER, AS IS REPORTED, OF THE THEBAN LEGION, AT BORGO SAN DONNINO IN ITALY.

Under Diocletian and Maximian.

SYLLOGE.

Notice of the place: the Saint's memory and cultus among the people of Borgo, from Ferrarius: the circumstances uncertain.

Gislemerius, M., a soldier, as is reported, of the Theban legion, at Borgo San Donnino in Italy (S.)

U. S.

Fidentia, which is also called Julia, and by some, both words being joined, Julia Fidentia, but which today by a recent appellation is called Borgo San Donnino, Notice of the place, and the Saint's cultus. is an episcopal city in Cispadane Lombardy, situate between the cities of Parma and Piacenza. The place took its name from St. Domninus, inscribed in the Roman Martyrology at the ninth day of October, the principal patron of the said Borgo, after whom as a second patron it venerates St. Gislemerius the martyr, who, as Ranuccio Pico confesses in the Theatre of the Saints of Parma, is plainly unknown to all writers: nor have I found any martyrologist older than Ferrarius who mentions our Saint. But he, in the Catalogue of the Saints who are not in the Roman Martyrology, announces him in these words: At Julia in Aemilia, St. Gislemerius the martyr, patron of that same city. More at length he recounts him in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, where he has it thus: Gislemerius, one of the Theban soldiers, when he had fled from Gaul out of the borders of the Seduni into Italy together with others, that he might not serve as a soldier under the emperor Maximian, who was compelling the Christians to sacrifice to the idols, afflicting them with savage punishments, being seized by the enemies of the faith, was put to martyrdom at Julia: and there he is thought to have been buried. For both a brick sprinkled with the Martyr's blood is still seen in the chief church of that city, and an epitaph of this sort is read: HERE RESTS S. GISLEMERIUS, THEBAN MARTYR. Him the people of Borgo venerate on this day as their chief patron after St. Domninus.

[2] Most of what is related of him is uncertain. Ferrarius, as he himself testifies, drew these things from the records and monuments of the church of Borgo, which in the Notes to the Catalogue commended in the first place he calls ancient. These we have not obtained, whence I do not know of what mark and time and credit they are, and whether such as one could prudently rest upon. This is certain, that from the whole eulogy of Ferrarius only a doubtful knowledge of the Saint is had, nor can it safely be declared whether Borgo San Donnino is really ennobled by the sacred remains of St. Gislemerius; for the word is thought used by Ferrarius is exceedingly weak. No more certain is it whether he was a soldier of the glorious Theban legion: so indeed the inscription adduced by Ferrarius asserts; but of what weight it is he does not note: an old tradition also supports it, as Ranuccio Pico relates in St. Gislemerius; but since, on his own testimony, this tradition seems to have flowed from nowhere else than from the same inscription, the authority of the tradition is no greater than that of the inscription itself, which is hitherto unascertained by me. Until therefore better documents shall appear which can pave the way for further investigation, we leave the Deeds of St. Gislemerius untouched, content to have assigned his cultus among the people of Borgo from Ferrarius and Ranuccio Pico.

ON ST. DULCISSIMA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR,

AT SUTRI IN PONTIFICAL ETRURIA.

From Ferrarius.

Dulcissima, V. M., at Sutri in Pontifical Etruria (S.)

J. S.

Sutri is a city formerly illustrious and episcopal, but it has fallen not a little from its former celebrity, and its bishopric has been joined with that of Nepi, so

that now the bishop of Nepi and of Sutri is the same. Both cities are in that part of Tuscany which obeys the Roman Pontiff. Now the people of Sutri venerate on this day St. Dulcissima, of whom Ferrarius in the General Catalogue has it thus: At Sutri in Etruria, the holy Dulcissima, virgin and martyr. He adds in the Annotations: From the records of the church of Sutri, which has the body, as we have been informed; and celebrates her birthday on this day: the Acts, sought out by us, were answered to have perished. Arturus a Monasterio copied out Ferrarius in the Gynæceum, likewise recording Dulcissima today. Nor have we found more.

ON ST. PRISCIAN, MARTYR,

AT NUCERIA IN ITALY.

From the Hieronymian transcripts.

Priscian, mart., at Nuceria in Italy (S.)

J. S.

Priscian, martyr of Nuceria, is announced today by all the fuller Hieronymian codices, but very briefly. Florentinius published from his own: At Nocerea, of Priscian. And on page 1068, from the Blumian: At Noceria, of Priscian. The Corbie codex adds Maximus, who likely belongs elsewhere, having thus: At Nuceria, of Priscian, of Maximus. In the Antwerp one the name seems somewhat dislocated, both that of the city and that of the Martyr, since in it is read: At Nucerina, of Prifizanus. There are two Nucerias in Italy, both episcopal: one is in Umbria under the Roman Pontiff, the other is in the kingdom of Naples and under the metropolitan of Salerno. But which of the two had Priscian for its martyr, for lack of further knowledge of him I cannot find out.