Basilla
Acta Sanctorum, August 29
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/august/day-29/basilla.html
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ON ST. BASILLA, VIRGIN,

AT SIRMIUM IN LOWER PANNONIA.

[Commentary]

Basilla, V., at Sirmium in Lower Pannonia (St.)

BY J. S.

[St. Basilla variously announced in the Martyrologies,] The Roman Martyrology today announces a certain St. Basilla in these words: *At Smyrna, the birthday of St. Basilla.* Baronius added a note of this kind: *Of her both in the old Roman Martyrology and also in manuscripts.* By the old Roman he doubtless designates the Hieronymian; by manuscripts perhaps the enlarged codices of Usuard. For in both is found the memory of Basilla, but with a difference in the place to which she is ascribed, and some difference also in the name. In the Hieronymian published by Florentinius it is read thus: *At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilla the virgin.* In the Corbie, in the same place in the notes (and in vol. 2 of the *Spicilegium*, page 17): *At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilissa the virgin.* Another copy of Florentinius: *At Sirmium, Basilla the virgin.* In the Augsburg and the Labbean, in our work after vol. VII of June, without the place is set, *Basilla the virgin.* In the additions to Usuard there is no less variety concerning this Saint, as may be seen in our *Usuard.* She is there recorded from very many copies, partly manuscript, partly printed. Most, however, have: *At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilla.* One, the Hagenau: *At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilica the virgin.* Belinus published *Basilia.* Greven: *At Sirmium, St. Basilla the virgin.* Molanus: *In Syria, the birthday of St. Basilea.* Thus far the Auctaria of Usuard.

[2] The Martyrologies hitherto adduced do not express whether St. Basilla was a martyr: [she seems to be assigned to Sirmium.] but Peter de Natalibus clearly denies the martyrdom when in book 11, chapter 130, number 231, he writes thus: *St. Basila fell asleep in the Lord at Sirmium on this same day.* Our manuscript *Florarium* has only: *At Sirmium, the birthday of St. Basilla.* I pass over the more recent, who vary in the same manner concerning the place. Nor does it please me to adduce certain Spaniards who, from the pseudo-Dexter and Julian, have tried to ascribe Basilla, along with Sirmium, to their own Spain: for the more prudent Spaniards themselves deny credit to fables of this kind. But I only observe with Florentinius that the most ancient Martyrologies agree well enough in the name and the place; for they everywhere call her Basilla and assign the Saint to Sirmium with the title of virgin, not of martyr. Moreover Sirmium was a city celebrated enough in Lower Pannonia, or in modern Slavonia, upon the river Save, so that it does not seem rightly assigned in the Roman Martyrology to Smyrna, which is a city of Asia Minor most well known to this day. Of the Saint's age or deeds there is everywhere a deep silence. Hence it remains uncertain whether she was a martyr: for the mere omission of the title of Martyr does not suffice to deny martyrdom to her with certainty.
