Martyrs
Acta Sanctorum, May 4
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-04/martyrs.html
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ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

NESTORIUS, MICTONIUS AND ANTONY. LIKEWISE SECUNDIANUS AND MARCELLIANUS.

[Commentary]

Nestorius, Martyr (S.)

Mictonius, or Mittorius, Martyr (S.)

Antoninus, Martyr (S.)

Secundianus, Martyr (S.)

Marcellianus, Martyr (S.)

G. H.

After the reported forty Martyrs, of whom
below with S. Silvanus we treat, these are reported
in the MS. Epternach. And elsewhere of Nestor,
Mictonius, Antoninus. Who of these the middle
is placed, in the MS. Corbie at Paris printed,
is called Mitton, in the MSS. Lucca and Blume Mittorius.
And the other two in the same way everywhere are written. In the MSS.
Augsburg of S. Udalric and Paris of Labbe is remembered
Nestor. In the MS. Arras is celebrated the passion of Antoninus
the Martyr. In the MS. Aachen besides Antoninus
the Martyr is reported Antoninus, who also is inscribed
in the MSS. Augsburg and Ado of the Queen of Sweden. To these three in the title we adjoin SS. Secundianus and Marcellianus,
of whom and of Florianus the Martyrs the birthday celebrates the old
Monte Cassino Martyrology, in Lombardic characters
written. We omit Florianus, because already, although
under doubt, him we gave among the Martyrs of Africa, and another we give
at Lauriacum in Riverside Noricum with martyrdom crowned.



ON THE HOLY MARTYRS

NEOPHYTUS, GAIUS AND GAIANUS, LIKEWISE ZENO, MARCIUS AND MACARIUS.

[Commentary]

Neophytus, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

Gaius, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

Gaianus, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

Zeno, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

Marcius, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

Macarius, Martyr among the Greeks (S.)

G. H.

The memory of these Martyrs on various days is recalled,
and first on the day IV of May in the MS. Synaxarion
Greek of the Church of Constantinople, [The cult of the 3 first,]
which belongs to the College of Clermont of the Society
of Jesus at Paris, in which these are had: The contest
of the holy Martyrs Neophytus, Gaius and Gaianus.
Their celebrity is performed in the venerable church
of the holy, glorious and in working miracles
eminent Cosmas and Damian, [May 4, 5 and 7.] which is in the buildings
of Darius called. Then on the fifth day of May with the same almost
words is celebrated in the printed Menaea, and in Maximus
of Cythera the Bishop and in the MS. of Turin is indicated the contest of SS. Neophytus, Gaius and Gaiana Martyrs.
But on the seventh day of May in the MS. Menaea, which in the keeping of Peter
Francis Chifflet of the Society of Jesus we found
at Dijon, these are read: The holy Gaianus, Gaius and
Neophytus by the sword slain the martyrdom consummated.
Are adjoined then these verses:
I am left: but the sword bore also me,
As my comrades, Gaius the Martyr says.
I was left behind: the sword has taken me too,
Like my companions, Gaius the Martyr says.
Finally on the eleventh of August they are reported in the prior MS. Synaxarion,
and are adjoined the companions Zeno, Marcius and Macarius, [Of all August 11.]
and is said the celebrity to be performed in
an elevated church of SS. Cosmas and Damian as above. And the same
are in the Menaea of Milan of the Ambrosian library
and the double of Turin of the Duke of Savoy and others
of the Dominican Fathers of the Congregation of S. Louis at Paris.
All of whom on this IV of May we give. If nevertheless some
Acts we could obtain (for that some existed persuades the circumstance
of Gaius slain after the rest, in the distich noted) they will be referred
to the day XI of August. Meanwhile from the condition of the place edited
we are admonished, that the aforementioned church of SS. Cosmas and Damian
is itself, which, on the testimony of the Chronicle of Alexandria or more truly
of Constantinople the author; in Heraclius the Emperor's age invaded
the Avars: for Nicetas Choniates book 3 of Alexius
Comnenus the hill of Blachernae calls: but this
church above is said to have been, in the buildings of Darius; whether that it be distinguished
from the other suburban of the same Saints church, in the buildings
of Paulinus situated, [the place of the cult in the suburb of CP. at Blachernae.] outside those walls, which to the Blachernal D.
Virgin's Basilica to that to the city to join he led around
Heraclius, testifies Codinus on the origins? To remember that
church seems Cedrenus, when he describes how from the aforesaid
Blachernal Basilica's roof Michael Balbus the signal of war raised
against the rebel Thomas, the city and empire threatening
and a camp having, in the buildings of Paulinus where the
of the wonder-working Anargyri shrine is established, where of the wonderful
Anargyri the temple stands. But
since the very place was at Blachernae, as from Cedrenus' context appears, difficult to be believed it is, two there churches of the same
Saints Cosmas and Damian to have been; and rather
we are persuaded by so many names one and the same temple
to be signified, in which of the Saints aforesaid the bodies deposited
were, not in one perhaps place or time slain, and brought.
