African Martyrs
Acta Sanctorum, May 6
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-06/african-martyrs.html
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ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS

SECUNDIANUS BISHOP, JACOBUS, MARIANUS, CONCORDIA, MARINA, HELIODORUS, SATURNINUS, SILVANUS.

[Commentary]

Secundianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Jacobus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Marianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Concordia, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Marina, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Heliodorus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Saturninus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Silvanus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

G. H.

The ancient copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology,
the Lucca and the Blume, speak of these
Martyrs thus: [VIII Martyrs] In Africa
the birthday of the holy Secundianus the Bishop,
Jacobus, Marianus, Concordia,
Marina, Heliodorus, Saturninus. In the MS. of Corbie
printed at Paris is added "Silvanus." In the most ancient
codex of Echternach these things are read: In Africa of Secundianus
the Bishop and six others, Jacobus, Marianus, Concordius,
Marina, Eleodorus, Saturninus, no
mention being made of Silvanus, indeed excluded from the number
of six Martyrs. Furthermore in place of Concordia and Heliodorus is written
Concordius and Eleodorus. In the Roman MS. of Cardinal
Barberini it has thus: [separately Secundianus the Bishop,] In Africa of S. Secundianus the Bishop
Martyr. But in place of "Martyr" is read in the Trier MS.
of S. Maximinus "Marini," instead of Mariani or Marinae. In
the Tamlacht MS. are referred the names of Secundianus, Jacobus,
Saturninus, Maurianus, Heliodorus, Concordius,
Marina. The bare name of Secundianus is found in the MSS.
of Casinensis, Altempsianus, Aachen, Augsburg of S.
Udalricus and the Paris of Labbe. But "In Africa of Secundinus"
is written in the MSS. of Reichenau and Rheinau. Of Secundinus
Bishop in S. Sophia and of Secundinus Martyr
the memory is celebrated in the MS. Beneventan, now Vatican,
marked with number 5949. But of Marianus and Jacobus
the Martyrs the MSS. Trier of S. Martin made mention, and the Vallicellan in the Calendar prefixed before the works of S. Isidore
of Seville: likewise Notker and Rabanus, but the latter adds an eulogy
from the Acts of S. Marianus the Lector and Jacobus the Deacon,
who suffered at Lambesa in Numidia, which Acts we illustrated
on day XXX of April. In the MSS. Centula of S. Richard,
Liège of S. Lambert and S. Lawrence, likewise in Ado
the MS. of the monastery of Lobbes, and another MS. Martyrology kept with
Christina Queen of Sweden, these things are had:
On the same day of the holy Martyrs Heliodorus, Venustus,
Postumus, Maximus, Nicetus, with LXXII others. [Heliodorus with others from the following class. Marianus and Jacobus] Of
whom only Heliodorus belongs here, the rest are to be referred
to the following class. Meanwhile in the Cologne MS. of the Carmelites
"in Africa" is prefixed, as if all suffered there:
which thing was also done thus by Usuard: In
Africa of the holy Martyrs Heliodorus, Venustus and
seventy-five others. But Venustus, as I have said,
with the others belongs to the following class where the names of nearly
all are referred. Meanwhile others copied Usuard.
