African Martyrs
Acta Sanctorum, May 7
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-07/african-martyrs.html
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ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS

CELERINUS, MAXIMUS, VICTURUS, POTENTELLA, ABBA, FAUSTINA AND MANY
OTHERS, LIKEWISE AUGUSTINUS BISHOP, VICTURUS, GAIUS, ANTUS, MAXIMUS,
CELERINUS, FRONTONUS, QUINTUS,
FLAVIA, MARTIALIS, PRIVATIANUS, SEPTIMIA, DEXTER, QUINTA, ARNESUS, DONATUS,
LIKEWISE DONATUS, OCTAVIANUS, LIKEWISE DONATUS, MARINUS, NAVIGUS, PULVERUS, ROGATA,
VICTORIUS, MUDERUS, FORTUNUS, VICTURUS, SECUNDUS, CELEDONIA, OR CECILUS AND
DONATA, SATURNINUS, DONATA, NAVIDA, FORTUNATA, FELIX, JULIUS, CRESCENTIUS,
GALLICUS, JUSTINIANUS, VITALICUS, ROGATIANUS, LUCELLA, HONORATUS, FELICIA,
SAVINA, SALTUS OR SULLITUS, SIMPLICIUS, FLAVIA, ALEXIUS, CATULA, EUTICIA,
PECULIARIS, GERMANUS, ROGATA, MARCELLA, ODEMARUS, ERCOLA, SATURNINA,
PRIMOLUS, CASTULA, DONATUS, FELIX, VICTORIUS, PROCESSUS, ANTONINA, SAPIDA,
DONATA, SECUNDIANA, LIKEWISE DONATA, MARTIALIS, JANUARIUS, TUNIDUS, VICTURUS,
LIKEWISE FORTUNATUS, CRESCENTIUS, GERMANUS, AVIDA, FORTUNATUS, LIKEWISE ROGATA,
EPAPHRODITUS, MARCELLINUS, FLORIANUS, PALATINUS, FAUSTINUS BISHOP, EUTICUS
AND ANOTHER LVI OR XLV.

[Commentary]

Celerinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Maximus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Potentella, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Abba, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Faustina, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Many others, Martyrs in Africa. Augustinus, Bishop, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Gaius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Antus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Maximus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Celerinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Frontonus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Quintus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Flavia, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Martialis, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Privatianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Septimia, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Dexter, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Quinta, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Arnasus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Octavianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Marinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Navigus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Pulverus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Rogata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Victorius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Muderus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Fortunus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Secundus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Celedonia or Cecilus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Saturninus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Navida, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Fortunata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Felix, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Julius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Crescentius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Gallicus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Justinianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Vitalicus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Rogatianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Lucella, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Honoratus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Felicia, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Savina, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Saltus or Sullitus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Simplicius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Flavia, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Alexius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Catula, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Euticia, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Peculcaris, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Germanus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Rogata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Marcella, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Odemaris, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Ercola, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Saturnina, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Primolus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Castula, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Felix, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Victorius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Processus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Antonina, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Sapida, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Secundiana, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Donata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Martialis, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Januarius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Tunidus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Victurus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Crescentius, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Germanus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Avida, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Rogata, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Epaphroditus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Marcellinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Florianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Palatinus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Faustinus, Bishop, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Euticus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Another LVI or XLV Martyrs in Africa

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

[1] This is the other class of Martyrs, which with purpled
blood in Africa was crowned: and
perhaps to be distinguished into two bands: [The first band] Of these
the first is inscribed in the ancient apographs of the Hieronymian
Martyrology in this manner
in the Epternach codex: In Africa of Celerinus, of Maximus,
of Victurus, of Pudentella, of Abba and of many others.
In the arena of martyrdom and in the two first athletes the other
codices agree, but to the third Victurus or Victorus is added the title
of Bishop; and in place of Pudentella is written Porentella,
Potentella and Potentilla: and the name of Abba is wanting,
perhaps drawn from the prior name, and wrongly repeated.
In Notker in its place is had the name of Faustina,
and so the rest are set forth: In Africa of Celerinus, of Maximus,
of Victurus, of Potentilla, of Faustina and of innumerable others.
In the MS. of Trier of S. Maximinus there are commemorated
in Africa Celerinus and Maximus. But the arena
being omitted there are indicated in the MS. of Tallaght Celerinus, Maximus,
Victorius, Pudentella, Abba: and Celerinus alone
in the MSS. of Prague, of Augsburg and of Labbe, likewise
in Greven and Canisius, but these call him Bishop and Confessor:
so also they make Victurus or Victorus a Bishop in the
codices of Corbie, of Lucca and the Blume one.

[2] The other band is so widely indicated in the most ancient Epternach
apograph. Likewise of Augustinus, of Victurus, of Gaius, [the second band from the Epternach MS.,]
of Antus, likewise of Maximus, of Celerinus, of Fortunus, of Quintus,
of Flavia, of Martialis, of Privatianus, of Septima, of Dexter,
of Quintus, of Arnesus, of Donatus: likewise of Donatus, of Octavianus:
likewise of Donatus, of Marinus, of Navigus, of Pulverus, of Rogata,
of Victurus, of Muberus, of Fortunus, of Victurus, of Secundus, of Celedonia,
of Saturninus: likewise of Donata, of Navida, of Fortunata,
of Felix, of Julius, of Crescentius, of Gallicus, of Justinianus,
of Vitalicus, of Rogatianus, of Lucella, of Honoratus, of Felicia,
of Savina, of Stultus, of Simplicius, of Flavia, of Alexius, of Catula,
of Euticia, of Peculiaris, of Germana, of Rogata,
of Marcella, of Udemarus, of Stercola, of Saturnina, of Primola,
of Castola, of Donatus, of Felix, of Victorius, of Processus,
of Antonina, of Sapida, of Donata, of Secundiana: likewise
of Donata, of Marcialis, of Januarius, of Diuvus, of Victurus, of Tunidus:
likewise of Furtunatus, of Criscentius, of Germanus, of Asida,
of Furtunatus: likewise of Rogata, of Epaphroditus, of Marcellinus,
of Palatinus, of Faustinus the Bishop, of Euticus and of others
LVI.

[3] [compared with other MSS.] Behold eighty-four Martyrs expressed by their names,
whom by decades we compare with other apographs of the Hieronymian
Martyrology, and we add some. Of the rest
the standard-bearer is called Augustinus the Bishop in
the MSS. of Lucca and Blume: who I fear lest from the class of the Nicomedian
Martyrs he be here repeated: I leave it however as
I found it. Then in place of Victurus is written Victorius in the same:
of Gaius, Gagius, Gajanus and Gagiantus, and then the name Antus is omitted,
as also the name of Furtunus, of Frontinus, or of Frontanus;
and with Martialis the Blume MS. fails for some space.
In the second decade is the name of Septima, of Septimia and of Septimina,
and in place of Quintus is in others Quinta, then of Arnesus,
of Ornesus and of Amesus. The other Donatus is wanting in the Corbie one, and
in it is read the name of Marianus, as in the Lucca one of Octaviana.
In the third decade are in the Lucca one the names of Rogatus, of Mulierus,
of Victorius. In the Corbie one the names of Muberus, of Fortunus are wanting,
and for Victurus is Victurius and in place of Celedonia in each
is read a double name, of Cecilus, of Donata. In the fourth decade
and thenceforward the order is changed, and in place of Justinianus in
the Corbie one is had the name of Justianus, and is interposed the name
of Donatus, who above in the Corbie one had been wanting. In the fifth decade
in place of Stultus is had Saltus and Sullitus. In the sixth decade the names vary
greatly; and for Germana, in others is Germanus; for Marcella
in the Lucca one Maricella; and Udemarus, Odemarus and
Odemara is written: likewise Stercola, in others is Ercola: and
Primola, Primolas: and Donatus in the Corbie one Donata.
In the seventh decade for the names of Victorius and of Sapida, in
the Corbie one is Victurus and Sapis. The name of Antonina in each
is wanting, and for Januarius in the Corbie one is Januaria, and
Donata is wanting in the Lucca one. In the eighth decade in place of Diuvus
is in others (even in the Blume one which is here resumed) the name
of Tunidus or Tunnidus; and of Victuria or Victoria in place of
Victurus: and Avida in place of Asida is written: and the name
of Fortunatus is wanting, and in the Lucca one of Rogata. Finally in the last order
is added in others the name of Florianus or Floridianus, and
in place of Euticus in the Lucca one is Eusticus. The number of Martyrs
subjoined to those, LVI, is in others XL or XLV. Of these in the MS.
of Tallaght are reported the names of Martialis, of Fronto,
of Quintus, of Celerinus, of Privatinus, of Arnesius, of Donatus, likewise
of Donatus, of Gaginatus, of Navigaius, of Pulunius, of Octavianus,
of Flavia, of Septimna, of Dextra, of Quinta, of Rogata, of Felicitas.

[4] [some in other calendars.] He who of this band of African Martyrs is placed first,
Augustinus, is also reported in the MS. of Trier of S.
Maximinus: and Quintus in the MS. Calendar found before the works of S.
Isidore of Seville, and Antus in the MS. of Monte Cassino.
He who to the prior class as Frodisius and Afrodisius by some is
added, we have here rejected; judging that he can be the one
who here is called Epaphroditus. He who to the Nicomedian Martyrs
in the MSS. of the Vatican of S. Peter, of Monte Cassino and of Altemps
is added, Maximus, also pertains here.

[5] [Did they suffer in the time of S. Cyprian?] At what time these Martyrs suffered is not clear. Florentinius
inclines toward the times of S. Cyprian, whose is that saying in his
Exhortation to martyrdom chapter XI. Afterward, the abundance of virtue
and faith overflowing, the Christian Martyrs cannot be numbered.
Furthermore to the prior band Notker adjoins innumerable others,
and so honorably omitted the latter band.
