Joathas the Martyr
Acta Sanctorum, May 22
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-22/joathas-the-martyr.html
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ON ST. JOATHAS THE MARTYR

AND PATRON OF BELLUNO IN THE VENETIAN DOMAIN.

From the Catalogue of Philip Ferrarius.

UNDER MAXIMIAN

[Commentary]

Joathas, Martyr, Patron of Belluno in the Venetian Domain (S.)

G. H.

Belluno, an Episcopal city of the March of Treviso
in a valley by the river Calor, among the mountains
nearer verging toward Venice, has a Church
Cathedral of ancient architecture, dedicated to S.
Martin, whose arm it is said to possess. Of that city
the tutelary Patron is S. Joathas the Martyr, whom to have suffered
in Africa, [He is venerated as Patron of Belluno,] and his body there laid with the highest
veneration to be held, writes Ferrarius in the general Catalogue,
whose Acts in Ms. he says he saw. But the same Ferrarius
in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy only cites the Lessons
ancient, on his feast by the Church of Belluno wont to be recited.
These through the R. P. James Willi, Rector of our College
of Trent, being asked to communicate the Vicar of Belluno
Episcopal the Most Reverend D. Peter de Zanna, most kindly
answered, in the year MDCLXXXI, on September XVI; that they just as to be used, so also to be seen had ceased: that he would spare no diligence,
to dig them out lying hidden. Which although it did not succeed for him, yet
we do not despair that they will yet come forth from somewhere, [where the body is.] so that they may be able to be added
to the Supplements of this work: meanwhile from the letters of the same Vicar
I add, that the body in the Cathedral church,
together with other notable Relics, in an urn of polished
marble, before the high altar placed, is kept; and
the head enclosed in a silver case is carried round in
a solemn procession: which with the concourse of the whole Clergy and
people within the Octave of Corpus Christi
yearly is celebrated. Ferrarius from the aforesaid Lessons
this Epitome brings forth.

[2] Joathas, by nation a Pentapolitan, before Dadius
the Judge, [He is said to have suffered martyrdom in Pentapolis,] sent from Rome into Pentapolis by Maximian the Emperor,
that he might punish the Christians, accused and
interrogated, freely that he was a Christian, and would not
the Gods (who have eyes and see not, have ears
and hear not, have a mouth and speak not,
have hands and feel not, have feet and walk
not, which are the works of men and in their mouth
there is no spirit) venerate, answered. By which
words the angered Judge, his mouth with stones to be beaten, and himself
with clubs cut and bound into prison to be thrust orders,
and a wheel meanwhile with the sharpest swords, by which the body
of the Martyr might be cruelly mangled, to be made ready. The next
day Joathas, who that night his contest to God by prayers
had commended, led forth, when in the resolve of not
worshiping the gods he persisted, by command of the impious Judge is bound:
and on the wheel so long is led round, until the holy
Martyr his body broken, when crying he had said,
Receive, Lord, my soul, he breathed out his spirit.
Whose bones, lest by the Christians found they should be buried, by the Judge's
command, into a hidden place were cast. But
B. Theodorus the Bishop, with Eudoclitus the Deacon, [the body wonderfully found,]
oxen yoked to a wagon, and sitting upon it (when in
the name of God to the oxen he had commanded, that to the place, where
the Martyr's Relics lay hidden, they should lead him) thither he came;
and the Relics collected reverently on the wagon he placed.
But the oxen at the Adrian villa when immovable
they had stood still; the holy Bishop there the holy
Martyr's Relics laid: in which place afterward a church
was constructed, while God many wonders worked.
Which Relics to Belluno wonderfully brought,
the people of Belluno S. Joathas as Patron to have and
to venerate began. These things from the said Lessons Ferrarius, [and translated to Belluno.]
who notes; at what time or how from Cyrene
to Belluno the Relics of S. Joathas were translated, the Lessons
mentioned do not teach.

[3] A Pentapolitan he is said in the Lessons, and the Judge Dadius
sent from Rome into Pentapolis. [But Pentapolis is in Africa,] Hence Ferrarius infers
that he suffered in Africa, and that from Cyrene the Relics to Belluno
were translated, which he could from elsewhere have known. For there is indeed
five cities, which are Berenica, Arsinoe, Ptolemais, Cyrene
and Apollonia, so called. But also a Pentapolis region of
Italy on the Adriatic sea there was, whose cities are
Rimini, Pesaro, Fano, Osimo and Ancona, [and another in Italy.]
What if in those parts having suffered at some Adrian villa
(as there also is the city of Adria and the Adriatic sea) he had been
buried: so more easily could the Relics be transferred, at that
time, in which there Pentapolis was named. But these things not
even by conjecturing do we assert, but a doubt being moved, to further
inquiry to the people of Belluno to be discussed we leave it.
