African Martyrs
Acta Sanctorum, May 25
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-25/african-martyrs.html
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ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS,
FLAVIANUS OR FABIANUS, SEPTINUS OR SEPTIMUS OR SEPTIMIA.
From the old Carthaginian Kalendar and the Martyrology of St. Jerome.
IN THE YEAR CCLIX.

[Commentary]

Flavianus or Fabianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

Septimia or Septinus or Septimus, Martyr in Africa (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

The four Transcripts of the Hieronymian Martyrology
now three times consecutively alleged and never sufficiently
praised, suggested to Henschen of blessed memory, who collected from them
various classes of Martyrs distributed through the month of May,
[in the Hieronymian related with the names somewhat changed;] on this VIII Kal. of June a memory
to be cherished, as of those who suffered in Africa, Fabianus, Septinus:
under this diversity however, that who in the most ancient
Epternach, and also Lucca Ms. is Septinus, in
the Blume and Corbie printed is called Septimus; nor
did anything else occur to be added to him; than what in the Corbie besides
was found the name Julius: so those three jointly
he had resolved to propose.

[2] But in the second year after Henschen's death, the most erudite
and most diligent Father Jean Mabillon, publishing the third
Tome of his Analecta, brought to
light the most ancient Kalendar of the Carthaginian Church,
by a happy chance found by him in a certain very old
Codex of the famous monastery of Cluny, [from the old Carthaginian Kalendar,]
containing B. Jerome's commentaries on Isaiah;
nay not in the codex, but on the codex's wooden cover,
by moths and worms corroded, affixed. The front part
of the cover the beginning of the Kalendar, the back the rest
contained, in Roman script, in majuscule letters,
not inferior to the seventh century, written: about which
these things besides he notes. A more ancient Kalendar, since in it no Saints, much less Fulgentius the Bishop, are found,
later than those who in the Vandal persecution
under King Hunneric suffered. Those who then
in Africa were honored with annual cult as Saints, most
were local: some however from Italy and from
Spain besides Apostolic men. No feast of the Mother of God,
of whom no treatise in Augustine
or sermon. The year begins from the XIII Kal. of May,
namely after Easter, ends on the XIII Kalends of March.
No feast through the whole of March, that is through the whole
of Lent. The title conceived in this manner:
Here are contained the days of the Birthdays of the Martyrs
and the Depositions of the Bishops, whom the Church
of Carthage celebrates annually.

[3] These things therefore I would think, from the mind of the author, thus
to be restored; the birthdays of those… whom the Churches of Carthage
celebrate annually. [whence certain others this month had to be illustrated] But these were read by me too late
for me in the five prior Tomes of this month to have been able
to mention that Kalendar, which otherwise ought to have been done:
first at the II Nones of May, on the occasion of SS. Marinus and
Jacobus, among other African Martyrs related on such a day from
the aforesaid Hieronymian Martyrology: then at the V Ides
of May, where occurs the leader of another African band S.
Majulus. But who in all the transcripts of that Martyrology
is deferred to the day before the Ides of May, the leader of the whole Host
S. Secundianus, is here named at the III Ides; but on the day before
the Ides is here suggested, elsewhere nowhere found notice
of Saint Felix, Caecilius and Companions. Confirmation
also from this Kalendar ought to have received, what at the XXII
we said, of SS. Castus and Aemilius, here Emilius. But
nothing equally deserved to be noted, as that on the X Kal. of June,
is prescribed the memory to be celebrated of the Saints Lucius and
Montanus, and on the third day from there the XVIII Kal. of June, of Saint
Flavianus and Septimia.

[4] [especially however St. Flavianus] Henschen had treated at the day XXIV of February, of
SS. Montanus, Lucius, Julianus, Flavianus, and the Fellow
Martyrs in Africa, and their most excellent Acts
there had illustrated with a preliminary Commentary, in which he taught,
that, S. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage having obtained the palm of Martyrdom
in the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus, on the XIV of September
in the year CCLVIII; in the year next following to the same prize
several of his disciples came: of whom one Flavianus,
in the Acts is narrated in number 21 to have seemed to himself to interrogate the holy
Bishop, [suffered on the third day after SS. Montanus, Lucius and Julianus,] appearing in a vision, whether to suffer the blows pained,
because namely a future Martyr about the toleration of the passion
he consulted. He was made moreover a Martyr (as there several times is said)
on the third day, or after two days, or after the morrow
from the passion of the aforenamed fellows, having performed a most beautiful and oft
repeated combat. Whose day because in the Acts themselves was not
found, as neither an indication of the month or year, nor yet
did it seem worthy that such illustrious champions should be passed by unnamed;
some one of those who variously augmented the Martyrology of Usuard,
or perhaps first Notker Balbulus, the aforesaid
day of February to them all together assigned, which even today
the Roman Martyrology keeps.

[5] Meanwhile that the same pertain in truth to the XXIII and XXV of May,
from the collation of the Hieronymian most ancient of all [and from ignorance of the true Birthday]
Martyrology and of this Kalendar, I am persuaded; by no means
thinking it probable, that their Birthdays
the Carthaginian Church did not celebrate annually, and
in its Kalendar inscribed did not have: be it that in the Hieronymian
he is constantly called Fabianus, who in the Acts Flavianus.
For how easily neighboring names are altered, by frequent
experience and use of the old Martyrologies we learn, [inscribed with them on the 24th of February.]
especially of the Hieronymian. We do not therefore wish the day
of cult to be changed, already once by the Roman Church, though without
a suitable foundation, stabilized: but we decree that what is here said is to be transferred thither,
for a future supplement of the month of February:
when to this day will have to be left S. Septimia,
elsewhere Septimus and Septinus; having nothing with Flavianus
common except the day of Martyrdom, in another year perhaps
and in another place, yet not far from Carthage, endured. To be noted
further is, that in the same Kalendar the same name
recurs, while at the III Kal. of August is noted the Birthday of the Holy
Tuburbitan women and of Septimia: on which day
perhaps future time will bring some light. But Julius,
from the single Corbie hither adduced, I pass over; because
him I believe the same with Julianus, the fellow of SS. Montanus and Lucius,
and with them in all the Hieronymians concordantly
related at the XXIII of May, on which in truth we hold those suffered.
