ON SS. ANANIAS AND CODRATUS, MARTYRS AMONG THE GREEKS.
From the same Ms. Synaxaria.
CommentaryAnanias, Martyr among the same Greeks (S.)
Codratus, Martyr among the same Greeks (S.)
G. H.
What at Dijon in the college of the Society of Jesus we found with Peter Francis Chifflet the Synaxarion, exhibits often illustrious Saints, not sufficiently known elsewhere, and among them on this IX June Holy Martyr Ananias killed by the sword, where these verses are added. His tongue he had as a sword against error, Ananias the Martyr, whom the sword slays.
Martyr Ananias, by sword who bore death; He had against errors, his tongue for a sword.
There are various Saints, distinguished by the name of Ananias, from whom after inquiry made we judge this one to be distinct. With these set down a joined companion to him is supplied by the Ms. Synaxarion of the Church of Constantinople, nay also the Mss. Menaea of Mazarin, & of the Dominican Fathers of the Congregation of S. Louis at Paris, in which is indicated the contest of the holy Martyrs Ananias and Codratus: The Contest of the Holy Martyrs Ananias & Codratus. The same, with the word "contest" omitted, has the Synaxarion of our College of Paris. The Martyrology which from the Arabo-Egyptian Gracia Simonius Maronite made Latin, afterwards Tripoli in Syria Archbishop; & to us at Rome Athanasius Kircher transmitted, also on this day IX June refers the names of the same. But what was the error, against which Ananias contended with the sword of the tongue, whether of Idolatry, which commonly in such verses comes by the name of Πλάνης; whether of Heresy, which is itself mere error; we do not divine.
ON FIVE CANONICAL VIRGINS. THECLA, MARIAMNA, MARTHA, MARIA, ENNEIM, MARTYRS IN PERSIA.
CENT. IV.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
On their condition, acts, age.
Thecla, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Mariamna, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Martha, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Maria, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Enneim, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
D. P.
What is and was the first origin & defined notion of these words, Canonicus & Canonica, These were inscribed in the matricula of the church's ministers, among the ecclesiastical persons among the Latins, various men variously dispute; before others learnedly Nicholas Desnos ventilates this argument, in a book whose title is Canonicus Secular & Regular. Among the Greeks this matter has no controversy: for from several authorities, which in the Glossary of low and middle Greek the most learned Cangius gathered, it appears, that "Canon of the Church," "the canon of the church," is the same, as among the Latins the Matricula of any Church, containing the inscribed names of persons of both sexes, deputed to the ministry of that Church, & from its proceeds wont to be sustained. So, that I may pass over the 19th Canon of the Council of Nicaea, S. Athanasius in the Life of S. Anthony, & S. Epiphanius in the Heresy of the Meletians, & others; & that of women here only I may treat; to those whom I have just named Fathers the next-age writer Socrates, book 1 ch. 17, brings into discourse "the virgins, the inscribed in the canon of the churches"; the Virgins, inscribed in the Canon of the churches: & their institute of great perfection: & such were those to whom are extant the Epistles of S. Basil, 300 & 302; the first indeed written to their whole College, after Bishop Bosporius had announced to them, that they had laid down the suspicion conceived about his faith; the other to Theodora the Canonica by name, to whom he indicates he has also written several times, & wishes the consummation of that good purpose, to which she was panting … & in fact to respond to her promises; after she has chosen the institute of living according to the rule of the Gospel, & even in the least and most minute things to observe it, nor pass over anything of those things which are written there; where further the same Saint minutely explains, what to the profession of the Gospel life pertain; all (as I at least think) to the life of Canonicae are to be referred.
[2] which also having spread into Persia, Nor in the Eastern Empire alone did their institute stick, it extended itself even into Persia; where the Christian faith had made not mediocre progress, quietly disseminated at that time, when under Diocletian & Maximinian and their predecessor tyrants, with the gravest storms it was tossed among the Romans; & on the contrary, among these having obtained some quiet, with Constantine the Great reigning, it began to sustain a most cruel persecution, under Shapur II of that name. For about the year of Christ CCCXXVI, as Theophanes writes, the Jews before him accused Symeon of Ctesiphon, & another Archbishop of Seleucia, as friends of the Romans, as if Persian affairs they revealed to them; whence a horrendous persecution being aroused, very many for Christ with the crown of martyrdom were honored; among whom Usthazanes the pedagogue of Shapur, & Shapur near the middle of the 4th century & Symeon the Archbishop; &, besides many others, a hundred Clerics & Bishops, & another innumerable multitude, on one day attained the palm of martyrdom. From the same besides most unfaithful Shapur, in the chief cities, the most noble men to eighteen thousand, with horrendous tortures and altogether alien from human nature, were made Martyrs. Thus also about the year CCCXLIII, persecuting Christians, the same added to his prior crimes this, that he direly persecuted Christian subjects. He reigned until the year CCCLXXX, for full seventy years possessing empire: perhaps however somewhat softened, when the city of Nisibis already for the third time attempting to besiege, a great divinely inflicted calamity he sustained, from the same waters, by which the city to overturn he had thought; & much more terrified by a vision, by which with his own eyes, an Angel, adorned with splendid clothing, standing on the part of the walls, & Constantius the Emperor holding in his hand he beheld in the year CCCLI; whence also he threatened the Magi with death, of so violent a counsel the authors.
[3] through the ministry of his Magi, That with these there was the chief solicitude of extinguishing Christians, & the power of exercising judgments against them, both from the Acts of many others set forth in this work is plain, & especially from the Acts of S. Syra illustrated on XVIII May. But now come forth five Canonical Virgins, by the aforesaid persecution of Shapur crowned, in such a manner, which beyond custom at length the Ms. Synaxarion of our College at Paris describes for us, the first hitherto, & sole, are found to have suffered five Canonicae: in which their both names & passion we find, under this title; Memory of the holy five Canonicae, beheaded by their presbyter, Thecla, Mariamna, Martha, Maria and Enneim. Memory of the holy five Canonicae, beheaded by their Presbyter, Thecla, Mariamna, Martha, Maria, & Enneim.
[4] That Martyrdom was so celebrated among the Greeks, that its notice through them passed to the Ruthenians and Muscovites, also to the Muscovites in whose Synaxarion of the year 1679 are inscribed Thecla, Martha & Maria, but as if suffering under Diocletian, & indeed in the year CCCXV, when he ten years before had abdicated empire, although as a private man he survived to the year XVI of that century. The same notice through the Alexandrians, Egyptians, Nubia & Abyssinia penetrated, but to a totally different day, namely XXX of the month of Tuba, which corresponds to the day XXV of our January: for in their Metrical Hagiology, already very often praised, so are invoked Peace to the holy, of Maria & Martha, of Thecla & Abia and her Maidservant, who nothing indignant or tergiversating, on account of those passing through divided, & together killed by the sword of their Presbyter (who below in the Acts is called Paul) & of Mehron, & known to the Abyssinians: but these on 25 January. who perhaps is the Archmagus, below called Narsas. But these things with the following Acts agree well, & in a certain manner supplement them; but with some variety in names; while in place of Mariamna, Abia is written; & of the last Enneim the name is silent; the condition of maidservant, unknown to others, is expressed. Who knows whether their Relics from Persia have not been translated to Alexandria, & that on the day XXX of the month Tuba, on which they are venerated by the Abyssinians? & then translated, at least in part, to Constantinople?
[5] These things further recall to my memory other five Canonicae, with truer history than of other 5, of whom the printed Menaea on XXII March weave a long narration without title; on the day XXII, they note a memorial without passion, by Henschenius, on the said day treating SS. Callinica & Basilissa no. 3 with great right rejected, as filled with incredible fables, of which the chief is Drosis or Drosela, daughter of the Emperor Trajan, among them secretly made Christian: to which fiction occasion perhaps was given by those Persian five, of the 22 March passed over. in no head suspect to us. Of these therefore the contest receive here, as if about the middle of the IV century consummated.
ACTS FROM THE MS. SYNAXARION.
Thecla, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Mariamna, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Martha, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Maria, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
Enneim, Canonical Virgin, Martyr in Persia, under King Shapur (S.)
FROM MS. SYNAX.
[1] In the days of Shapur, King of the Persians, near the village of Aza, there was a certain Presbyter, Paul by name, rich in possessions of villages, and having with him five Canonical virgins. These then adorned themselves with the radiance of virtues and shone forth; while Paul performed the sacred rites and sang psalms with them, and gathered the things given as treasure, they worked night and day at the commandments of God. But the devil, hater of all good, not bearing to see their progress in God increasing every day, and stretching forth to better things, what does he contrive and do?
[2] He arranges that it be made known through someone to Narses, the Archmagus of the King of the Persians, that there is a certain Christian Presbyter, with much wealth of villages; and if you wish to gain his wealth, summon him with the Virgins which he has with him; and if they will not deny their faith, you will gain all their riches, by slaughtering them. He then immediately had him presented, with the virgins and the very goods. Then Satan entered into the heart of the Presbyter, to say to the Ruler, Why have you taken our goods, when we have done you no evil; and he to answer and say; Because you are a Christian, and do not observe the commandments of the King. And Paul: And what then do you command me to do? If, said he, you worship the Sun and eat blood, take what is yours, go home. Then the wretched one, turning around and seeing the goods lying on the ground, says: I do all things whatsoever you may tell me; and worshipping the Sun, and eating the blood of the sacrifices, and drinking from it, he took his own things.
[3] But as the Archmagus had fallen short of his purpose, he says, Persuade also the Virgins who are with you to do what you have done, and take husbands; and then taking your wealth, go wherever you wish and choose. Then Paul approaching the Virgins, says: The Ruler, having taken our money, has demanded that you also do the will of the King, urging that thus all things will be returned to us. And behold I have eaten blood and drunk, and have worshipped the Sun and the Fire; he urges you also to do this, and to take our goods, and depart home. But the virgins, first having spat in his face, as if by previous agreement said: That at all you have dared to do this, and to speak this to us, behold you have appeared a second Judas. He, for money having betrayed our own Lord and master, and gaining nothing of these, hanged himself. Behold also you, wretch, the second Judas, for money you have destroyed your soul; nor came to your mind that Rich Man, who having many goods said; Soul, you have many goods; eat, drink, be glad; and because of this heard, Fool, this night they demand your soul from you, and the things you have prepared, whose shall they be? We say to you therefore, standing before God, that both the Rich Man's and Judas's fortune shall be fulfilled upon you; and again they spat in his face, as of an apostate.
[4] Then by command of the Archmagus they were beaten for many hours; while being beaten with rods, We worship our Lord Jesus Christ, they said, and we do not obey the King's commands, and do what you wish. And the Archmagus, contriving by every method to gain Paul's wealth, decreed that by the hand of Paul the heads of the Virgins should be cut off, considering that Paul would not be persuaded to do this; and this being done, he would in any case gain the goods, both Paul being taken away with the holy Virgins. But that wretched man, hearing this and again turning around, and seeing the goods, I do, he said, all things whatsoever you have commanded; and taking the sword he approached the Virgins. But the Holy ones, seeing him, were astonished, and with one voice said to him: Wretch, being a shepherd you go forth against your flock, as a rustic and wild wolf, to kill us? Is this the holy body and blood, which from your hands we used to receive? Know that the sword from you is eternal life to us; and we depart to our Lord Jesus Christ, but you, as we have foretold, shall lose your soul together with the wealth; and more quickly by the noose of the hangman you shall go to your companion Judas. These and certain other things they said, and having prayed they had their heads cut off by him.
[5] Then the Archmagus says to him: Know, O Paul, that in no one of men have I seen the ability and aptness that is in you; therefore I cannot dismiss you without the King, because, when he has learned about you through my reporting, he will restore you to great honor. Now therefore rejoice with us, remaining in the cell next to us, and in the morning we will report about you to the King.
[1] Under a somewhat rich Presbyter, 5 Virgins living holily; In the days of King Shapur of the Persians, near the village Aza, was a certain Presbyter Paul by name, abounding in resources, & having with him five Canonical Virgins. These therefore, when they shone with wondrous splendor of virtues (Paul ministering sacred things to them and with the same singing psalms, but gathering treasure for himself from those things which were given) persevered themselves, nights and days fulfilling the precepts of God. Such their progress day by day more manifest & always to former things extended when he could not bear all the enemy of good the devil, what did he do & contrive?
[2] He procures, that by a certain one it be indicated to Narses, Archmagus of the King of the Persians, & it be said to him; That there is a certain Christian Presbyter, exceedingly opulent; whose faculties if you wish to gain; order him to be presented, with those whom he has with him Virgins: denounced he is for the sake of money, but if they were unwilling to abjure their faith, you will possess all their riches. Immediately therefore he ordered him to be presented to himself, with the Virgins & all his faculties. But Satan about to enter the heart of the Presbyter, made him to the Governor to say; Why do you take our goods, who have done you no evil? but him to respond; Because you are a Christian, & do not observe the royal commands. Then Paul:
What then do you command that I do? When the Sun, says he; you have worshipped, & blood have eaten, that he may keep these things, he abjures the faith: take what is yours, & go home. But the miserable man turning, & his goods on the ground exposed beholding; I do, he says, whatsoever you may have ordered: & soon the Sun he worshipped, ate the blood of sacrifices and from them drank, & took what before he had as his own.
[3] But the Archmagus, seeing himself thrown down from his hope; Persuade, he says, which he is also ordered to persuade to the Virgins, also those Virgins who are with you, that they too doing what you have done; husbands may take; & then receiving what is yours, go wherever you may have wished. Then Paul approaching the Virgins, says: The Governor, who took our money, says, Come you also to do the will of the King, promising that thus he will return to us all our things. But behold I have eaten blood & drunk, & the Sun & Fire I have worshipped; he urges also you to do the same, that we may receive ours and return home. But the Virgins, as if by agreement, whence by reason they reject: first spitting on his face, said: Because at all you have dared to do this, & on this matter also us to address; behold you have appeared another Judas. He on account of money betraying his own master & teacher, neither those things did he gain, & strangled himself: behold also you, on account of money your soul have killed, wretch, & second Judas: nor did into your mind come that Rich man, who having many goods said; My soul, you have many goods, eat, drink, be merry; & therefore heard: Fool, this night they demand your soul from you, & what you have prepared whose shall they be? Therefore we say to you, standing before God, that the fortune both of Judas & of the Rich man awaits you, & having said this again in his face, as of an apostate, they spat.
[4] Then by mandate of the Archmagus long and much they were beaten; but while with rods they were beaten, they said: wherefore they being long beaten with rods Our Lord Jesus Christ we worship, & to royal commands we do not obey. Do what may have pleased you. The Archmagus meanwhile, altogether intending how the money of Paul he might make his own, pronounced sentence, that he with his own hand might cut off the heads of the Virgins; for whether this he refused to do, he is ordered himself to behead; or whether he executed the mandate, both they and Paul taken from the midst, all things into his power would come. But that wretched man again turning, & beholding the money; Whatsoever you may have ordered, he said, I do: & with sword seized he entered to the holy Virgins. But these seeing him consternated, together with one voice said to him: O Pitiable one! Being our pastor, as a rabid and wild wolf against your flock you come? Is this the sacrosanct body & blood, which from your hand we received? who foretell that he like Judas is to be strangled; know, that sword indeed, which on us you shall inflict, eternal life to us is: but you, just as already we have foretold to you, your soul shall lose together with money, soon through the rope of a noose about to depart to your fellow-disciple Judas. These & certain other things they said, then praying with head smitten by him were they.
[5] Then the Archmagus to him said: Know, Paul, that in none of men have I beheld such generosity and promptitude of mind, according to the various command of the Archmagus as I see you possess; therefore it is not lawful for me without the King to dismiss you: for it shall be that, with me to him announcing what has been done, to great dignity he will raise you. Now therefore with us rejoice, remaining in the next chamber to us: in the morning I will refer to the King about you. But that pitiable man responded: Let it be as you order.
But at night the Archmagus sending his servants, the deed done the same night. he commands them, to fasten a noose to Paul's neck, & thus to suffocate him. He himself in the morning entering & finding him hanged, condemned him as one who had killed himself by hanging, & ordered him to be taken away, & cast to dogs to be devoured. So he with violent death vomited forth his soul; & with the Archmagus gaining his money, & Paul being allotted a most wretched end, found their end those things which about him had foretold the holy women.
ON SAINT FAUSTUS, MARTYR AT ROME.
From Martyrologies, written and printed at Florence.
UNDER JULIAN.
CommentaryFaustus Martyr at Rome (S.)
G. H.
Among the many other Martyrologies of various Churches, which we have collected, we found at Florence two Mss. the one in the Laurentian
Library of the Grand Duke of Medici, on parchment written; the other in the Library of the most Illustrious Carlo Strozzi, Florentine Senator; in which also was preserved a Martyrology printed at Florence in the year MCCCCLXXXVI by Francesco de Bonacursis the Presbyter: & from these three Martyrologies, on this ninth day of June, these things found we have described: At Rome the passion of S. Faustus the Martyr, who under Julian the Emperor suffered. Whose sacred memory since there, & without doubt in other churches also, has been read; even in this work it comes to be referred, that opportunity may be given to others of further promoting his veneration, if perhaps his Relics have been in veneration or even a church erected.