ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS, LUCIANUS, FORTUNATUS, CRESCENTIANUS, THECLA, FELIX, SECUNDUS, LUCIANUS THE SECOND, JOCUNDUS.
From the Martyrology of S. Jerome & others.
CommentaryLucianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Fortunatus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Crescentianus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Tecla, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Felix, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Secundus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Lucianus II, Martyr in Africa (S.)
Jocundus, Martyr in Africa (S.)
G. H.
Four copies of the Hieronymian Martyrology open this XIII June with these words: On the Ides of June. In Africa of Luciani, Fortunati, Crescentiani, Theclae: which exactly the same are read in the Mss. of Cassino double; the four Roman ones, namely the Vatican of S. Peter, of Cardinal Barberini, & of Duke Altempsius, & of the monastery of S. Cyriaca; the two Florentine ones, of the Grand Duke & of Senator Strozzi; the Augsburg of S. Udalric; the Gellonese of S. William of the Desert; the Trier of S. Maximin; the Aachen of the chief church; the Parisian of Labbé; &, with the wrestling-place of Africa omitted, in the Ms. codex of the Queen of Sweden published by Holstenius . In the Corbie codex Tecla is called a Virgin. But, with her omitted, three other Martyrs in Africa are referred in the Mss. of Arras, Tournai, Liessies, Brussels, & Cologne of S. Mary at the Steps. Only Lucianus & Fortunatus, Martyrs in Africa, are indicated in the Mss. of Reichenau, Rheinau, & Liège of S. Lambert. Likewise in Rabanus, the author of the Martyrology under the name of Bede, & Galesinius with the present-day Roman Martyrology. Crescentianus indeed is added in Bellinus, Greven, Maurolycus, Molanus, & others: that from so many examples, about the ancient memory of these Martyrs, we may be almost certain; would that also Acts of the Martyrdom were extant!
[2] These now being proposed other Martyrs also in the ancient Reichenau Ms. are added in these words: In Africa of Felix, Secundus, Lucianus, Jocundus. We double therefore Lucianus, because we judge these rather to have suffered in another place of Africa than the former ones, & at another time. We join however both under one title, lest we multiply titles too much.