Januarius and Silvanus

13 June · commentary

ON SS. JANUARIUS AND SILVANUS, MARTYRS AT ROME.

Notices from the Hieronymian Martyrology.

Commentary

Januarius, Martyr at Rome (S.)

Silvanus, Martyr at Rome (S.)

G. H.

[1] The ancient copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology, from the Corbie Ms. printed at Paris, on this XIII June thus has: At Rome on the seventh milestone, of Feliculi, Januarius, Silvanus. Instead of the name Feliculi, the more ancient Epternach copy has the name Felicula, & with this the remaining Martyrologies agree, as we have already said. Therefore SS. Januarius & Silvanus we judge to be Martyrs, separated from S. Felicula; but crowned on the same day, & on the same Via Ardeatina, & perhaps in the same cottage of Nicomedes buried.

[2] We know indeed on the day X July the seven brothers are venerated, sons of S. Felicitas, suffering at Rome, They seem to be different from the synonymous sons of S. Felicitas. & among them are named Januarius & Silvanus. But since these again in the same Corbie codex are referred to the said X July, we judge these two ought, or at least can, be reckoned different from those, & as such we propose them for further examination of men loving antiquity.

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