ON S. ROGATUS MARTYR AT CARTHAGE IN AFRICA.
Notice from the most ancient Calendar of the Carthaginian Church.
Rogatus Martyr, at Carthage in Africa (S.)
G. H,
[1] A notable of African antiquity monument, in a wondrous which it indicates manner, found the most diligent Mabillon, S. Rogatus thus alone found, & Tom. 3 of Analecta inserted, gave into light; a most ancient namely Church of Carthage Calendar, under this title; Here are contained the days of the birthdays of Martyrs, & depositions of Bishops, whom the Church of Carthage anniversarily celebrates. Are however popular all, except very few Apostolic men, to all Catholic Church common, none however by Vandal persecution, that is in century of Christ V, later. Here VIII Kal. of July, after the name of S. John the Baptist, is placed memory or anniversary of Saint … (a name, which to be lamented, antiquity has worn away), & of Rogatus Martyr. The Former perhaps a Bishop is some, otherwise of Martyrs would be written: another nothing to divine I can.
[2] To Mabillon's Annotation, suggesting, that among the Alutinians most illustrious Martyrs Rogatus is numbered in Baronius at the year 303 num. 36; I answer, that of these Acts at XI February illustrated Henschenius, does not seem can be referred to Alutinenses because then are placed in the Roman of today, although Augustine, from whom about their cult is established, says they suffered on the day before the Ides of February, that is the day following. This however supposed I do not understand, how one of them can be esteemed proper cult to have had on this day, & indeed in that Calendar, in which no is found mention of Martyrs Alutinensian, although others in troops at Carthage having suffered there are noted, namely Timidenses, Scilitani, Maxulitani, Tuburbitani, Volitani, in February having suffered. Vagenses, Carpitani, Rubrenses, Tertullenses, Ficarienses, Carterienses, Petrenses. If you say it could have happened on the occasion of proper one of their translations into some of the Carthaginian churches; that it could have happened I would concede, but that to have been done I would believe, with neglected proper of passion day, some argument I require: which while none is offered, nor easily to be offered is hoped, on the very on which I find day only I report, as from them verisimilarly different.