ON SS. SATURNINUS AND NEOPOLUS MARTYRS AT ALEXANDRIA.
CommentarySaturninus, Martyr at Alexandria (St.) Neopolus, Martyr at Alexandria (St.)
G. H.
We proceed with the Martyrology of St. Hieronymus, in whose transcripts of Lucca and Blumius these are read: They are reported as suffering at Alexandria, At Alexandria of Saturninus with Neopolus his companion. But the name of the companion in the MS. of Corbie printed at Paris, the first letter omitted, is written Eopolus, and is wanting in the MS. of Echternach. In the MS. Vatican of the Church of St. Peter, from which the genuine Martyrology of Bede also we edited, these are handed down: At Alexandria the birthday of St. Saturninus resting in prison, with Neopolus his companion. Notker reports them thus: Likewise at Alexandria of Saturninus and Neopolus, or without the place of martyrdom, who in prison rested. The MSS. Reichenau, Rheinau and Aachen set forth the former thus: At Alexandria of Saturninus, then add others from various classes. But the palestra of martyrdom omitted thus they are reported in the MSS. of Monte Cassino and the Roman of the Duke Altemps: The birthday of St. Saturninus in prison resting with Neopolus his companion. Perhaps on account of St. Alexander the prefect, of whom elsewhere no mention is made, it is to be read Alexandriæ. But the phrase being changed in Usuard, Ado, the Author of the supposititious Bede, Bellinus, Maurolycus, and in the MSS. of Trier of St. Maximinus and St. Martin; likewise in the MSS. of Centula, Utrecht, and the Florarium of the Saints and in Peter de Natalibus these are read: The birthday of SS. Saturninus and Neopolus, with mention only of the prison. who in prison rested. The same, but without mention of the prison, are read in the MSS. of Cologne of St. Mary ad Gradus, and another Roman-Frankish, which Lucas Acherius communicated at Paris. Of Saturninus alone make mention the MSS. of Augsburg of St. Udalric and the Paris one of Philip Labbe. And Saturninus, Hippolytus and Alexander are in the MS. of Tallaght. Whether Hippolytus in place of Neopolus, and Alexander in place of Alexandriæ?
[2] Behold the memory of these two Martyrs, from so many illustrious Martyrologies collected, to which the palestra of contest is either assigned Alexandria, whether they are rightly said to have suffered at Rome with other companions? or is passed over in silence. After so many copies Galesinius indicates another palestra for them and other companions in these words: At Rome of the holy Martyrs Saturninus, Neopolus, Germanus and Cælestinus, who for Christ the Lord cast into prison, there fell asleep. For the proof of the said in the Notes thus he adds: Of the first two Usuard makes mention, and Bede likewise: the latter two we added from a MS. codex. But what he had not solid enough, as we have hitherto often said. But whence he knew them to have suffered at Rome, he does not add. Baronius while he believes Galesinius, easily errs; he in the Roman Martyrology thus celebrates these: At Rome of the holy Martyrs Saturninus, Neopolus, Germanus and Cælestinus, who having suffered much, at last cast into prison, there rested in the Lord. Then in the Notations these he adds: Of these treat likewise Bede, Usuard, Ado, and other later ones. He is Galesinius, who first established the palestra Rome, and to the two first joined Germanus and Cælestinus: of these we have already treated, and again below we are about to treat. Bucelinus in the Benedictine Sacrary asserts that the bodies of SS. Saturninus, Neopolus and Cælestinus rest in the Monastery of Antecum in Bavaria. Which we would rather have proved to be of these Martyrs to be understood: or at least that some of those names so conjointly were found; for we fear lest from the Roman of today the names were assumed, that at once there might be had a day of worship, and bodies found without a name be fitted to them.
[3] We gave on February IV the Acts of St. Phileas Bishop of Thmuis, and in them his epistle on the contests and crowns of the Alexandrian Martyrs: What kind of Martyrs in the Alexandrian prison? the same Epistle Eusebius alleges in the Ecclesiastical history book 8 chapter 10, whence it is helpful to receive, what concerning the Martyrs, under the last persecution of Diocletian and Maximian thrust into the Alexandrian prisons, are there read in these words, after the various kinds of punishments endured by them are narrated. Some after torments lay in the stocks, with feet drawn apart even to four holes, so that they were forced to be supine; since on account of the fresh scars of the wounds, which they bore over the whole body, they could not stand at all. Others cast on the ground lay, by reason of the too great bitterness of the torments, and much more grievous than while they were being tortured a spectacle to those beholding presented, various and in manifold ways devised kinds of torments carrying about on their bodies. Which when so were done, some in the very torments expired, by their constancy striking shame into the adversary: others half-dead thrust into prison, a few days after, overcome by pains, ended their life. Of these therefore, to whom in a manner so memorable the prison was for a stadium, it is credible that there were Saturninus and Neopolus; and indeed by birth or office more illustrious than the rest, who before so many others deserved in the Martyrologies under this title to be commended, that at Alexandria in prison they rested.