ON SS. ANASTASIUS THE CORNICULARIUS, THEOPISTA HIS WIFE, ESODES, ARADIUS, CALISTUS AND FELIX HIS SONS, EUPHEMIA, AND PRIMITIVA HIS DAUGHTERS, AND THREE OF THE HOUSEHOLD, MARTYRS AT CAMERINO IN UMBRIA.
CommentaryAnastasius the Cornicularius, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Theopista the wife, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Esodes, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Aradius, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Calistus, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Felix, son, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Euphemia, daughter, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Primitiva, daughter, Martyr at Camerino in Umbria (S.)
Three servants, Martyrs at Camerino in Umbria
G. H.
The sacred memory of these Martyrs in the present Tables of the Roman Martyrology on XI May, is celebrated with these words: At Camerino of the holy Martyrs Anastasius and his companions, Memory in the Roman Martyrology, who in the persecution of Decius under Antiochus the Governor were slain. Baronius adds, that their Acts are read in the deeds of S. Venantius the Martyr, which we examine below on XVIII May. in the catalogue of Ferrarius, From those some compendium of Life Ferrarius excerpted in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, and published it on this XI May. Anastasius, he says, Cornicularius (this was the name of an office in the Praetorium: for the Cornicularius was in charge of executing the sentences of those condemned) lived at Camerino, at which time S. Venantius was afflicted with martyrdom. Who, moved by his marvels, believed in Christ, and with all his household was baptized by S. Porphyrius the Presbyter. Which when Antiochus the Governor learned, he ordered him with his own to be seized and brought to him, and when they persisted immobile in the confession of the faith received, ordered them to be beheaded on the V Ides of May, with Decius being Emperor. These things there. Decius reigned from the year CCXLIX until the end of the year CCLI. Under whom S. Porphyrius the Presbyter we said was crowned with martyrdom on IV May, his birthday.
[2] Ludovicus Iacobillus in volume 1 of the Lives of the Saints and Blessed of Umbria, from the MS. History of Camerino of Angelo Benigni and the MSS. Lessons adds some things to the foregoing, and Iacobillus in the Lives of the Saints of Umbria. namely, that by S. Porphyrius the Presbyter were instructed in the holy faith Anastasius, his wife, four sons, and three others of their household, and these together nine were reborn by him from the holy font of baptism. Anastasius now made Christian with his whole household, frequently came to S. Porphyrius, and by him was animated to undergo holy martyrdom generously, to the contempt of the perishable things of this world, and to the desire of heavenly things: was present when S. Porphyrius his Master fell as a Martyr for Christ; saw many miracles, which God worked through S. Venantius. Finally with glorious martyrdom all these ended their mortal life on XI May, and their bodies were afterwards buried in the church dedicated to S. Venantius.
[3] These things there. But in the Acts of S. Venantius S. Anastasius the Cornicularius with his are said to have been crowned with martyrdom before S. Porphyrius: of whom the wife is called Theopista, four sons Esodes, Aradius, Calistus, Felix, two daughters Euphemia and Primitiva. In the same Acts no mention is made of Decius: but they are said under Antiochus the King, who by others is called Regulus and Governor of Decius, to have obtained the crown of martyrdom. Would that it had pleased God to reserve their bodies to the devotion of the faithful peoples! for of these from popular tradition the believed truth would more confirm us in the faith of the martyrdom borne by them, than the aforesaid Acts could do, written so late and with so little accuracy, as we shall see below. Now since they alone are the foundation of all the aforesaid, we cannot wholly shake off the fear from our mind, that in this part also, in which they treat of S. Anastasius and his companions, they have much chaff mixed in, which by want of better notices is difficult to separate from that which perhaps is true. Wherefore we have not thought their names should be passed over here in silence, although under the mark of great uncertainty about the true existence of the same.