ON SS. ZENO AND CHARITO, MARTYRS,
The cult from the Calendars and the Roman Martyrology.
Zeno, M. (St.) Charito, M. (St.)
J. P.
These two Champions of Christ the Sirletian Menology reports on this day indeed, The Menology of Sirletus treats of them; add the Menaea, but with a twofold announcement. For it sets St. Zeno first in these words: On the same day (III of September) the commemoration of St. Zeno, who, cast into a cauldron full of boiling lead, burning with the love of God, was translated to Christ the Lord, for whose confession he had suffered. Then, two other Martyrs being interposed, it goes on thus: Likewise of St. Charito, who, cast into a pit full of burning fire, was granted martyrdom. On this day too they are recorded with two announcements in the great printed Menaea. The first is marked thus: St. Zeno, cast into a cauldron boiling with molten lead, is consummated. But the second is subjoined there after others interposed: St. Charito, cast into an ever-burning pit, perished.
[2] To the first are sung there these two little verses:
Ζήνων ὁ θεῖος τῷ Θεοῦ πόθῳ ζέων in which there are little verses about them., Χαίρων ὑπῆλθε τοῦ μολίβδου τὸ ζέον.
That is:
Divine Zeno, while thou dost boil with the fire of God, thou goest beneath a vessel seething with bubbling lead.
The poet alludes to the proper name Zeno, and to the participle ζέων and ζέον, from the verb ζέω, which in Latin is effervescere, to boil up. Of St. Charito these things are said:
Εἰσδὺς Χαρίτων εἰς τὸν ἀσβέστου βόθρον, Ἄσβεστον εὗρε φῶς ἀκηράτου τόπου.
That is:
Charito, entering into the unquenched fire of the pyre, obtains without end a shining light in heaven.
In the name ἄσβεστον there is an allusion to the unquenched pit or chasm into which the Martyr was cast, and to the eternal or unquenched light in heaven which he obtained.
[3] The Roman Martyrology announces them in another way. The Roman Martyrology places the two Athletes of this day under this single announcement: Of the holy martyrs Zeno and Charito, of whom the one was cast into a cauldron of molten lead, the other put into a furnace of fire. Into the Roman Calendars they were transcribed, as Baronius indicates in his notes, from the Monology, namely the Sirletian, from which he introduced very many other Saints into the same Calendars. But why are they reported separately among the Greeks? Baronius in the same place hints that they did this as though indicating that they suffered not together in one place, but in different places on the same day. Now on day 2 of September there was given by us a Zeno of the same name, a martyr, of whom we said it was doubtful whether he differs from the one of this day. See what is had at day 2 of September, p. 361, num. 4. But because we cannot affirm as certain that the one is not distinguished from the other, therefore with the Roman Martyrology, the Greek Calendars leading the way, we have judged that St. Zeno of this day too should be given.