ST MAMMARIUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS

ST MAMMARIUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS - 10 JUNE

SAINT MAMMARIUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS

[This group of Martyrs is commemorated on June 10.]

Saint Mammarius, a priest, Felix, and Victorian, deacons, as well as Albinus, Donatus, Libusus, Laurence, Faustinian, Biddinus, Crispin, Leucius, Faustina, Fausta, and two other unnamed suffered together. The actual year of their martyrdom cannot be determined with certainty. Mabillon* states that it took place in the year 304, while Henschen* provides the year 258, Canisius* 260, and Papebroche* 254. It is assumed that they were executed in Proconsular Africa, specifically in Besech (Boseth), [Numidia].

The persecution edicts of the emperors Valerian and Gallienus (253 ff.) stated that "any Christian discovered should be handed over to the fire." For Numidia, which belonged to the same province as the two Mauretanias, a certain Alexander had been appointed by the proconsul Anolinus as the executor of this order. He had soldiers at his command to capture the Christians and hand them over to the courts. In the city of Vaga, the holy priest Mammarius fell into his hands.

He was already 93 years old at the time; apostate Christians had probably betrayed his hiding place. I very much doubt that, when the judge asked him whether he had any accomplices, he referred him to Lambesa, saying: "There are Christians in Lambesa who were baptized with me in his time, since I was also born in this city." He had no reason to betray his fellow Christians. Be that as it may, the far from credible "Acts" go on to say that 30 soldiers then went to Lambesa, where they seized Deacon Felix, and afterwards Donatus and Albinus, at the place called "at the Hundred Trees," and put them in chains. In the city itself, they met Deacon Victorian "in the holy church" with Libosus, a city official (the "Acts" call him prior civitatis; what this means we do not know. This expression, like several others, also indicates the inauthenticity of the "Acts"). Led before the Comes, he asked them: "Christiani estis aut pagani?" which is certainly as true as everything else. Where, in any genuine interrogation, have such questions ever been asked? When have Christians ever handed each other over to their persecutors, as is said to have happened here?

According to these spurious "Acts" Deacon Felix himself encouraged Saint Mammarius with the words: "Do not, good father, conceal the sheep from the treasure of Christ!" (oves de thesauro Christi) - could he really have said anything of this sort in a situation like this?

The "Acts" then go on to recount the torture of the saints and their miraculous healing. They are not a credible source of information; the passages provided contain ample proof that they are not authentic. To remove all doubt, we still relate the claim of the "Acts" that, after a mere 16 Christians had been captured in three different cities, the judge asks if there are more Christians in the area (in the most barbaric Latin ever written): "How many are you?" To which the saints reply: "Sedecia in unum collecti!" It is enough. For those readers who want yet more fanciful details, the "Acts" describe how the saints raised a dead man. When Anolinus dismissed this miracle as magical arts [of which Christians were frequently accused at the time], demons appeared and killed the proconsul, and countless birds devoured his flesh.

This, however, did not deter the court's assessor from imprisoning the saints once more. Valerian sent Maximus, in place of the slain Anolinus; the former saw to it that the saints were beheaded for being Christians. Marimilla, the wife of a senator, and the priest Lucian buried them. Given these documents, it is certain that, apart from the names, nothing of the exact circumstances of their martyrdom can be historically established.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 4, Augsburg, 1875, pp. 70-71)

*A hagiography source used by the authors

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Mammarius and Companions may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

BL. RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR Richard Newport, alias Smith , was born in Northamptonshire and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Rheims (if he be the Richard Smith whom I find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to acquire the character of a laborious missionary; being withal remarkably successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute. He was several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgrimage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apostles, in behalf of thi...

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