Sts. Quinctianus

    Sts. Quinctianus

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    (1) Under the date 1 April the present "Roman Martyrology" mentions a saint of this name, together with a companion named Irenæus. In the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum" the same saint is mentioned with three companions under the same date, the topographical note "in Asia Minor" being appended [ed. De Rossi-Duschesne (38)]. We have no further information concerning these martyrs.

    (2) A bishop Quinctianus, probably identical with the "episcopus Urcitanus", suffered martyrdom with several other confessors in Africa during the persecution under the Vandal king, Huneric (476-84), as related by Victor Vitensis ("De persecutione Vandalica", I, xxix; II, xxviii; ed. Halm in "Mon. Germ. Hist.: Auct. antiq." I, 8, 18). His feast is celebrated on 23 May. In the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum" several other African martyrs of this name are mentioned on various other days, but nothing further is known of them.

    (3) A long list of Christian martyrs from Catania in Sicily are found in the above-mentioned martyrology [ed. cit., (3)], and also in the present "Roman Martyrology" on 31 December; among these occurs the name of a Saint Quinctianus. Concerning this whole group, however, we have no historical information.

    (4) In the list of Roman confessors who languished in prison during the Decian persecution (A.D. 250) a certain Quinctianus also occurs ("Epist. Luciani ad Celerinum" inter Epist. Cyrpriani, XXII, iii; ed. Hartel, II, 535).

    (5) The Synod of Agde (506) was attended by a Quinctianus, then Bishop of Rodez. A native of Africa, he had fled from the Arians ( see Arianism ) to Gaul, and been appointed Bishop of Rodez. During the war between the Franks and the West Goths, he was a zealous supporter of Chlodwig I. He was, therefore, compelled to leave the territory of the West Goths, and proceeded to Auvergne, where he was hospitably received by Bishop Euphrasius. King Theodoric I appointed Quinctianus successor to St. Appolinarius, Bishop of Clermont. On the death of the latter, Quinctianus succeeded to the See of Clermont, which he occupied until his death on 13 November, 525 or 526. His feast is celebrated on this date, except at Rodez, where it is kept on 14 June. In the "Roman Martyrology" his name stands under both dates.

    J.P. KIRSCH

    Transcribed by Christine J. Murray