SS. CHARALAMPIUS, P. AND COMPANIONS, MM.
(A.D. 202.)
[Commemorated in the West on this day; in the East on Sept. 17th. The Acts are not trustworthy.]
SAINT CHARALAMPIUS was priest at Magnesia, in the reign of Severus. He was brought before the governor, Lucianus, and was flayed with iron scrapers; the governor himself, in his rage, assisting the executioners in their barbarous work. With him suffered two soldiers and three women.
S. SOTERIS, V. M.
(4TH CENT.)
[Modern Roman Martyrology, and those of Usuardus and Ado. But the ancient Roman Martyrology, bearing the name of S. Jerome, and those of Notker Bede (so-called), Rabanus, and others, on Feb. 6th. Nor are the Martyrologies agreed as to where she suffered, some saying, "in the East," others "at Rome." Authority:—S. Ambrose, who was of her family, gives an account of her martyrdom in his Exhort. Virginit. lib. iii.]
S. Ambrose boasts of this saint as the greatest honour of his family. She was descended from a long series of consuls and prefects; but her greatest glory was in despising, for Christ's sake, her wealth, birth, and beauty. When the edicts of persecution were issued under Diocletian and Maximian, against the Christians, she was summoned before the judge, and her face was beaten because she would not deny Christ. She, however, counted it all joy to suffer in the like manner of her Master, and, though cruelly beaten, shed not a tear. At length, overcome by her constancy, the judge ordered her head to be struck off.
One of the Roman catacombs on the Appian way, bears the name of S. Soteris. This catacomb was restored by Pope Stephen III., when the roof had fallen in. It has been erroneously supposed, by some, that this catacomb was called after Pope S. Soter; but Anastasius the Librarian, in recording the restoration of the cemetery, calls it "Cemeterium Sanctæ Soteris." Stephen III. (II.) reigned from 752 to 757. The body was removed from this catacomb by Pope Symmachus, (498-514,) to the church of S. Sylvester, in the city of Rome. A portion of the relics were given to the church of Sezanne, in the modern department of Marne, in France. One of her bones is preserved in the Jesuit Church at Luxembourg. A body of S. Soteris is preserved in the Cistercian Church at Madrid; but as the history of the Acts of this S. Soteris cannot be adapted to the saint of Rome, it is probable that she is some local Spanish saint, of whom nothing authentic is known.
S. ZENO, H.
(ABOUT A.D. 419.)
[Theodoret in his Philotheus, c. 12, gives an account of this venerable monk, whom he had visited, and knew personally.]