The Martyrs of Abitinae (or Abitinian Martyrs) were a group of 49 Christians found guilty, in 304, during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, of having illegally celebrated Sunday worship at Abitinae, a town in the Roman province of Africa. The town is frequently referred to as Abitina, but the form indicated in the Annuario Pontificio (and elsewhere)Jean-Yves Congar, Encyclopedia of Christian Theology (Taylor & Francis 2004 ). vol. 1, p. 499 is Abitinae.Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ), p. 822 The plural form Abitinae is that which Saint Augustine of Hippo used when writing his De baptismo in 400 or 401.Sancti Aureli Augustini Scripta contra Donatistas, pars I, p. 359
On February 24 of the year before, Diocletian had published his first edict against the Christians, ordering the destruction of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the Empire, and prohibiting Christians from assembling for worship.Bleckmann, Bruno. "Diocletianus." In Brill's New Pauly, Volume 4, edited by Hubert Cancik and Helmut Schneider, 429–38. Leiden: Brill, 2002.
Though Fundanus, the local bishop in Abitinae, obeyed the edict and handed the scriptures of the church over to the authorities, some of the Christians continued to meet illegally under the priest Saturninus. They were arrested and brought before the local magistrates, who sent them to Carthage, the capital of the province, for trial.Santi Martiri di Abitina
The trial took place on February 12 before the proconsul Anullinus. One of the group was Dativus, a senator. Under interrogation he declared that he was a Christian and had taken part in the meeting of the Christians, but even under torture he at first refused to say who had presided over it. During this interrogation, the advocate Fortunatianus, a brother of Victoria, one of the accused, denounced Dativus of having enticed her and other naïve young girls to attend the service; but Victoria declared she had gone entirely of her own accord. Interrupting the torture, the proconsul again asked Dativus whether he had taken part in the meeting. Dativus again declared that he had. Then, when asked who had been the instigator, he replied: "The priest Saturninus and all of us." He was then taken to prison and died soon after of his wounds.Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and HeresiesDativo e i martiri di Abitina
The priest Saturninus was then interrogated and held firm even under torture. His example was followed by all the others, both men and women. They included his four children.
Emeritus, who declared that the Christians had met in his house, was asked why he had violated the emperor's command. He replied: "Sine dominico non possumus" - we cannot live without this thing of the Lord. Often abbreviated "non possumus", this phrase was to echo down the ages. Meaning thing of the Lord, "dominico" was referring to the Eucharist. It was to give the new name for Sunday in the Romance languages. The emperor had declared the Eucharist illegal, but the prisoners had chosen to participate in it even at the risk of being tortured and sentenced to death.
Saint Restituta is sometimes considered one of the Martyrs of Abitinae.Santa Restituta d'Africa (o di Teniza)
List of the Martyrs of Abitinae
The feast of the Martyrs of Abitinae is on February 12. Under that date the Roman Martyrology records the names of all forty-nine:Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 )
Saturninus, Presbyter Saturninus, son of Saturninus, Reader Felix, son of Saturninus, Reader Maria, daughter of Saturninus Hilarion, infant son of Saturninus Dativus, also known as Sanator Felix another Felix Emeritus, Reader Ampelius, Reader Benignus, infant son of Ampelius Rogatianus Quintus Maximianus or Maximus Telica or Tazelita another Rogatianus Rogatus Ianuarius Cassianus Victorianus Vincentius Caecilianus Restituta Prima Eva yet another Rogatianus Givalius Rogatus Pomponia Secunda Ianuaria Saturnina Martinus Clautus Felix junior Margarits Maior Honorata Regiola Victorinus Pelusius Faustus Dacianus Matrona Caecilia Victoria, a virgin from Carthage Berectina Secunda Matrona Ianuaria
References
External links St. Saturninus Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies. Santi Martiri di Abitina