E03249: The Martyrdom of *Secundus (martyr of Victimulae and Turin, S02500) is written in Latin, presumably in Turin at an uncertain date. It narrates Secundus’ travel to Italy with a legion, his trial and death witnessed by the future martyr *Mauritius (commander of the Theban legion, S00339), who holds vigils at his body on the site of martyrdom in Victimulae; the theft of the body which is brought to Turin and buried next to the river Dora, where miracles abound. Additional account about visitors to the oratory of the Virgin *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033) in Turin taking dust and scraps from the tomb of Iuliana, who buried the saint *Solutor ad his companions (martyrs of Turin, S01116).

Martyrdom of Secundus (BHL 7568)

Summary:

§§ 1-2: At the time of Diocletian and Maximian, there is a most noble and Christian young man called Secundus from the province of Thebaid. His name, Secundus (“second”) reflects the fact that he was to be martyred, as martyrs are second only to the Apostles. Secundus is a general and he strives to convert others to Christianity; the emperors hear about it and summon him to Rome.

§§ 3-4: Secundus comes to the emperors with a full legion of 6600 soldiers, is accused by Maximian and given the choice between sacrificing or facing death together with his soldiers. As he refuses, he and the soldiers are imprisoned. Mauritius, a fellow soldier and primicerius who would later be martyred with this same legion in Acaunus, exhorts Secundus to keep his resolve. The day of his beheading coming, Secundus exhorts his friends and companions to be ready to die for Christ.

§§ 5-8: Some of them, however, question this and exhort the soldiers to avoid suffering and death. Secundus therefore gives a speech contrasting the deaths of the body and of the soul and exhorting them to suffering in this life in order to obtain eternal life. Maximian learns about this and orders him to be sent to the governor of the province, Egrestius, to be beheaded.

§ 9: After his beheading, Secundus’ tongue praises Christ. His spirit (spiritus) is taken to heaven by an angel. This is witnessed by Mauritius, who takes the body and wraps it in a fine linen cloth. In the evening, the future martyr Mauritius keeps vigils at the body together with his friends. The body however is taken by other faithful, following God’s arrangement, and is buried at the place where it lies now. Waking up, Mauritius and his friends do not find the body but only remains of his blood (reliquiae sanguinis) on the site of his beheading. That place is found in the field (ager) of a pater familias named Probus and his wife Proba, one mile from the Castellum Caesarium, which is called Victimolae since the time of Hannibal to recall 15,000 men who were defeated there in a battle against Hannibal.

§ 10: The body of Secundus was taken by Christians to Turin (urbs Taurinensis) and buried with perfume near the river Dora (Duria), where his favours abound up to this day. The ill and the possessed are cured if they pray with faith at his tomb, and souls are saved from death as visitors to the body amend their way of life.

§ 11: Favours are also bestowed in the oratory of the Virgin Mary, mother of God. Those who come to venerate the tomb of the holy Iuliana, who had buried the saints Solutor and his companions, take dust (pulvis) or scrape ploda [unknown word; AASS editors conjecture that it refers to plaster] and take it away with them as a means of healing. Secundus was martyred on the 5th day before the Calends of September [= 28 August] under Diocletian and Maximian.

Text: Acta Sanctorum, Aug. V, 795-797. Summary: M. Pignot.