Baring-Gould’s sources: Gallican Martyrologies. But at Tarbes on March 5th.] Luperculus, or Lupercus, is popularly believed to have been a bishop and martyr at Eauze, in France, in the reign of the Emperor Decius, and he is regarded as one of the patrons of the diocese of Tarbes. Nevertheless, some think that in fact he is not to be distinguished from Luperculus, martyr at Saragossa, with eighteen companions, praised by Prudentius, who was decapitated by order of Dacian the governor, in the reign of Diocletian, a.d. 304. In 1389 the relics of S. Luperculus were found by revelation in the church of S. Massa, beside those of S. Engratia, with an inscription which described him as the uncle of that saint. Luperculus of Saragossa is venerated in Spain on April 16th. Eauze was anciently Elusa, city of the Elusates, and the bishop of Auch was suffragan of the bishop of Eauze. That ancient city, situated on the Gelise, is no longer inhabited; its site is marked by ruins. There is no evidence that there was any bishop there prior to the 6th cent. Probably S. Luperculus preached there, and thence travelled into Spain, where he suffered. SS. PLUTARCH, POTAMI^ENA, AND OTHERS, MM. [Roman Martyrology. Those of S. Jerome, Usuardus, Ado. Notker, &c. Authority: — Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. Lib. VI., c. 3, 4, 5.] The school of Origen at Alexandria furnished many martyrs for the faith in the persecution of Severus, which raged from the year 202 to 211, when that emperor died. June a8.J 6VS". Plutarch and Potamicena. 41 1 I The first of those to suffer was Plutarch, brother of Heraclas, afterwards bishop of Alexandria on the death of S. Demetrius. When Plutarch was thrown into prison, Origen visited him; the Alexandrian mob was so incensed against Origen for having converted Plutarch, and thereby brought him to death, that they set upon Origen and nearly killed him. How Plutarch suffered we are not told. After him Serenus, another scholar of Origen, was called to confess Christ by martyrdom. He was burned alive. Two others, Heraclides, a catechumen, and Hero, lately baptized, were executed with the sword. Severus, a fifth, after many tortures, was beheaded. Herais, who was yet a catechumen, received her baptism by fire. Basilides, and a slave woman named Potamiaena, were next called to their crown. “Concerning Potamiaena,” says Eusebius, “many traditions are still circulated among the Alexandrians of the innumerable conflicts she endured for the preservation of her purity and chastity, for with the charms of an accomplished mind she possessed a most attractive person.” With her, her mother Macella was sentenced to execution. The judge Aquila applied the most horrible tortures to every part of her body, and then ordered an officer, Basilides, to lead her away to execution. Basilides with firmness kept off the crowd which sought to assault her, and which heaped abusive language upon her as she went to her death. Potamiaena, moved by the kindness of the officer, and his evident distress at having to be accessory to her execution, spoke to him, urged him to embrace the Christian faith, and promised to intercede with God for him, when she had gained her crown, and obtain for him faith as a reward for hi 5 compassion. Then, having reached the place of execution, boiling pitch was slowly poured over her body, beginning with the feet, and so gradually upwards to the crown of her head. Under this she expired. Not long afterwards Basilides, being urged by his fellow soldiers to swear, replied that it was not right for a Christian so to do. At first his comrades thought he was jesting; but when he gravely assured them that he was a Christian, they conducted him to the judge, who committed him to prison. There he was visited by some of the faithful, who inquired into the cause of his sudden conversion. He replied that three nights after her martyrdom, Potamiaena appeared to him holding a glorious have I obtained for thee by my prayers." On hearing this, the Christians baptized Basilides, and he was led forth and executed with the sword. Eusebius adds, “ Many others also at Alexandria are recorded to have become Christians, because Potamiaena appeared to them in dreams, and exhorted them to embrace the Divine truth."