Baring-Gould’s sources: Ancient and Modern Roman Martyrologfcs, that, so-called, of S. Jerome, Florus, Ado and all Latin Martryologies. Greek, Russian, and Coptic Menaces. The Menology of the Emperor Basil. Constantinopolitan Synaxarium. Authority The Greek Acts, which are unfortunately no authority at all, but a deliberate forgery. The author distinctly asserts that he was an eye-witness of what he relates; but then, in addition to many incredible marvels, he winds up with the death of Trajan at Sinope, whereas he is known to have died at Selinus in Cilicia, in 1x7. Also, it is most improbable that Trajan should have personally sentenced the bishop to death by horrible tortures, and that in the last year of his reign, when he had addressed his memorable letter to Pliny to limit, if not practically to abolish, the punishment of Christians. The Acts bear on their face every characteristic of falsity; — there is not one element of truth in them J Acts of this martyr, who was bishop of Sinope, in Pontus, being a wilful forgery, 5gSi and as dull as they are false, need not be further described here. That there was such a martyr is probable enough; some writer took advantage of his name as a basis for an historical romance.

July M-l.S'. Cyrus. The relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor] of S. Phocas were, at an early period, thought to be preserved at Vienne, in Gaul [roughly modern France and Belgium], and devotion to them was indulgenced by Pope Innocent S. CYRUS, B. OF CARTHAGE.

(date uncertain.) [Modern Roman Martyrology. An insertion of Baronius [Cardinal Baronius (d. 1607), church historian who edited the Roman Martyrology].] Baronius put this name into the Roman Martyrology because “ Possidius, in his Indiculum, c. 8, relates that S. Augustine spoke of him to the people.” Absolutely nothing more is known of him, nor do we know whether Possidius had any authority for his statement. That Baronius should have been guilty of inserting a name on such slender grounds is indeed marvellous.