had said mass and preached; on
which day the Roman and other Martyrologies mention him. His principal
festival is kept with the greatest solemnity in Austria and Bavaria on
the 25th of September, the day of one of the translations of his relics,
which are kept in the church under his name in Saltzbourg. Mabillon and
Bulteau, upon no slight grounds, think this saint to have lived a whole
century later than is commonly supposed, and that he founded the church
of Saltzbourg about the year 700. See his life, published by Canisius,
Henschenius, and Mabillon, with the notes of the last-mentioned editor.

Footnotes:
1. A village on the Danube in the midway between Ratisbon and Vienna,
the capital of eastern Bavaria, at present Austria.
2. The bishop of Saltzbourg was, under Charlemagne, made an archbishop
and metropolitan of Bavaria, Austria, and its hereditary
territories. He is one of the first ecclesiastical princes of the
empire, and is elected by the canons of the cathedral, who are all
of noble extraction.

MARCH XXVIII.

PRISCUS, MALCHUS, AND ALEXANDER, MARTYRS.

From Eus. Hist. b. 7, c. 12, p. 262.

A.D. 260.

THESE eminent Christians, Priscus, Malchus, and Alexander, led a retired
holy life in the country near Caesarea, in Palestine. During the fury of
the persecution under Valerian, they often called to mind the triumphs
of the martyrs, and secretly reproached themselves with cowardice, as
living like soldiers who passed their time in softness and ease, while
their brethren and fellow-warriors bore all the heat of the battle. They
could not long smother these warm sentiments in their breast; but
expressed them to one another. "What," said they, "while the secure gate
of heaven is open, shall we shut it against ourselves? Shall we be so
faint-hearted as not to suffer for the name of Christ, who died for us?
Our brethren invite us by their example: their blood is a loud voice,
which presses us to tread in their steps. Shall we be deaf to a cry
calling us to the combat, and to a glorious victory?" Full of this holy
ardor, they all, with one mind, repaired to Caesarea, and of their own
accord, by a particular instinct of grace, presented themselves before
the governor, declaring themselves Christians. While all others were
struck with admiration at the sight of their generous courage, the
barbarous judge appeared not able to contain his rage. After having
tried on them all the tortures wh