Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/207

 SPAIN

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SPAIN

Apostles Paul and James came to the country, as well as the Seven Apostolic Men (Torquatus, Ctesiphon, Secundus, Indaleeius, Caecilius, Hesychius, and Eu- phrasius) to whom the foundation of various churches is attributed. Connected with the coming of St. James is the verj' ancient tradition of Our Lady of the Pilhir (la Virgen del Pilar) of Saragossa. Prudentius says that there were mart>TS in Spain in every one of the persecutions. Of uncertain date are the martyr- doms of Sts. Facundus and Primitius in Galieia; of St. Firminus and Sts. Marcellus and Nonia, with their twelve children, in Leon ; of Sts. Acisclus and Victoria at Cordova. Sts. Hemeterius and Celedonius suf- ferc<l in the Decian persecution, as did Sts. Justa and Rufina, St. Laurence, St. Fructuosus, St. Augurius, and St. Eulogius. The most famous of Spanish mar- tyrs, however, are those who suffered in the persecu- tion of Diocletian, when Dacian was prefect; among

hordes, urged forward by the pressure of the Huns in their rear, hurled themselves for the first time upon the Pyrenean Peninsula — the Alani, a people of Scyth- ian, or Tatar, race; the Vandals and Suevians, CJer- manic races. The Alani were, for the most part, quickly brought into subjection. The Vandals, after establishing themselves in B;etica, to which they gave the name of \'andalusia (Andalusia), passed on into Africa, while the Visigoths hemmed in the Suevi in Gahcia until the latter were completely brought un- der control. These Visigoths, or \\'estern Goths, after sacking Rome under the leadership of Alaric (410), turned towards the Iberian Peninsula, with Ataulf for their leader, and occupied the north-eastern portion, which thereafter received the name of Gotha-landia (Catalaunia, later Catalonia). Valia extended his rule over most of the Peninsula, keeping the Suevians shut up in Gahcia. Theodoret took part, with the

them were Sts. Cucufatis, Eulalia, and Severus, Bishop of Barcelona, Sts. Fehx, Poncius, and Victor, Narcissus, Bishop of Gerona, Engratia, Valerius, Bishop of Saragossa, and his deacon, Vincentius, Justus and Pastor of Alcald, Leocadia of Toledo, Eu- laUa of Merida, Cyricus and Paula of Malaga, Vin- centius, Sabina, and Cristeta of Talavera. During this period, too, man}' councils were held in Spain, the most important being those of Elvira (or lUiberis) and of Saragossa, and the First Council of Toledo. At that of Elvira (300) the Acts, which are still extant, were signed by nineteen bishops, and, among other things, the cehbacy of the clergy w;is insisted upon. At the Council of Saragossa (380) Priscillianism was condemned. The PrisciUianists abjured their heresy at the Council of Toledo (400), where, also, the sym- bol was pronounced with the Filiniiur. .\inong illus- trious Spaniards of the period may be mentioned Pope St. Damasus, the great Hosius, St. Pacianus, Bishop of Barcelona, anil his son, Flavins Dexter, Juvencus, and Pruilentius.

D. V isiijnihic S/Hiin. — WTicn the Ciermanic peoples invaded the pnninces of the Roman Empire, the XIV,— li

Romans and Franks, in the battle of ChSlons, where Attila was routed. Euric (466), 'who put an end to the last remnants of Roman power in the Peninsula, may be considered the first monarch of Spain, though the Suevians still maintained their independence in Ga- hcia. Euric was also the first king to give written laws to the Visigoths.

In the following reigns the Catholic kings of France assumed the role of protectors of the Hispano-Roman Catholics against the Arianism of the Visigoths, and in the wars which ensued ."Vlaric II and .\malric lost their Uves. Atanagild, having risen against King .'\gilas, called in the Byzantine Greeks and. in payment for the succour they gave him, ceded to them the maritime places of the .South-E.ast (.5.54). Leovigild restored the political unity of the Peninsula, subduing the Suevians, but the religious divisions of the country, reaching even the royal family, brought on a civil war. St. Hermengild. the king's son, putting himself at tlie head of the Catholics, was defeated and taken pris- oner, and suffered martyrdom for rejecting commun- ion with the .\rians. Recared, son of Leovigild and brother of St. Hermengild, added religious unity to