a catalogue or list of martyrs, including the history of their lives and sufferings for the sake of religion. The term is formed of μαρτυς, witness, and ἀπόστολος, discourse.

The Martyrology of Eusebius of Cesarea was the most celebrated in the ancient church. It was translated into Latin by St Jerome, but it is not now extant. That attributed to Beda, in the eighth century, is of very doubtful authority, there being found in it the names of several saints who did not live till after the time of Beda. The ninth century was very fertile in martyrologies; for then appeared that of Florus, subdeacon of the church at Lyons, who, however, only filled up the chasms in Beda. This was published about the year 830, and was followed by that of Waldenbutrus, monk of the diocese of Trèves, written in verse about the year 844; and this again by that of Usuard, a French monk, which was written by the command of Charles the Bald in 875, and is the martyrology now ordinarily used in the Roman Catholic church. That of Rabanus Maurus, written about the year 845, is an improvement on Beda and Florus; that of Notker, monk of St Gal, was written about the year 894. The martyrology of Addo, monk of Ferrières, in the diocese of Trèves, afterwards archbishop of Vienne, is, if we may so express it, a descendant of the Roman. According to Du Sollier, the martyrology of St Jerome is the great Roman martyrology; from this was made the little Roman one printed by Rosweyd; and of this little Roman martyrology was formed that of Beda, afterwards augmented by Florus. Addo compiled his in the year 858. The martyrology of Nevelon, monk of Corbie, written about the year 1089, is little more than an abridgment of that of Addo. Father Kircher also makes mention of a Coptic martyrology preserved by the Maronites at Rome. We have likewise