A liturgia grega afirma que Herodes matou 14.000 meninos, os sírios falam de 64.000 e muitos autores medievais falam de 144.000, de acordo com Apocalipse 14: 3. Os escritores modernos reduzem o número consideravelmente, já que Belém era uma cidade bastante pequena. Knabenbauer reduz para quinze ou vinte (Evang. S. Matt., I, 104), Bisping para dez ou doze (Evang. S. Matt.) E Kellner para cerca de seis (Christus and seine Apostel, Freiburg, 1908) .
Esse ato cruel de Herodes não é mencionado pelo historiador judeu Flávio Josefo, embora ele relate uma série de atrocidades cometidas pelo rei durante os últimos anos de seu reinado. O número dessas crianças era tão pequeno que esse crime parecia insignificante entre os outros crimes de Herodes. Macróbio relata que quando Augusto ouviu que entre os meninos de dois anos e sob o próprio filho de Herodes também haviam sido massacrados, ele disse: “É melhor ser porco de Herodes, do que seu filho”, aludindo à lei judaica de não comer, e conseqüentemente não matar, porco. A Idade Média deu fé a essa história, e Abelardo a inseriu em seu hino para a festa dos Santos Inocentes.
É impossível determinar o dia ou o ano da morte dos Santos Inocentes, uma vez que a cronologia do nascimento de Cristo e os eventos bíblicos subsequentes são muito incertos. Tudo o que sabemos é que as crianças foram mortas dentro de dois anos após a aparição da estrela aos Reis Magos (Belser, no Tubingen “Quartalschrift”, 1890, p. 361). A Igreja venera essas crianças como mártires (Flores martyrium); são os primeiros botões da Igreja mortos pela geada da perseguição; eles morreram não apenas por Cristo, mas em seu lugar (Santo agosto, “Sermo 10us de Sanctis”).
A Igreja latina instituiu a festa dos Santos Inocentes em uma data agora desconhecida, não antes do final do quarto, e não depois do final do quinto século.
A Estação Romana de 28 de dezembro fica em São Paulo Fora dos Muros porque acredita-se que essa igreja possua os corpos de vários dos Santos Inocentes. Uma parte dessas relíquias foi transferida por Sixtus V para Santa Maria Maggiore. A igreja de Santa Justina em Pádua, as catedrais de Lisboa e Milão e outras igrejas também preservam corpos que afirmam ser de alguns dos Santos Inocentes.
Les Saints Innocents sont les enfants mentionnés dans l’évangile de Matthieu, chapitre 2:16-18. Hérode, voyant qu’il était trompé par les sages, était extrêmement en colère et envoya ses soldats tuer tous les enfants mâles âgés de deux ans et moins qui se trouvaient à Bethléem et sur les frontières, selon le temps qu’il avait diligemment demandé aux sages. Hommes. Alors s’accomplit la prophétie de Jérémie : Une voix à Rama se fit entendre, de lamentations et de grand deuil ; Rachel pleura ses enfants et ne voulut pas être consolé parce qu’ils ne l’étaient pas.
La liturgie grecque affirme qu’Hérode a tué 14 000 garçons, les Syriens parlent de 64 000 et de nombreux auteurs médiévaux parlent de 144 000, selon Ap 14 :3. Les écrivains modernes réduisent considérablement le nombre puisque Bethléem était une ville plutôt petite. Knabenbauer le ramène à quinze ou vingt (Evang. S. Matt., I, 104), Bisping à dix ou douze (Evang. S. Matt.), et Kellner à environ six (Christus et seine Apostel, Freiburg, 1908) .
Cet acte cruel d’Hérode n’est pas mentionné par l’historien juif Flavius Josèphe, bien qu’il relate un bon nombre d’atrocités commises par le roi au cours des dernières années de son règne. Le nombre de ces enfants était si petit que ce crime parut insignifiant parmi les autres méfaits d’Hérode. Macrobe raconte que lorsque Auguste apprit que parmi les garçons de deux ans et sous le propre fils d’Hérode avait également été massacré, il dit : « Il vaut mieux être le porc d’Hérode que son fils », faisant allusion à la loi juive de ne pas manger, et par conséquent ne tue pas, porc. Le Moyen Age a donné foi à cette histoire, et Abélard l’a insérée dans son hymne pour la fête des Saints Innocents.
Il est impossible de déterminer le jour ou l’année de la mort des Saints Innocents puisque la chronologie de la naissance du Christ et des événements bibliques ultérieurs est très incertaine. Tout ce que nous savons, c’est que les nourrissons ont été abattus dans les deux ans suivant l’apparition de l’étoile aux mages (Belser, dans le “Quartalschrift” de Tubingen, 1890, p. 361). L’Église vénère ces enfants comme des martyrs (Flores martyrium) ; ce sont les premiers bourgeons de l’Église tués par le gel des persécutions ; ils sont morts non seulement pour le Christ, mais à sa place (St. Aug., “Sermo 10us de Sanctis”).
L’Église latine a institué la fête des Saints Innocents à une date aujourd’hui inconnue, pas avant la fin du IVe, et au plus tard à la fin du Ve siècle.
La station romaine du 28 décembre se trouve à Saint-Paul-hors-les-murs parce que cette église est censée posséder les corps de plusieurs des Saints Innocents. Une partie de ces reliques a été transférée par Sixte V à Santa Maria Maggiore. L’église Sainte-Justine de Padoue, les cathédrales de Lisbonne et de Milan et d’autres églises conservent également des corps qu’elles prétendent être ceux de certains des Saints Innocents.
The Holy Innocents are the children mentioned in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:16-18. Herod, perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry, and sent his soldiers to kill all male children ages two and under that were in Bethlehem and on the borders, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah: A voice in Rama was heard, of lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailed her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not.
The Greek Liturgy asserts that Herod killed 14,000 boys, the Syrians speak of 64,000, and many medieval authors speak of 144,000, according to Rev. 14:3. Modern writers reduce the number considerably since Bethlehem was a rather small town. Knabenbauer brings it down to fifteen or twenty (Evang. S. Matt., I, 104), Bisping to ten or twelve (Evang. S. Matt.), and Kellner to about six (Christus and seine Apostel, Freiburg, 1908).
This cruel deed of Herod is not mentioned by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, although he relates quite a number of atrocities committed by the king during the last years of his reign. The number of these children was so small that this crime appeared insignificant amongst the other misdeeds of Herod. Macrobius relates that when Augustus heard that amongst the boys of two years and under Herod’s own son also had been massacred, he said: “It is better to be Herod’s hog, than his son” alluding to the Jewish law of not eating, and consequently not killing, swine. The Middle Ages gave faith to this story, and Abelard inserted it in his hymn for the feast of Holy Innocents.
It is impossible to determine the day or the year of the death of the Holy Innocents since the chronology of the birth of Christ and the subsequent Biblical events is most uncertain. All we know is that the infants were slaughtered within two years following the apparition of the star to the Wise Men (Belser, in the Tubingen “Quartalschrift,” 1890, p. 361). The Church venerates these children as martyrs (Flores martyrium); they are the first buds of the Church killed by the frost of persecution; they died not only for Christ but in his stead (St. Aug., “Sermo 10us de Sanctis”).
The Latin Church instituted the feast of the Holy Innocents at a date now unknown, not before the end of the fourth, and not later than the end of the fifth century.
The Roman Station of December 28 is at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls because that church is believed to possess the bodies of several of the Holy Innocents. A portion of these relics was transferred by Sixtus V to Santa Maria Maggiore. The church of St. Justina at Padua, the cathedrals of Lisbon and Milan, and other churches also preserve bodies that they claim to be those of some of the Holy Innocents
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