MONTAN, LUCIUS and Companions, Saints, Martyrs. — In the *Martyrologium Hieronymianum* and the *Calendar of Carthage* they are commemorated on 23 May; whereas in the *Roman Martyrology* C. Baronius inserted them on 24 February, perhaps, H. Delehaye thinks, deceived by the *laterculus* of the *Martyrologium Hieronymianum*. Their martyrdom took place in Carthage during the persecution of Valerian, probably in the summer of 259 and 260.
The *Passio* (BHL, 6009), which reflects the style of St Cyprian and was certainly written by an eyewitness shortly after the martyrs’ death, repeatedly refers to the death of St Cyprian (4 Sept. 258) and from one passage (ch. 23) it appears that his successor had not yet been elected, so that the martyrs’ death must be placed between the death of St Cyprian and the election of his successor, Lucius. The structure of the *Passio* follows the model of that of SS Perpetua and Felicity (v.), which overlays a considerable development of form upon the simple protocol schema and includes accounts of the visions experienced by the martyrs during their imprisonment.
It may be divided into two parts: a letter from the martyrs to the communities of the brethren in the faith (chs. 1–11); and the compiler’s narrative, which completes the information of the letter and sets out the circumstances of the martyrdom (chs. 12–23). In this second part the figure of the martyr Flavian dominates, though he does not appear in the title of the manuscripts of the *Passio*, he remains one of the principal characters.
Of the *Passio*, published very early and repeatedly, P. Franchi de’ Cavalieri gave a critical edition in 1908 (*Gli Atti dei ss. M., L. e compagni*, Rome 1908 [suppl. 8 of the Römische Quartalschrift]), in which, in a lengthy introduction, he discussed at length the literary and archaeological questions that the text may raise. The *Passio* gives the names of the martyrs, namely Montan, Lucius, Flavian, Julian, Victoricus, Primolus, Reno and Donatian. The latter and Primolus died while still in prison.