ON SAINT PHILARETUS,
MONK OF THE ORDER OF SAINT BASIL, MARTYR.
ABOUT THE YEAR 828
CommentaryPhilaretus, Monk of the Basilian Order, Martyr (St.)
G. H.
Octavius Caietanus in the Sicilian Martyrology, and Ferrarius following him in the general Catalogue, have these things: "April 8, at Palermo, of Saint Philaretus, Sacred cultus, monk of Saint Basil, consecrated to martyrdom under the Saracens. His feast day is kept both at Palermo, and near Messina in the monastery of Saint Salvator, where his head almost entire is preserved. relic:" A compendium of his life and martyrdom was found in an ancient Greek manuscript codex of the monastery of Saint Bartholomew de Virgine in Calabria, Compendium of the Life. which the said Caietanus, translated into Latin by Augustine Florito, published in volume 2 of the Lives of the Saints, and it is of this kind.
[2] Born at Palermo, "Saint Philaretus, born in the city of Palermo, through his exceptional piety toward God illustrated his family. He from his early age was formed in letters worthy of a Christian man; when he saw that all things which are in the world are fleeting and fleeting, and moreover its deceitful allurements, sending back a messenger to the age, he fled to the camp of the monastic institute. and having become a monk, In that kind of life he so excelled that he reached the highest summit of virtue. But when the African had taken possession of Palermo, the saintly man's homeland, he had in mind to cross over to Calabria, reckoning that region to be freer from the barbarism and tyranny of lost men. he flees to Calabria: But the matter fell out far otherwise: for not many days later, captured by the most savage barbarians, he is thrust into custody, captured, and bearing strongly very many and most bitter torments for Christ, and tortured much, he persisted immovable in the confession of the true God, plainly steeped in vast joy and incredible gladness. But the enraged Africans, when they had with most grievous and cruel other punishments tested the constancy of the Martyr, beheaded Philaretus: with which end he concluded his most holy life most acceptable to God. The Martyr dies, Moreover his sacred relics rest in the most illustrious island of Sicily." Thus far that author.
[3] In the time of Michael Balbus. Caietanus adds in his Animadversions, that where the rest of his body rests, it has not yet been ascertained by him. The time of his life and martyrdom is gathered from the time when the African Saracens occupied Sicily, which happened under the last times of Emperor Michael Balbus, when also we judge this Saint's Martyrdom happened, one or another year earlier than Michael ended his life, which happened in the year 829.