ON SAINT ACACIUS BISHOP,
OF AMIDA IN MESOPOTAMIA.
FIFTH CENTURY.
CommentaryAcacius, Bishop of Amida, in Mesopotamia (St)
G. H.
Amida, an episcopal and principal city of all Mesopotamia, had among its bishops Saint Acacius, Saint Acacius inscribed in the Latin calendars, whom Molanus mentions on this day in his Additions to Usuard published in 1568, with these words: "Of Acacius, Bishop of the city of Amida and Confessor," and cites the Tripartite History book 11 chapter 16. But the same Molanus in the second and third editions omitted him. Meanwhile Canisius in the German Martyrology, published in 1573, refers to him thus: "Also in the city of Amida, Saint Bishop and Confessor Acacius." He is honored with a larger elogium in the present-day Roman Martyrology: "At Amida in Mesopotamia, of Saint Acacius the Bishop, who for the ransom of captives even melted down and sold the vessels of the Church." Baronius adds that the Greeks likewise treat of him. But thus far in no Menaia, Menologies, or Synaxaria of theirs have we found his name inserted. Praised by Socrates: But the deeds of this Acacius, Bishop of Amida, adds Baronius, were written by Socrates in book 7 chapter 21. From him Cassiodorus in the Tripartite book 11 chapter 16, and Nicephorus book 14 chapter 22. Here, therefore, we give what Socrates has, and they are of this kind.
[2] "Acacius, Bishop of Amida, on account of a certain splendid deed done by him at that time, was vehemently celebrated by all. When the Roman soldiers in no way could bring themselves to return to the King of the Persians those Persian that he might ransom captive Persians: captives whom they had taken in devastating Azazena, the captives, who were about seven thousand in number (a matter which greatly troubled the mind of the King of Persia), were almost consumed with hunger. Acacius therefore did not neglect this misery of the soldiers: but having called together his clergy, he addressed them thus: 'Our God needs neither dishes nor cups: for he neither eats nor drinks, with the consent of the clergy seeing that he has no need of these things. Since, therefore, the Church possesses many monuments of gold and silver, from the ready goodwill of the faithful toward it, it is fitting to free the captive soldiers from custody with these things, and to refresh and sustain those almost killed by hunger.' He expends the vessels of the Church: When he had gone through these and similar things in his speech, he caused the monuments of the Church to be melted down and sold, and gave the price partly to the soldiers for ransoming the captives, partly expended it to relieve their hunger. Finally, having supplied them with provisions, he sent them back to their own King. This deed accomplished by that excellent man Acacius is praised by the King of Persia, caused the greatest wonder to the King of the Persians, that the Romans were striving to conquer their enemies by both these things—war and kindnesses. Moreover, it is reported and he is ordered by Theodosius the Emperor to come to him. that the King of the Persians then burned with great desire to see Acacius, that he might enjoy the sight of the man; and that the Emperor Theodosius commanded Acacius to satisfy the King's desire." Thus Socrates. The Emperor here is Theodosius the Younger, in whose times these things were done, and they are referred by Baronius in his Annals to the year 420.
[3] Masini in Bologna perlustrata on this day records The relics of a certain Saint Acacius at Bologna that some relics of Saint Acacius the Bishop are preserved in the church of Saint James the Major, which is built in the piazza of Saint Donatus. But whether those relics belong to this Saint Acacius, how can it be proved? Since hitherto by no suitable testimony is it established that he was held among the Saints by the ancients, let alone that his relics were translated from Mesopotamia to the West. But that we place him here among the saints is done out of reverence for the Roman Martyrology alone: whose approval for this and some other such saints can and should be reckoned a new and sufficient canonization, even if no more ancient cult had preceded. We shall more safely suspect that the people of Bologna had these relics brought on the occasion of the holy War perhaps of the Bishop of Melitene from Melitene in Lesser Armenia, where a bishop and remarkable confessor of this name flourished, publicly well known to the Greeks by a widespread cult, of whom we have treated on March 31; and that those who had them with only the inscription of the name and episcopal title had recourse to the Roman Martyrology, and not finding there any other holy bishop of that name noted, except the Amidene, they fitted to him this birthday, in a manner most customary in such cases, but yet not easily to be approved by those who wish all confusion and perplexity to be removed from the cult of the Saints, not to say error and falsity; although it is necessary that this too should often creep in from the license of such conjectures, based on the name alone.