ON SAINT PHILIP, BISHOP
of Gortyna in the Island of Crete.
ABOUT A.D. 180.
CommentaryPhilip, Bishop of Gortyna, in the island of Crete (Saint)
G. H.
Eusebius Pamphili, in book IV of the Ecclesiastical History, thrice makes mention of this holy Bishop Philip: first in chapter 21, where he mentions the names and virtues of the Ecclesiastical Writers who flourished under the Emperors M. Aurelius Antoninus and L. Aelius Verus, He is praised by Eusebius in these words: "In those same times there flourished in the church Hegesippus, concerning whom I have already spoken abundantly in previous books; and Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth; Philip also and Apollinaris and Melito; Musanus also and Modestus, and lastly Irenaeus. The books of all these, containing the sincere doctrine of the Apostolic tradition and of the true faith, have come down to us." In the following chapters Eusebius treats of each separately, and in chapter 22 of Saint Hegesippus, whose feast day is April 7; then in chapter 23 of Saint Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, and Saint Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth whose Acts we gave on April 8. The latter, in his fourth epistle indicated there, praises and most highly commends the Church of Gortyna in the island of Crete, as distinguished and attested for its virtues: then her bishop Philip, as the author and preserver of its glory and splendor, under God. The words of Eusebius about that Epistle are of this kind: "Moreover, writing letters to the Church of the Gortynians and the other Churches of Crete at the same time, Dionysius greatly praises their Bishop Philip: indeed, whose Church had, by the common consent of all, earned eminent praise for its fortitude and noble spirit; and he warns them to beware of heretical fraud and cunning."
[2] How excellently Saint Philip observed this admonition, his careful work against Marcion the heresiarch bears witness, He publishes a book against Marcion which in chapter 25 the same Eusebius thus commends: "But Philip also, whom from the words of Dionysius just cited we have learned to have been Bishop of the Church of Gortyna, himself also composed a most excellent book against Marcion." This is that Marcion to whom Saint Polycarp, meeting him and being told, "Recognize us," replied: "I recognize you as the firstborn of Satan," as Saint Irenaeus testifies concerning him in Eusebius book 4, chapter 13. Saint Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, chapter 30, thus recalls Philip: "Philip, Bishop of the Cretan, that is, of the city of Gortyna (whom Dionysius mentions in his epistle which he wrote to the Church of that same city), published a distinguished book against Marcion, and was famous in the times of M. Antoninus Verus and L. Aurelius Commodus." To these Trithemius adds, similarly treating of Ecclesiastical Writers: "He also wrote certain epistles to various persons, and various tracts, which have hardly come down to our hands." But they did not come to the hands of Eusebius or Jerome, who otherwise would have indicated it.
[3] Usuard indicates his sacred cult on this 11 April in these words: "In Crete, in the city of Gortyna, He is venerated on 11 April of Saint Philip the Bishop, who was endowed with great virtues and the best studies. He flourished in the times of Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius, the Emperors." Ado also and Notker say he was "famous in life and doctrine." In the modern Roman Martyrology he is adorned with this eulogy: "At Gortyna in Crete, of Saint Philip the Bishop, most renowned in life and doctrine, who in the times of Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus, ruling the Church entrusted to him, defended it from the fury of the Gentiles and the wiles of heretics." Which with similar or slightly different phrasing is recounted in Maurolyco, Felici, Ghini, Galesini, Canisius, and in several manuscripts. Peter de Natalibus mentions him in book 4, chapter 44. and on October 8 Again on October 8 he is inscribed in the first place in the Martyrology of Ado, printed by Mosander in the supplement to Surius, and in other manuscripts, where this is had: "In Crete, in the city of Gortyna, of Blessed Philip the Bishop, endowed with great virtues and the best studies." Much the same is read in Notker and pseudo-Bede. With fewer words he is noted in the old Roman Martyrology, as Rosweyde called it, likewise in Greven, Maurolyco, and others.
[4] Primus, Bishop of Chalon, in the Topography of Saints appended to the Martyrology of Maurolyco, wrongly thought to be a Bishop of Augsburg calls Augsburg a city of Rhaetia Vindelicorum, and places among the Saints of Augsburg Philip the Bishop, martyr under Antoninus Verus. Franciscus Irenicus in book XI of the Germanic Exegesis, folio 202, ascribes the same to Augsburg. We have treated Saint Dionysius, Bishop of Augsburg and Martyr, on February 26, and have shown that this Philip has wrongly been transferred from Crete to Rhaetia, and that in Peter de Natalibus book 7, Catalogue chapter 28, it is related that Saint Afra suffered martyrdom "at Crete in the city of Augusta," where it should be read "in Rhaetia."