Daniel the Martyr

ON SAINT DANIEL THE MARTYR,

at Laus Pompeia in Italy.

Daniel Martyr, at Laus Pompeia in Italy (Saint)

G. H.

[1] Laus Pompeia, commonly Lodi, is an ancient city, and adorned with an Episcopal See, midway between Piacenza and Milan, to whose Duchy it belongs. Ferdinand Ughelli in volume 4 of Italia Sacra enumerates its Bishops, where in the Preface he has this: "It venerates Saint Bassianus the Bishop as tutelary Saint, Sacred cult, and honors Saints Julian, Titian, and Albert, Prelates, and the Martyr Daniel, and Walter the Confessor, with others held in the name of Blessed." We gave the Acts of Saint Bassianus on January 19, intending to treat of the others in their time. Philip Ferrarius in his Topography to the Martyrology reports April 10 and 22, that Saint Daniel the Martyr is venerated on April 10. But the same, in the general Catalogue, refers Saint Daniel the Martyr at Laus Pompeia to this April 22: and adds that he read his Acts in MS. at Lodi, but brief; from which, in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, he composed this compendium.

[2] Daniel under * Charlemagne, an excellent soldier, at the time when the pious Emperor was pursuing pagans and infidels, driving them from the borders of Christians, at Laus Pompeia in the village of Cassinum, which is now called Rocca-bruna, death, when battle had been joined with the enemies of the faith, when many fell on both sides, he himself, struck with a stone, fell as a Martyr for Christ. Whose body, having long lain unknown, was found by Charlemagne by a certain miracle, emitting a wonderful and sweet odor, and, a sacred shrine being built for him there, he is buried. But when the place was deserted by inhabitants, and the body of the Martyr had lain hidden for some time, oratory: having been discovered by a new miracle, it was translated to Lodi Nuovo into the basilica of Saint Bassianus, and there honorably buried. Thus far the Acts, on which the same Ferrarius notes the following. What is said here about pagans is hardly probable: for there were no idolaters in Italy under Charlemagne the Emperor, the body. especially in these regions; unless by the name of pagans heretics are understood (as we have sometimes noted in the Histories of the Saints). So far Ferrarius: from all of which we conclude that it seems certain to us that Saint Daniel is venerated there as a Martyr, and that his body is preserved in the Basilica of Saint Bassianus: which could also have been recognized with certain signs when dug up from the ruins of the ancient city: indeed, also an oratory was built to him there in the time of Charlemagne, when the unknown body had lain hidden for a long time, as said above: and thus perhaps it could be said that he was possibly overwhelmed with stones by the pagans under Constantine the Great. But we propose these things to the learned men among the Lodigians only for the sake of discussion: we would gladly receive clearer light from them.

* or under Constantine.