Donatus

ON SAINT DONATUS

BISHOP OF EUROEA IN EPIRUS.

ABOUT THE YEAR 387.

Donatus, Bishop of Euroea, in Epirus (Saint)

BHL Number: 2304

Another from Saint Donatus of Arezzo: This is another Donatus, different from the one whom the people of Arezzo venerate as Bishop and Martyr at the same time on August 7. The fourth century produced each, illustrious for the sanctity of life: this one, during the rule of Julian, meeting death for the Orthodox faith; that one, some years later, celebrated for his Bishopric at Euroea in Epirus under Magnus Theodosius. Hence the same name of each, and the short interval of time by which they were separated, easily introduced confusion into the Acts of both: the Acts of each confused. so that we find not a few things proper to the Euroean Bishop attributed to the one of Arezzo; and those themselves needing a different correction. The Ambrosian Library preserves the Acts of Saint Donatus of Euroea in Greek, in a very ancient Calabrian codex. whether he baptized the Emperor Theodosius From which are translated into Latin those which in volume 1 Mombritius and the Fulda and Hirsau Mss. produce; each depraved by this error, that they say the Emperor Theodosius was baptized by Donatus, and the Augusta with his daughter; and then at last, as if paganism having been first triumphed over, the Catholics openly unfurled the banner of faith at Constantinople. "The Emperor held the man of God three years," says the Greek MS., "and was baptized by him together with his daughter and the princes of the city. In the subsequent time also the Augusta with the remaining gentiles obtained the grace of baptism: then was made the sign of Christianity in the city of Constantinople, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto the present day." Certainly before that time Constantinople, nay from its very origin under Constantine, kept Christian sacred rites, though sprinkled thereafter with the errors of the Arian heresy. But Theodosius in the first or second year of his empire was washed with baptism by Acholius, Bishop of Thessalonica: as Sozomen in book 7 chapter 4, and likewise Socrates in book 7 chapter 4, testify. Better Acts from the Menaea

[2] The truer Acts are had from the Menaea in these words: "On the same day (namely April 30) of our Holy Father Donatus, Bishop of Euroea. This one flourished in the times of Theodosius Magnus, Bishop of Euroea, which is a city in Old Epirus. Now in the city there was a place called Soria, He kills a dragon, and there a fountain, which those who tasted were slain by a pitiable death. When the most holy Bishop Donatus understood this, together with a company of Priests he came to the fountain. At whose coming soon thunder was heard, and suddenly a deadly monster, which was lurking in the well, emerged, and ran to meet the holy man. And when the dragon was trying to entangle the feet of the beast on which the Bishop rode; the Saint striking the back of the beast with a strap, opportunely touched the dragon itself, he makes the waters of the infected fountain drinkable, who suddenly fell dead. Then the spectators who were there at the miracle, having gathered fuel, burned up that pest with flames: but meanwhile no one dared to taste the fountain. The Saint therefore having prayed, consecrated the water with the sign of the Cross, and first drank from it; whence soon the others also eagerly and rejoicing drank, and drank harmlessly, and returned home.

[3] "These things being heard, the Emperor Theodosius called all the Bishops from there, and asked who Donatus was, who by a stroke of his whip had killed the dragon, he frees the daughter of the Emperor Theodosius from a demon, and had obtained a stream from earth and heaven. Others pointed him out, and said: 'This, O Emperor, is Donatus.' The Emperor, having saluted him, leads him to the Augusta, and both prostrating themselves at his feet, said: 'Servant of God, comfort us and show us your clemency:

we have one little daughter, whom a most troublesome demon is torturing in miserable ways, on whose account we are tormented in our inmost souls with great pain. But if you shall cure her, you shall carry off half of all her wealth as a reward.' The holy man being then led to the girl, at once drove away the foul monster of hell, having rebuked it, and restored the daughter safe and sound. The Emperor then offering the Bishop the promised things, the Saint took none of the gold: but when he saw their pious affection, he asked for a place adjoining his own field, which they called Omphalium, in which he might build a temple for himself: which the Emperor immediately granted him by public authority. he raises a dead man,

[4] "The same most blessed Bishop forbade a certain man to be buried, until he had satisfied his creditor: but having raised him to life, he made composition with the creditor, and the accounts having been set forth and settled on both sides, the bond having been destroyed, he ordered him to return to rest, and to await the common day of the resurrection of all. he procures rain in drought, At that time an immense heat of drought was parching the crops. At the request of the Emperor therefore, going out of the city, the Saint sent up prayers to God: and so great a force of waters flowed down from heaven, that it seemed to differ little from a flood and cataclysm, and the earth was swimming in waters. The Emperor noticed at the same time that he, with a single tunic, though the rain was very great, was poorly covered: he was not made wet by it. and when a little after he had returned to the palace, nor was seen on his garment any drop of rain or moisture, all were amazed and astonished. But the Emperor was much taken by his speech, and having given him gold for the building of a temple and for the ornaments of the fabric, he sent him home. He, returning, built the house, constructed his own sepulchre; and at last, life being extended to an old age, went to the Lord." Thus far the Menaea, in which the indicated Omphalium is a city of Epirus in Ptolemy. But Euroea, in others Evoria, is now called Donatiana, and vulgarly San-Donato.

[5] Sozomen and Nicephorus Callistus, having passed over the other miracles which they say Donatus performed, recall only that which concerns the slain dragon and the new fountain raised up. Thus Sozomen in book 7 chapter 25: the narration of the slain dragon from Sozomen "By this memorial many became illustrious in many places throughout the world among the Bishops, as Donatus of Euroea in Epirus, whom the inhabitants testify to have done many other wonders, and especially that which he performed in the slaying of the dragon; which, in the Chamaegephyrae, as they call them, on the royal road, had its lair, and was snatching sheep and goats and oxen and horses, and also men and other things. For he, having neither sword, nor spear, nor any other weapon, attacked this beast: but when it had perceived him approaching, and had thrust out its head as if about to make an onset, its size: he traced against it in the air with his finger the sign of the Cross, and spat in its face. It, having received the spittle on its mouth, at once fell; and lying dead, it appeared of a magnitude no less than those serpents which are seen among the Indians. Indeed, as I have heard, the inhabitants dragged it out by eight yokes into the nearest field and burned it, lest it, putrefying, should infect the air, and engender pestilential diseases. Donatus has a sepulchre, a notable temple named after him, near which there is also a fountain, gushing with most abundant waters; which since before there was none, God brought forth, entreated by his prayers. For that place was entirely dry. For when he had at some time come there from a journey, it is said, he raises a fountain by a miracle with his companions suffering from lack of water, he prayed, the earth having been dug up with his hands, and at once according to his vow abundant water gushed forth, and from that time never failed. But indeed the witnesses of this matter are those who inhabit Isoria, a village of Euroea, in which these things were done." Thus there. Now the Chamaegephyra indicated signifies a bridge to the ground. For χαμαί signifies on the ground or to the ground, and γεφύρα signifies a bridge.

[6] Almost the same is to be read in Callistus, adding that, on account of the prodigy of the raised fountain, the town took its name from Saint Donatus. [a more prolix narrative from the mss. of the demoniac freed and the dead man raised] Whence also Ortelius interprets Furoea or Euoria as "Donatian." In narrating the aforesaid miracles, the Manuscripts are much more prolix than the Menaea, especially in that which concerns the freed demoniac and the one raised to life: it has seemed good to add each to gratify the eager reader. Of the demoniac it has thus: "At that time the daughter of the Emperor Theodosius was being vexed by a demon. When therefore many things were done with no fruit as a remedy, and father and mother labored with greatest sadness, for the sake of their only daughter; a rumor came to them about the virtues of Blessed Donatus, that he had both killed the dragon and had sweetened water by his prayers. An imperial precept was therefore sent to the province of Old Epirus, that all the Bishops should procure their presence at Constantinople. Who when they had come together into the same city, all were received with honorable greeting: to whom the Emperor said: 'Who is Donatus the Bishop, who killed the dragon, Saint Donatus summoned by Theodosius comes to Constantinople. and brought forth water by his prayer?' And all together pointed him out. But the Queen, hidden in an inner chamber, was awaiting who he was. But when he had been pointed out to her, humbly running to meet him she held his knees, and said to him: 'Good Father, you have come safely, welcome, have pity on our daughter.' And the Emperor said to him: 'Pope Donatus, our daughter is most gravely vexed by a demon, and none of the Priests has been able to cure her or to put the demon itself to flight; but we have heard of you, that you can expel demons, and I have sent for you so that by your prayers she might be made whole, because she is our only child, and I will give you half of my wealth.' Donatus the Bishop answering said to them: 'It is not impossible for God to cure your daughter, let us therefore go to her.' First the Queen hastily went forth. As the holy man entered, the demon struck by his presence the demon cried out saying: 'Spare me, Donatus, why do you persecute me? I have done you no harm.' The holy Donatus answered: 'Go out, unclean spirit; from her, because it is not lawful for you to dwell in the creature of the living God.' But the demon was crying, saying: 'Give me passage, how shall I go out, or where shall I go?' Saint Donatus said: 'Whence did you come here?' He answering: 'From the desert.' Saint Donatus said to him: 'Why do you not go out and return whence you came?' The demon cried saying to him: 'I see the sign of the Cross on you, from which fire comes out against me, and for fear I do not know how I should go out or where I should go, but rather give me a place for going out and I will go.' Donatus answered and said: 'It is not to be given you a place or rest of your will: but I give you such a going out, that you return whence you came here: return therefore to the desert.' Calling back behind him the King and Queen, he said to the demon: he casts from the Emperor's daughter 'Behold you have passage, return to your place, harm nothing in the man, who is the creature of God, nor what is his: behold, I have told you.' But as the demon was going out, the whole house was shaken and the doors were struck. But the daughter of the Emperor, rising from her bed, held the feet of the man of God, saying: 'I pray, Father, you are my begetter and father from today, because I see there is great power with you: behold, I cling to your feet, have pity on me, because I am shaken with great fear because of him who is with you: help me therefore.' Stretching out his hand, the man of God Donatus raised her from the ground, and with the sign of Christ rendered her whole."

[7] This miracle an ancient Arezzo MS. attributes to the Bishop of the Aretines, whether she was that Saint Anthilia calling the demoniac daughter of the Emperor Anthilia: namely the one whom Arezzo and the ancient city venerates on September 24 among the holy Virgins: although the same MS. places her among the Martyrs, gifted with the palm of martyrdom under her brother Arcadius: by which error indeed that MS. loses almost all its credit: for who does not know that under Arcadius every persecution of the gentiles against Christians ceased? Meanwhile let us refer these things to a more careful examination to September 24, where we shall then treat of Saint Anthilia. The other miracle about the dead man recalled to life was from the same MSS., somewhat more diffusely, as follows: "Behold, a certain dead man was being carried out, and a certain man having a bond was holding the funeral saying, that 200 solidi were owed him by him, and he would not permit him to be buried. There was in the circle of the crowd a very vehement murmuring. Saint Donatus the Bishop seeing this, the widow, whose husband an unjust creditor was forbidding to be buried said to the other Bishops: 'Come with me, let us go and ask that he allow the body of the dead man to be buried.' Who whispering said to him: 'Do you think we want to stay here?' But he alone went to ask. Certain men recognizing him from afar gave counsel to the widow left behind, saying: 'Run, call that man of God.' Who falling at his feet, said: 'Have mercy on me, because I am a widow and I am surrounded by two evils, I have lost my husband and am not permitted to bury the dead man. consoled, For you have been called just in this city, let him be buried; because his funeral is already being dissolved in the bed.' Blessed Donatus said to her: 'Do you know that the money of which he speaks is owed?' Who answered: 'My Lord, some time before this my husband had said that he had completed that same money, and the bond remained with him.' But the man of God was asking the creditor, saying: 'Permit, my son, the body of the dead man to be buried, and in whatever way the debt shall be paid.' Who not only did not listen, with the dead man raised to life but insulted him. Then the man of God joining himself to the bier, said to the dead man, touching him with his hand and calling him, said: 'Hear me.' Who answered: 'Here I am.' Blessed Donatus said to him: 'Rise, and see what you do with this man, because he does not allow you to be buried': who sitting up refuted him about the paid debt; he convicts the creditor of lying and receiving his own bond, sitting he tore it up on the bier. But looking at the man of God, he said to him: 'Justly you have raised me, O man of justice, to refute this sinner: command me therefore to sleep again, because I am sleepy.' Saint Donatus said to him: 'Go, son, to rest; because you have freed your bond.'"

[8] And these are the things more expanded and explained from the manuscripts which we have here added: from which and other things related before, a sagacious Reader will easily discern, if by chance he shall have come upon the confused Acts of either Donatus, what he should attribute to the one of Arezzo, what to the one of Euroea. Of the year of death we have nothing certain: at least he must have been alive for some time after the year 388, that he might have been able, as the Arezzo MS. says, in what year did he die? to cast out a demon from the daughter of Augusta Galla; for that Galla married Theodosius in that year, testifies

Zosimus, and Saint Donatus himself in the MS. Acts insinuates that he was at that time, when he freed the girl, of great age. By Ado of Vienne in his Chronicle he is referred with this very short elogium to the year 396: "Donatus, Bishop of Epirus, was held illustrious for virtues: who killed a huge dragon by spitting in its mouth; which eight yokes of oxen could scarcely drag to the place of burning, lest its rotting corrupt the air." Peter de Natalibus assigns the day of death to the 7th of the Ides of August, asserting the body to have been translated near Venice to Murano: "After these things," he says, "he obtained from the Emperor the immunity of the place, where he himself had cured the fountain; and there near the city of Luflonia, the body translated to Murano he built a church, and illustrious for virtues, rested in peace, on the 7th of the Ides of August: and his body, after many years, was taken thence by the Venetians and placed in the church of Blessed Mary of Murano in the Bishopric of Torcello, where also it shines with wondrous signs." The Roman Martyrology reckons him among the Saints in these words on this 30: "At Euroea in Epirus, of Saint Donatus the Bishop, who in the time of the Emperor Theodosius shone with exceptional sanctity." On the same day the Greeks also recall his memory inscribed in their Menology.