ON ST. JOHN, BISHOP,
AT PAVIA IN LOMBARDY,
In the year DCCCXIII.
HISTORICAL SYLLOGE.
Of his cult, the time of his episcopate, and his deeds.
John, bishop, at Pavia in Lombardy (St.)
J. S.
Ticinum, otherwise Papia, a city of Italy not undistinguished and formerly the royal seat of the Lombards, The Saint's cult, the time of his episcopate situated on the river Ticino, venerates among the various holy prelates of its church St. John, the first bishop of Pavia of that name, whom Castellain in a marginal note at the XXVII of August wrongly calls the second. Ferrarius announces him in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy at the XXVII of August, and notes that he is venerated on the same day in the church of Pavia with a double rite. In the Roman Martyrology at the said day his memory is briefly celebrated in these words: At Pavia, of St. John, bishop. That his Acts are lacking the praised Ferrarius observes, yet he weaves for him a short eulogy, in which he asserts that he was the thirtieth bishop of Pavia, and presided over that church after Peter II for twenty years, and at last died on the XXVII of August in the time of Charlemagne and of Leo III the Roman Pontiff, that is, at the beginning of the ninth century. In this chronology he followed Antonio Maria Spelta, who in the History of the Lives of the Bishops of Pavia, page 215 and following, affirms the same in the article on John I. Twenty years of episcopate Stefano Breventano also attributes to St. John in the History of the City of Pavia, folio 49. Jacopo Gualla agrees in the History of his own Country, page 26, writing thus: At length that prelate himself, a Man to be venerated for his outstanding virtue, is buried in the twentieth year of his pontificate, in that basilica, with great honor by all the people of Pavia.
[2] How much credit we owe to this chronology it is hard to determine. variously assigned: the year of his death, and a eulogy, Certainly Ughelli, volume 1 of Italia Sacra, in the catalogue of the bishops of Pavia, column 1084, sets St. John as the forty-third among them, and records the beginning and end of his episcopate in this manner: St. John I followed him (Peter II) in the year DCCCI. But he died in DCCCXIII, on the XXVII day of the month of August, on which very day his feast is celebrated at Pavia. From which it must follow that John presided over the church only twelve years. Moreover out of all these writers Giovanni Battista de Gasparis composed a eulogy, which he inserted in the Breviary of the Holy Bishops of the Church of Pavia. He agrees here with Ughelli, whom we too follow until more certain things become known, in assigning the year of his death; but he acknowledges one bishop of whom Ughelli was unaware (concerning whom the note of the editor who reprinted Ughelli's Work may be seen), and therefore calls John the forty-fourth bishop.
But since the praised author has gathered all that others have here and there, I shall subjoin his eulogy as a summary of the Acts.
[3] in which his few deeds are briefly described; John the first, born at Pavia of illustrious birth, exceedingly well taught in the best disciplines and distinguished by the brightness of an excellent genius, opened for himself the approach to the episcopal see of Pavia. Being made bishop, and accustomed to undertake nothing without prayers, he easily obtained his requests, by which he provided for the welfare of his people. He most sharply defended ecclesiastical discipline, restored the corrupted morals of his people, and, as a most excellent pastor and father, did not fail widows and orphans with money, with counsel, and with labor. He, being given rather to heavenly than to human things, pressed again and again upon the ears of his people a saying worthy of everlasting memory: that a Bishop does not discharge the duty of his name unless he bears the care both of spiritual and of temporal things; yet that temporal things must not be omitted for the sake of the contemplation of spiritual. He added that he must much consider how heavy was the episcopal burden, of which he himself would render a strict account at the dread judgment of God.
[4] and the time of his death and his burial are reported. Wherefore from these sayings it is plain that the holy Bishop left no room for others' exhortations to the discharging of his office, but that in instructing others he excellently played the part of the best pastor, not only in words but in the very deed. And when for twelve years he had most holily administered the church of Pavia by his authority, his teaching, his example, and his watchful care, at last he gloriously passed to Christ on the sixth Kalends of September in the year eight hundred and thirteen, and was buried in the chief church at the altar on the right, where the high altar was. That the Saint's relics are still held in veneration in that same sacred building the aforesaid Gualla testifies, folio 22 verso.