Simplicius

ON SAINT SIMPLICIUS, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR.

Simplicius, Bishop and Confessor (Saint)

I. B.

[1] That the name of Saint Simplicius, Bishop Confessor, was formerly inscribed in the Registers of the Saints on February 12, The feast of Saint Simplicius, Bishop Confessor. is established. Who he was, however, is not clear. Concerning him, Bede and Rabanus say: "The deposition of Simplicius, Bishop and Confessor." The most ancient manuscript Roman Martyrology, attributed to Saint Jerome, and the manuscript of the Church of Saint Lambert at Liege: "The deposition of Simplicius, Bishop." Likewise two very old manuscript Martyrologies of the monasteries of Liessis and Saint Martin of Tournai: "In Italy, the deposition of Saint Simplicius, Bishop." I find no Bishop Confessor named Simplicius in Italy other than the one of Verona, whose era is uncertain; his name is inscribed on November 20 in the Roman Martyrology by Baronius and Galesin, and in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy by Ferrarius. But all of these took their information from Augustine Valerio, Bishop of Verona and Cardinal, who mentions him in his book On the Saints of Verona, and reports that his memory is observed on that day. One might wonder whether this is not the same Simplicius, Bishop in Italy, inscribed on this day in much more ancient Fasti, whose relics may have been translated on November 20, or whose veneration was decreed on another occasion.

[2] The manuscript Florarium of the Saints reads thus: "The deposition of Saint Simplicius, Bishop of Bourges." Is Simplicius, Bishop of Bourges, a Saint? He is indeed called a Saint by Claude Robert in Christian Gaul and by Jean Chenu of Bourges, in their Catalogues of the Bishops of Bourges. But his name appears neither in the Hagiology of France of our Francis Labbé nor in the most copious Gallic Martyrology of André du Saussay. That he was otherwise an outstanding man is established from Sidonius Apollinaris, letter 8 of book 7, and from the discourse he delivered in the church of Bourges when he proclaimed Simplicius as the Bishop elected by his own judgment -- a discourse he then sent to Saint Perpetuus, Bishop of Tours, who had requested it, as is evident from the same book 7, letter 9. But since we are not sufficiently certain whether he was publicly enrolled among the Saints, much less whether he is the same one who is listed on this day in the Martyrologies, we do not pursue his praises further. For that Florarium, since it is not ancient, does not carry certain authority with us, even though it was otherwise carefully composed.