ON ST. MILO, BISHOP OF BENEVENTO, IN ITALY
YEAR 1070.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
Milo, Bishop of Benevento in Italy (St.)
By J. B.
[1] We published on February 8 the Life of St. Stephen, who founded the Order of Grandmont. He himself was educated in piety and letters by Milo, Archbishop of Benevento, who is called Milus by some and Molo by Raphael of Volterra. He too is enrolled in the catalogues of Saints, St. Milo enrolled in the catalogues of Saints, even though he is not honored with any ecclesiastical office. The Topography of Saints, formerly composed by the First Bishop and Theologian of Chalon-sur-Saone in the year of salvation 1450, and afterward revised by Francesco Maurolico and published in the year 1568, under the entries beginning with the letter B, reads thus: "Benevento, a city of Italy. Here Januarius the Bishop, Festus, Stephen, and Desiderius were Martyrs under Diocletian. Here Milo, Bishop, who educated Stephen, founder of Grandmont."
[2] The day on which his anniversary memory is recalled, the Chalon author does not specify. November 20. In the Topography of Filippo Ferrari, to the day November 20 are assigned "Dorus, 22nd Bishop of Benevento; Deodatus, Bishop; Acutius the Martyr; Acuntius and brothers, Martyrs; Milus, Bishop; Repositus, etc." On the same day also Constantino Ghini in his Birthdays of the Holy Canons has: "Likewise in the same place, St. Milus, likewise Bishop." In a certain codex of the Charterhouse of Brussels, but not written in an ancient hand, I read the following at May 25: "At Benevento, St. Milo, Archbishop of the same city." and May 25. But Marius Vipera, Archdeacon of Benevento, to whom therefore more faith is due than to others, in his Catalogue of the Saints of Benevento, page 88, has the following: "February 23, on St. Milo, Archbishop of Benevento." And afterward: but better February 23. "He flew to the heavenly homeland at Benevento on the seventh before the Kalends of March." The same author in his Chronology of the Bishops of Benevento, page 91, writes thus: "On February 23, our holy Archbishop Milo fell asleep in the Lord." And all these either place him in the Catalogue of Saints or simply call him St. Milo, as does also Giovanni Vincenzo Ciarlanti, Archpriest of Isernia, in his Historical Memorials of Samnium, book 3, chapter 34. Gerald, the seventh Prior of Grandmont, in his Life of St. Stephen written many centuries ago, chapter 1, number 3, calls him Blessed Milo.
[3] St. Milo was of Auvergnat origin in Gaul. So says the same Gerald: "At that time, Blessed Milo governed the Archbishopric of the aforesaid city, he was of Auvergnat stock: known to this man of whom we speak from his youth in the territory of Auvergne, whence he had his origin." In what year he died can be gathered from the age of St. Stephen, which we discussed there in section 3 of the preliminary commentary, number 22, and showed that he died in the year 1124, on a Friday, February 8, having lived four years at Rome after the death of St. Milo and fifty in the monastery of Muret: whence it follows that Milo died in the year 1070. With our reckoning Vipera agrees, reporting that Arelius, the successor of St. Milo, flourished in the year of the Lord 1071; he died in the year 1070. and Ciarlanti likewise at the cited passage, when he says the Order of Grandmont was founded in the year 1075, namely five years after the death of Milo.
[4] What has been committed to writing concerning the deeds of St. Milo comes almost entirely from the Life of St. Stephen. The latter's father took him, when twelve years old, to Apulia; whence, when he was happily returning through the city of Benevento after completing his prayers, the same boy, offered to God, he instructed St. Stephen of Grandmont for twelve years in letters and virtue, who receives the little ones, fell ill. "At that time, Blessed Milo governed the Archbishopric of the aforesaid city, known to this man of whom we speak from his youth in the territory of Auvergne, whence he had his origin. The nobleman commended his son to the Archbishop, that he might take care of his illness and, if he survived, educate him; for the boy Stephen was already twelve years old... After a few days, by the working of divine mercy, the boy was restored to health, and as if forgetting his father and homeland, was cheerful and joyful in a foreign land. Whence the Archbishop, as a pious father and faithful teacher, with whom he remained for twelve years, taught him goodness, discipline, and knowledge most diligently; and when the boy was free from his studies, while the Archbishop was transacting the affairs of his diocese, he had him stand at his feet." and employs him in handling affairs. "Stephen, therefore, passing beyond the years of boyhood, after the death of the Archbishop, entered Rome and remained for four years with a certain Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church."
[5] Charles Fremon, as we noted in the annotations at chapter 1 of the Life of St. Stephen, annotation h, in his French Life of the same Saint published by himself, reports that he was ordained Subdeacon and then Deacon by St. Milo; and initiates him into holy orders: and that when the Archbishop was visiting the diocese, he was taken as a companion and often sent on other occasions to handle various affairs; indeed, in certain ancient codices of the monastery of Grandmont it is said that he was the Archdeacon and Official of Milo. So he reports.
[6] At the time when Stephen was living with Blessed Milo, he became acquainted with a certain religious congregation in Calabria, of which the following is reported in chapter 1 of his Life, number 4: "He most devoutly petitioned the Roman Pontiff that the rule of life which he had learned was observed in Calabria by a certain religious congregation -- who desires to imitate holy monks, one walking in the straight path, living unanimously in the cloister without personal property, keeping obedience (the restorer of the human race) in all things as far as their strength allowed, crucifying the world to themselves and themselves to the world, and glorying in the Cross of the Lord -- he might be permitted to observe somewhere, for the remission of his sins." In the Proper of feasts of the Order of Grandmont, in the Lessons of the second day within the Octave of St. Stephen, the holiness of that congregation is extolled more fully, and the following is added concerning St. Milo: "The most wise Archbishop Milo continually commended the purpose of these men in the sermons which he delivered to the people; whom Milo esteemed highly, and when he could see any one of their Fathers, he would listen to him as to Christ speaking in His servant, and, setting aside all other concerns, would devote himself entirely to him. He would hear from him about their manner of life, by which he afterward and praised to his own people. kindled the life of clerics, laypeople, and other religious to higher things, setting before them the example of those who guarded themselves from all covetousness (which is the root of all evils) and yearned only for heavenly things. When therefore Stephen, now passing beyond the bounds of boyhood, saw this most holy man take such great delight in this manner of life, he studied more attentively to investigate the customs and practices of that religious life, out of a desire to imitate them, and to commit them faithfully to memory." Thus far that source. Nor have we yet found more concerning St. Milo.