ON ST. SEVERUS, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR,
AT CESENA IN ITALY.
TOWARD THE END OF THE 6TH CENTURY.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
The Saint's cult not ancient, his country and age controverted, a legend by an uncertain author.
Severus, Bishop and Confessor, at Cesena in Italy (S.)
By the Author J. B. S.
Of Cesena and of the people of Cesena Bollandus long since treated on 20 January, at the life of St. Maurus, their Bishop and singular protector, describing the city in few words from Leander Alberti. But in volume 2 of Italia Sacra column 451 Abbot Ughelli handed down more things, and placed it, From Ferrarius, Ughelli, and others as quite in the middle of the Aemilian Way, situated at the roots of a hill near the river Sapis Savio, between Faenza and Rimini, in present-day Romania, Romanula or Romandiola Romagna; pursuing at sufficient length the rest, which pertain to the origin, antiquity, vicissitudes, beauty, fertility and pleasantness of the field, the number of clergy and people, the wealth and nobility, so that here to do the thing done again would be superfluous. Whether the etymon of the city comes from ancient Sena, or that, the field being divided by the rivers Sapis, or Sepis, and Rubicon, as it were "Cæsa Sena," it is today called Cæsena, the preface of Bernardino Manzoni to his Chronology of Cesena will teach. Ughelli cites Scipione Chiaramonti, the historian of Cesena, from whom without doubt he received his own. This author I have not been permitted to see, but since I think nothing was passed over by Ughelli, at least what can be referred to holy Severus, of whom here we treat, from him, Ferrarius, and the praised Chronologist Manzoni I shall glean the things which I shall have esteemed to conduce hither.
[2] Although St. Severus must have lived in the sixth century, nonetheless, passed over in all the sacred fasti, the Saint's cult is shown. he extended the celebrity of his fame and glory within a scanty compass, since Philip Ferrarius first raised his memory, both in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, under this title: Of St. Severus, Bishop of Cesena and protector of the same city, and in the more general Catalogue: At Cesena, of St. Severus the Bishop, protector of the same city. From one or the other Castellanus certainly took him in his Universal Martyrology, on this same day simply writing: At Cesena, of St. Severus the Bishop; where meanwhile he dissents from all the cited writers, extending the Saint's age to the year 580, moved perhaps by the chronological notes expressed in the life, which he did not believe could be otherwise combined among themselves. For the rest, that St. Severus was once in veneration among the people of Cesena, and is now held among the tutelary Saints of that city,
the praised Ughelli too, after others, testifies, mentioning with Manzoni that his sacred relics, nay his sacred body, was translated to the parochial church, dedicated to his name, in the year 1602, on the first day of December, which translation anyone would say without scruple was the cause of the renewed solemnity.
[3] And these things indeed seem placed beyond the die hazard of doubt, not so his age and country, in assigning which opinions disagree. There are some who call him a man of Cesena, Ughelli assails the people of Cesena, as well as the Ravennese historian Girolamo Rossi. This author wrote, book 3 of his history, page 170, on the year 565, in this manner: About the same time, the Bishop of Cesena being dead—which city was once called Flavia Curva Papia—at Ravenna in the church of St. John the Evangelist, while all did not feel agree on one [man], a dove sent from heaven, Severus, a Ravennese deacon, is chosen its Bishop. Whether here the word "Ravennese" affects [his] country, or only the office of deacon, is not sufficiently clear from the sense: but certainly the opinion of the people of Cesena is plainly opposed, even concerning the place of election and ordination; concerning which Manzoni will testify, thus beginning his brief elogium: Severus of Cesena, a Ravennese deacon, is chosen at Cesena in the church of St. John the Evangelist in Murata, in the year of the Lord 565, by the sign of a dove sent from heaven, Bishop of his own country. That the people of Cesena feel quite so, seems by no means doubtful, although the very manuscript life, distributed among us from the Vallicellian library into nine lessons, and printed by Chiaramonti at the end of the fourth book of his histories, and again by Ughelli, is not found to favor the people of Cesena sufficiently.
[4] but better do others make [him a German.] So the more probable is the opinion of Ughelli, asserting that holy Severus was a foreigner, inasmuch as an Alemann German by nation. He rests on this argument, that the church of Cesena once sang to St. Severus at Matin lauds a very ancient antiphon: O offspring of Alemannia, mirror of sanctity, noble deposit of the city of Cesena, intercede for us, with him who chose thee. It must be read, I think, "with God, who chose thee." And indeed that he was an Alemann, not only under the more general appellation, but properly a Swabian, or from old Alemannia, Ferrarius indicates in an annotation, in these words: There are some who will have it that Severus took his origin from Ulm, a city of Germany, and, Benedict I being Supreme Pontiff, was ordained deacon by Eleutherius, Bishop of Ravenna. The nation it is lawful to admit; but that that ordination may stand, there must first be sought an Eleutherius, who was Bishop of Ravenna in the time of Pope Benedict I between the year 572 and the year 577: which it is a wonder that writers so lightly vend, before they even cursorily examine whether any Bishop of Ravenna ever sat, called by such a name. For the rest, as for what pertains to the native soil of St. Severus, the silence of the life about him and the positive affirmation of the ancient antiphon establish Ughelli's opinion not a little; we leave the whole matter to the reader's judgment.
[5] The period of the Acts confounds the Saint's age, No less ambiguous are the things which are controverted concerning the Saint's age. From the doubtful period of the Acts cited above all the writers have involved the matter, having followed Rossi, I think; to whom there is no doubt that he was chosen Bishop in the year 565; whence Manzoni and Ughelli, since they attribute to the Saint six years of episcopate, consequently fix his death in the year 571. More basely Ferrarius entangled the history; daring to write, that St. Severus was BORN at Cesena, Pelagius being Supreme Pontiff and Justin Emperor. Before we proceed further, the period itself must be set forth, and an easier manner of explaining it sought. Thus speak the aforesaid Acts: At the time therefore when Pelagius the Pope worthily held and ruled the cathedra of the Roman Church, among us Agnellus the first Archbishop governed the dignity of the Ravennese church, but the scepter of the Roman empire Justin the younger, who succeeded Justinian in the kingdom, manfully held in Greece. Under whom also Narses the Patrician, being at Rome, religiously had the care of Italy; under the governance therefore of these just rulers, it happened that a certain boy of wondrous sanctity, by name Severus, came by the appointment of God to the bosom of the holy church of Cesena.
[6] Whether Ferrarius had these things before his eyes, I should not easily say: involved even more by Ferrarius; the things which he observed in the annotation do not elucidate the matter. From a certain epitaph, he says, under the tomb of this St. Severus, in his own church, which is parochial, it appears that he lived in the year of the Lord 568 under Pope Pelagius: which however is contrary to ecclesiastical chronology and to Baronius in the Annals. For Pelagius II, in whose time Severus flourished, Justin the Younger being Emperor, was made Pontiff in the year 578; wherefore for the year 568, 578 ought to be put back. But that in his life he is read to have been born under Pope Pelagius and the Emperor Justin, that is rather to be referred to his life than to his nativity; since from other monuments of Cesena it is had, that Severus, come from the city of Ulm, was ordained deacon under Benedict I. That too must be corrected, which is said, that Severus was born at the time when Narses the Patrician administered Italy. For that happened much before, under Justinian I. Some doubtful things here, some false, Ferrarius asserts, himself to be corrected in the things which he corrects, as from what has been said and is to be said will become sufficiently manifest. So many substitutions of names and years do not please; and therefore a more compendious way must be sought, as far as it can [be].
[7] In the Acts one single matter, confused by the anonymous writer, not sufficiently skilled historically, which is here more probably restored. begets trouble, namely Justin the younger put together with Pope Pelagius, Agnellus Archbishop of Ravenna, and Narsus, rather Narses the Patrician. But by an easy task the difficulty will vanish, if thou change not several names, but one only, that of Justin into Justinian, by which pact the whole matter will flow most conveniently. For Pelagius I sat, after Vigilius, up to the year 559: Justinian died in the year 565: Narses was first recalled from Italy in 567. If therefore St. Severus came as a boy or rather a youth into Italy and Cesena in the year 556 or 557, there will be nothing to disturb the chronology. But however the rest may be composed with the series of Bishops, in Ughelli somehow ordered, this one thing must be supposed, that the Saint as a youth clung about nine years to the patron of the church of Cesena, by whom he was perfectly imbued with the knowledge of divine letters. But afterward, no long space of time being passed, he succeeded his master yielding to nature, in the year, as the people of Cesena will have [it], 565, by that reasoning which thou wilt understand from the Acts. If with Ferrarius thou recede to Pelagius II, not now one name is to be changed, but two must be deleted, namely of Agnellus and of Narses, for whom Ughelli saw fit, quite gratuitously, to substitute some Marcus; so that whithersoever thou turn thee, some correction must be applied, but none less and more fitting than that which here is proposed, from which nevertheless anyone may, for all I care, dissent, who shall wish, provided he better defend the matter.
[8] The Acts do not seem of great authority. As for what I may say of the Acts themselves, scarcely anything remains: neither the author's name, nor his age, could anyone easily dig out; nor accordingly is it free enough to determine anything of their faith and authority. That the writer was a Ravennese, thou wilt perceive nearly from this, that he says St. Agnellus in the time of St. Severus governed "among us," that is in his country the Ravennese church. For the rest he says that he collected the things which he either heard by antiquity narrating them, or knew to have been written by the tips pens of certain [men]; as if he should say, that he found some things written in the tables of the church of Cesena, [and] drew the rest from popular tradition, of which kind I esteem that especially to have been, concerning the miracle of the dove sent from heaven, by whose prodigious indication St. Severus was chosen, as was said above: which how widespread it was at Ravenna, thou wilt find handed down more than once elsewhere in these Acts. The writer tried to keep decorum and verisimilitude, not much departing from the common style of legends in the 12th and 13th centuries. We give therefore the life from the cited manuscript of the Vallicellian library, collated with the edition of Ughelli, from which at the end some lines had to be superadded, or nearly half a lesson, which was wanting in our copy.
LIFE
From the manuscript codex of the Vallicellian library, collated with the edition of Ughelli.
Severus, Bishop and Confessor, at Cesena in Italy (S.)
BHL Number: 7674
FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS.
Lesson I. By the example of the holy Fathers, The deeds of the holy prelates, which, by the grace of God bestowing [it], are partly recalled laudably to memory by the common speech of all, partly seem to be written in the little books of divine Scripture, not undeservedly the Fathers of mother Church, the annual solemnity being brought round, decreed to be recited to the common hearing of the whole people in the words of sacred Scripture: for they are, as divine Scripture testifies, a lamp placed upon a candlestick, which by the splendor of its light furnishes light to all entering the House of God, that they may not stumble; whence their life and gleaming miracles in the solemnities of the same saints are recited to us daily not without cause; namely, that, informed by the testimony of their holy life, and chastened by the paternal rod of honey-flowing preaching, walking from virtue to virtue, we may see the God of gods in Zion, as they too [did].
Lesson II. A patron is set forth to the people of Cesena. But of these there arose one of blessed memory, holy Severus the Bishop, who, the mercy of God co-operating, presiding over the church of Cesena, commending to God day and night by holy prayers the people committed to him, while still living in the flesh, daily cultivating them with most healthful admonitions, purging them from vices, strove unceasingly to fill them with the virtues by which they might please Christ; after his holy death too, informing and teaching the same people of Cesena by the most healthful preaching of many miracles, renders them, as is just, unceasingly lovable to God. Now therefore to those things which we have either heard of holy Severus the Bishop, by antiquity narrating them, or known to have been written by the tips pens of certain [men], let us, God granting, make an advanced passage.
Lesson III. At the time therefore when Pelagius the Pope worthily held and ruled the cathedra of the Roman Church, He, coming to Cesena while still a youth, among us Agnellus the first Archbishop governed the dignity of the Ravennese church, but the scepter of the Roman empire Justin the younger, who succeeded Justinian in the kingdom, manfully held in Greece, under whom also Narsus the patrician, being at Rome, religiously had the care of Italy; under the governance therefore of these just rulers, it happened that a certain boy of wondrous sanctity, by name Severus, came by the appointment of God to the bosom of the holy church of Cesena, which was then called by another name Flavia Curva Papia, who, as he was of boyish wit and dove-like simplicity, being in the same church day and night, commended himself to the Lord by continual fasts and prayers, as he could.
Lesson IV. But when he was now of such an age, instructed by the Bishop and ordained deacon, that he could learn letters, as the grace of the Lord had disposed concerning him, he clung to the patron of the same church, by whom being perfectly imbued with the knowledge of divine letters,
as also was just, he obtains a place in the clergy, and from grade to grade, as the custom of mother Church is, the grace of God increasing in him, at fixed times he is ordained by the same into the office of the diaconate. But afterward, no long space of time being passed, the aforesaid Prelate, who governed him with the love of sweetness as his own son, as it pleased the Lord, yielding to nature, rendering his holy soul to God, is deprived of life. The exequies therefore being worthily arranged in the manner of Pontiffs, because it is unworthy and lacking reason, that the church be long deprived of its shepherd, the whole clergy and people came together, by common desire and vow of electing for themselves a shepherd, to the church of the blessed Evangelist John, which then was the head of the bishopric.
Lesson V. Among whom also was present the blessed levite Severus, to the same [Bishop deceased, a successor is designated by a dove.] together with the clergy and people, with earnest prayers entreating and asking, that the Lord would provide for them a worthy Prelate. But all praying, and with suppliant voice and mind commonly demanding the Lord, a wondrous thing, worthy of stupor, full of miracles, all who were present beholding, behold, through the window of the church there came a dove, whiter than snow, sent from heaven, flitting through the church and long going around, at last rested upon the head of blessed Severus; which so great miracle being seen, the people, astonished and rejoicing, began to cry out together with high-sounding voices: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has visited and made the redemption of his people: for by the dove he has designated for us a worthy Prelate; who will truly redeem us by the word of his preaching from the hands of the enemy.
Lesson VI. Canonized therefore in the manner of Pontiffs, blessed Severus, the people rejoicing to a man, and at last, grace bestowing [it], consecrated catholicly according to the vow of the people, not as a sluggish shepherd, but as a truly faithful servant, governing the people with the utmost vigilance, began faithfully to have the care of the committed flock; namely loving the sheep committed to him, unceasingly exhorting with the word of preaching, while, as an assiduous shepherd, he strove to preserve them harmless, whose they were; lest the ambushing wolf should drag away even one from the fold of Christ. Passing the night too in vigils and prayers, commending himself to God, having the care of the poor as a father, he set himself before all as an example of humility and charity.
Lesson VII. But because, truth testifying, a city set upon a mountain cannot be hidden, when a drought had arisen, nor is a lamp lit, that it may be shut under a bushel; now let us say, turning our style, in what manner God first willed to manifest blessed Severus the Bishop to men, after the grace of the received consecration. At a certain time therefore, when, sins requiring [it], there was so great a drought of the air, that neither an indication of a cloud through long spaces of time had appeared, nor dew was known to fall to the earth, the herbs withering, through which the earth, foul with much dust, seemed to deny the hope of crops and of all new-plowed fields; the whole people of men and women, with little ones and girls, ran together to the aforesaid church of blessed Severus, crying and wailing, and saying: Lord, be propitious to us wretched, and, having pity on us, pour upon the dry earth the rain of thy mercy.
Lesson VIII. he obtains rain from heaven. And saying this, they cried: Holy Severus, servant of God, help us. Then blessed Severus the Bishop, moved by these prayers, compassionating their misery, shed tears, and, raising his holy hands to heaven, gave forth this prayer to the Lord, saying: Almighty God, creator of all things, who alone knowest all things and containest all things, who in thy first church of Jerusalem saidst to Solomon thy beloved: This is the house which I have chosen for myself for ever; this is the house, when I shall have shut heaven on account of the sins of men, that it rain not, to which men will flee and will ask me, and I, having pity, will open heaven, that it rain, and will aid them. Thou therefore, holy Father, who art the same always and immutable, look not to our crimes and sins, which are many; look, that is, to thy mercy alone, by which thou sustainest us, and pour from heaven the streams of water on the too-thirsting earth, that the people, who labor from excessive drought and heat of the air, may know thee to be the Father of mercy and piety, and glorify thy holy and glorious name unto the ages of ages.
Lesson IX. The Saint's death and miracles. And when all who were present had said with one voice, Amen: a very stupendous thing, though there was excessive serenity of the sky, suddenly clouds coming from every side and heaped together into one by the force of the winds, gave so great a density of waters, that the earth was watered, satisfied with streams, and the herbs, which before seemed as it were dead, revived utterly: which so great miracle being seen, the peoples, all who were present, praising and blessing the Lord, returned glad and eager to blessed Severus, his servant. But an Angel of the Lord appeared to blessed Severus praying, saying: Servant of God, Severus, pray vigilantly, since thou shalt come to him whom thou hast loved with mind and pure heart. Admonished by the oracle of the angelic vision, he called together all to the church, and, beginning the word of salvation, disclosed to all that his last day was at hand. The multitude of the peoples who had come together, hearing these things, lamented him with unspeakable wailing, going down afflicted, and despaired of consoling themselves further. But when the hour drew near, that his spirit should migrate from the body, blessed Severus, in the midst of the devout clergy, earnestly prayed God unceasingly, [and] with so great an odor were the throngs of peoples and of the sacred clergy who were present filled around him, in the holy temple of God, that it surpassed the sweetness of all aromatics. Who could worthily praise, O blessed Pontiff, the so many signs which the Lord openly did? Thou didst free from scars a sick man, refused by physicians. A woman full of a demoniac spirit thou didst restore free to her own home.
Thus far the Acts, such as they are, composed in a rude style, often obscure, and extended rather verbosely, Additions of Ughelli and Ferrarius. in which nothing occurs worthy of observation which has not been explained in our preliminary Commentary. For that in n. 6 the writer uses the word "canonized," it is sufficiently understood that he treats of the election. But whether the premised nine lessons were once in use, or are today recited by the people of Cesena in the ecclesiastical Office, I find nowhere handed down. There remains a part of a hymn at Vespers, which Ughelli subjoined to the Life published by him, in these words: "Still to Spoleto is carried, by desire of health, languishing, [he] who sound returns to his own home with joy. From the parts of Apulia set out a dropsical [man], and, freed, returned from every disease forthwith." It is plain that the discourse is of two miraculous healings; the reckoning of a certain meter I have neglected without loss. Let the last place hold the epitaph recited by Ferrarius, or the poem, as he himself says, sculptured on marble in the temple of St. Severus, though unpolished. Of what kind it is, thou mayst thyself judge; the epoch marked we have corrected above. Behold the little verses:
An abundance of rains so great is scattered from heaven, One thousand four hundred and forty years going by, Where the Rubicon, the Sapis spreads itself into all The fields, and the earth refuses to bear its own weights. This was the cause, that the lofty roofs fell In the cities and places, and also the temples of Severus The Prelate and Saint, who of pleasant Cesena Was the shepherd, and flourished in the time of Christ born, In the year five hundred and sixty-two, Six others being joined, in the time of Pope Pelagius.