ON ST. MARCIANUS, BISHOP,
AT FREQUENTUM IN THE SAMNIUM OF ITALY.
PERHAPS IN THE FIFTH CENTURY.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
Of the cult, the ancient Office, and the uncertain Acts.
Marcianus, Bishop, at Frequentum in the Samnium of Italy (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
The city, once episcopal, in which he held his see of whom we here treat, St. Marcianus, Ughelli thus described in volume 8, column 409, so that fuller knowledge need not be sought elsewhere. Thus he speaks there: Friquentum or Frequentum, commonly Frigento, is a most ancient city of the Hirpini, bishop of Frequentum, of the Further Principate, set on the summit of a mountain, and exposed especially to the winter winds, bordering on Avellino, distant about twelve miles from Benevento the metropolis, formerly called Aeculum. It is mentioned by Cicero, Appian, Ptolemy, and Pliny. It was populous and wealthy, but overthrown by the force of an earthquake in the year 986, as the Ostiensian writes in his Chronicle, and by the injury of wars utterly desolated, and empty of inhabitants, it offers to beholders an example of inconstant fortune. For whereas in the early times of our salvation it could deservedly be numbered among those cities which embraced the faith of Christ, and were adorned with episcopal dignity in the pontificate of Leo IX; yet, the peoples failing, under Paul II in the year 1465, on the 7th day of May, it lost its ancient dignity of rank, when its episcopate was joined by perpetual union to the neighboring see of Avellino; whence from that year those who presided over the church of Avellino subscribed themselves with the title of Bishop of Avellino and Frequentum. There still remains the cathedral of Frequentum under the title of Blessed Mary and St. Marcianus the bishop, patron of the city, whose sacred head is honorably kept in it. So much of the place.
[2] unknown to all the ancient Martyrologies. But that many of this name (whether it be written Marcianus or Martianus) have been given in our Acts, and are further to be given, is clear from the Roman Martyrology alone, in which sixteen of the same name are enumerated, but in our Catalogue of the first half-year alone, six above twenty. In the Hieronymian, Usuardine, and other codices not a few Marcianuses are found, but in all those tables plainly unknown is he of whom Ughelli, and before him Ferrari, made mention with the title of Bishop of Frequentum, whom Castellanus did not dare to admit, marking him in the index of his Universal Martyrology as omitted. I too doubted, to tell the truth, whether he deserved a place among the Saints, chiefly for this reason, that whereas Ferrari asserts that he rests almost solely on the monuments of the church of Benevento, in which he says St. Marcianus is venerated on this July 14; yet in the Catalogue of the Saints of that church, published by Mario de Vipera at Naples in the year 1635, no other Marcianus is found, except him whom he himself sets down as bishop of Benevento on June 14, and whom Papebroch not undeservedly suspected to have been recorded on that day on occasion of St. Marcianus of Syracuse, of whose festivity it is manifest that there is more certainty than of that of the Beneventan. These things, I say, had almost moved me to insert Marcianus among the Passed Over, but there prevailed the authority of Ughelli, so expressly affirming that he is recalled at Frequentum as patron of the church, and likewise his Office, once described from a most ancient codex of the church of Frequentum by our Antonio Beatillo, and after his death sent to Bolland in the year 1645.
[3] The praised Beatillo, while yet alive, had prefixed in the year 1638 the Life itself of St. Marcianus, It once had a proper Office there. such as afterward Ughelli published, of which Ferrari had given only a compendium in his greater Catalogue, and it is itself wholly inserted into the said Office, of which to bring forward here some specimens, we judge will not be beside the purpose. It contains sixteen pages of the smaller form, divided into nine lessons, embracing the whole Life, as I said, whose antiphons, responsories, etc., contracted from the same Legend, repeat the same thing twice or thrice, not without nausea, again and again: from the antiphon at the Magnificat, judge of the rest: Most blessed Marcianus, the gracious Pontiff of God, to whom the Lord committed his flock to be ruled, to whom the people assiduously came, seeing signs and many miracles done by him. Omitting the rest, I will add only a fragment from the hymn at Vespers.
To the feast of the prelate Marcianus run together, worshipers of Christ, / devoutly and alike sing praises to God, / who, relying on the gracious breath, by heavenly spirits / was carried over from the Arcadian borders to Ausonia.
He chooses Frequentum for his dwelling, following the precepts of Christ, / with fastings and prayers beseeching the supernal King, / he despised base riches, fleeting and earth-born, / he trod down the luxury of the world, and gained the heavenly things.
A certain mother's son, possessed by a demon, / whom by beseeching the Lord he restored unharmed, etc.
[4] What is to be thought of the lessons or Acts of the aforesaid Office, His age, from uncertain conjectures, it will be easy for anyone to gather from them themselves, since they contain not the history of his life, but a mere narration of miracles, not sufficiently aptly arranged, with no added indication of time, except that it confounds still more matters which are of themselves involved enough. For, as Beatillo observed in his manuscript notes at the end of the Life, "the most blessed Pope Leo," whose times in number 5 are connected with Laurentius, bishop of the city of Canosa, can be no other to him than St. Leo the Great, since that Laurentius, if he truly was bishop of Canosa, must have held that see before Probus, who, according to Baronius, volume 6, page 281 in my copy, was sent as legate by Pope Simplicius to Constantinople in the year 467: whence, since no Laurentius is read to have sat at Canosa after Probus, Beatillo conjectures that he occupied that chair before the times of Probus, and accordingly cannot be reconciled with any other Pope Leo than with the first, who alone of that name before Simplicius governed the Church. Thus, I say, Beatillo conjectures; for if the aforesaid Laurentius does not stand on any other ground than these our Acts of St. Marcianus, I fear he can scarcely be safely enough numbered among the bishops of Canosa, today of Bari. But since the age of St. Marcianus is fetched only through doubtful conjectures of this kind, I do not yet plainly see on what foundation Beatillo, Ferrari, and Ughelli, and after them doubtless several others, so roundly asserted that he flourished in the times of Leo the Great.
[5] From one conjecture Beatillo elicited another: for after he had explained these things in his own way, is not solidly enough drawn out; that he might solve the more difficult knot of the Acts, inasmuch as in them, in the same number 5, it was expressly had that St. Marcianus visited the church of St. Mary the Rotunda, Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, he confesses that he deleted the last word. These are his words: In the original it is read, of St. Mary the Rotunda, but this is impossible, for the Pantheon was dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God long after these times of Pope Leo. Therefore I judged that the name Rotunda should be deleted. Freely enough indeed, and against the credit of the autograph, in which he had found it, and thus the name Rotunda being expunged, Ughelli afterward published the Acts, and inserted them in his volume 8, from column 411; nor did he anywhere mention that word. I praise indeed the candid confession of our Beatillo; but, to say it candidly, the deletion made does not please me, which being posited, the praised writers try at last to draw out that St. Marcianus lived in the time of Leo I, which, the name Rotunda being preserved, can by no means square. Who will sufficiently persuade us that this was the sense of the writer of the Acts, who expressed the name Rotunda, perhaps thinking all other things? What if someone should on the contrary insist that rather the name of Laurentius, otherwise altogether unknown, and which is drawn from no other source than so doubtful an epoch, should be erased from that head? There remains indeed, from what has been said,
the most uncertain age of St. Marcianus, and from the same reason is gathered the unskillfulness of the writer of the Life, who mixes together many things wrongly.
[6] nor do the Acts carry great authority. Who he was, or when he wrote, I cannot attain even by divining; it is probable that he is to be placed in the number of those who out of ingenious piety, rather than from sufficiently certain documents, compiled Legends, that they might at least proclaim something of their patrons, whereby it might come to pass that the Saints should not be called unknown. I confess that in all that discourse, whether as distributed into the lessons of the Office, or as it puts on some series of a Life, I find nothing greatly which is supported by sufficient credit, so that that contexture of miracles may safely enough be admitted. Wholly to be noted also is the annotation of Ferrari in his Saints of Italy, or greater Catalogue, in which he thus observes: Since he (St. Marcianus) died on the 18th of the Kalends of July, on this day at Benevento not his birthday but his translation is celebrated. But this neither the Acts nor the Office anywhere indicate, so that a vehement suspicion arises in me that Ferrari confused today's St. Marcianus with Marcianus, bishop of Benevento, whom we said above, from Mario Vipera, is plainly venerated there on June 14, that is, the 18th of the Kalends of July. What certainty can be had from monuments of this kind, the thing itself speaks; it is not permitted me to call a skiff otherwise than a skiff, nor to vend as true what I recognize as uncertain. The rest the reader will understand from the Acts themselves, such as they are.
A LIFE. Taken from a most ancient manuscript codex of the church of Frequentum.
Taken from a most ancient manuscript codex of the church of Frequentum.
Marcianus, Bishop, at Frequentum in the Samnium of Italy (S.)
BHL Number: 5264
FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS.
His rich patrimony in Greece being distributed to the poor, It is read that blessed Marcianus was sprung of Greek race, and drew his origin from noble parents, and exceedingly fearing God. Whose parents, since they were exceedingly wealthy, and had begotten only one son, began to instruct him in the fear and service of the Lord. Whose admonitions the blessed youth not casting away, whatever he could hear from them, he laid up in the little cabinet of his breast, and advanced from day to day in the service of the omnipotent God. But it happened, when his parents migrated from this life, that all their possessions and riches came under the dominion of Marcianus. But he, not unmindful of the precepts of his parents, because, as the Gospel authority relates, the good earth germinates good fruit, and both the seed and the good tree make good fruits, began to give out all that he could have to the poor, to minister to widows and orphans, and to succor all set in necessities.
[2] But now, when the omnipotent Lord willed that his life he betakes himself to Frequentum; and blessedness should become an example to many, lest the lamp, which could shine to many, should hide any longer, he began through him to exhibit virtues and marvels. And they began from all Greece to run together to him, and to render him honor and reverence, and to minister of their goods. But he, who had despised his own goods, was unwilling to receive the wealth of others, nay, not even praises from men, who had now left almost the whole world. And when he most diligently considered what he should do, and whither he should turn, having found, as we judge, by divine counsel, leaving Greece his fatherland, and boarding a ship, he hastened into Italy, and came into the borders of the Samnium near a city, by name Frequentum, and began to dwell there, and to pass a solitary life.
[3] But his repute and sanctity being known, the citizens of Frequentum assiduously came to him, where, having obtained the fame of sanctity, seeing signs and many miracles done by him. Then on a certain day, while he was intent, as he was wont, on prayers and fastings, behold a certain woman, coming from the borders of Lucania, carrying about with her a lunatic son, who was bound with many chains and thongs, because he could not be held by many; which woman cast herself at the feet of the most blessed Marcianus, and began with tears to kiss the traces of his feet, and to say: O most holy Marcianus, servant of Christ, succor me, a wretched sinner, concerning my only son, who is vexed by a demon.
[4] But the most blessed Marcianus, condoling with the affliction of the woman, approached him, and said: I command you, he frees the lunatic boy from the demon. unclean spirit, in the name of God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, go out from this man, and enter no more into him; and at once the demon departed from him, and began to cry out through the air: What have you with me, Marcianus? I could not endure your powers in Greece, and now also you cast me out of Italy. Then blessed Marcianus said to him: May God command you, most wicked demon, who separated you from the company of the good angels, that you speak no more under God's precept, but be silent, and depart from the creature of God. This said blessed Marcianus, and at once the demon departed, and never appeared. Then blessed Marcianus, taking the right hand of the boy, raised him and gave him back to his mother, who, rejoicing, came to her own house, and was hoping in the Lord Jesus Christ, and confiding in the most blessed Marcianus his servant.
[5] But it happened that Laurentius, a man chosen for the church of Canosa, Led to Rome by Laurentius, bishop of Canosa, desiring to hasten to Rome, that he might merit to receive the pastoral fillet from the Roman Pontiff, came to the most blessed Marcianus, whom he began suppliantly to ask that he would go with him alike to Rome. Obeying whose prayers, the most blessed Marcianus, they came together to the thresholds of the Apostles Peter and Paul. At that time the most holy Leo held the Apostolic See; who, knowing through the Holy Spirit that Marcianus together with Laurentius had entered Rome, met them with great joy, and the attendance of the clergy; who found Laurentius, and honorably saluting and kissing him, blessed him; but Marcianus meanwhile went on to the church of the holy Mother of God, the Virgin Mary. And the Pope asked about Marcianus, the most blessed man, because with great desire he longed to see him, and insinuated to Laurentius all the things which he had heard of him; because they had been revealed to him by the Lord. Which heard, the elect of God, Laurentius, out of exceeding joy began to weep for his companion Marcianus, whose name and sanctity and blessedness he had learned to be revealed from heaven, and began to be exceedingly sad, lest the most blessed Marcianus should cleave to Pope Leo, and be detained at Rome, and desert him. Which Leo the Apostolic Pontiff knowing, said to the elect: Do not be troubled, nor fear that the servant of Christ Marcianus will desert you and cleave to me, because the charity of Christ, which united him with your society, will not suffer you to be separated from so great a companion, because indeed my Lord Jesus Christ, in that hour in which you entered Rome, deigned by revelation to indicate to me your names, your society, and your blessedness.
[6] Pope Leo learns from a revelation. Concerning the most blessed Marcianus your companion, the Holy Spirit spoke to me thus: Know, Leo the Pope, that two servants of mine have entered Rome, one is called Laurentius, the other Marcianus, which Laurentius desires to receive from you the episcopal chair of his city, in which he obtained election from the whole clergy; but Marcianus, for the sole inmost love, and out of reverence for the Apostles and other saints, hastened to Rome, whose life and most holy acts know to be pleasing to me: whence I admonish you, and command, that you rise more quickly, and go to meet them, and inquire their names, until you find them; but when they have been found, receive them honorably, and with the love of charity: to Laurentius deliver the chair of the church of the city of Canosa, from which he was elected; but to Marcianus, a man in all things apostolic, commit the church of Frequentum to be ruled and governed; for know that through him not only neighboring but also far-set provinces and churches, by his merits and example, are to be saved. Amid these things Laurentius the aforesaid elect, since he now in no way doubted that he was to be deserted by so great a companion, with great confidence answered the Pope: Believe me, venerable Father, Marcianus, whom you seek, and about whom the divine clemency has revealed to you such great things, is not here, but has gone to the church of the blessed Mother of God to pray. Then the Pope, together with the people and Laurentius who was present, entered the church, in which they found blessed Marcianus prostrate on the ground praying.
[7] But Marcianus rose from the ground, and saluted the Pope, and consecrates him bishop. who likewise resaluting and kissing him, said to him: We rejoice that you have come here, brother and son, Marcianus. Who answered: May the divine majesty protect you, most holy Father. Then the Pope narrated to him all things which had been revealed to him about him by the Lord. But Marcianus, hearing these things, began to weep, and to cry out that he was unworthy to ascend to episcopal honor. But the Pope said to him: Hear, son, the Lord Jesus Christ saying: Peter, if you love me, feed my sheep; therefore it does not befit you to postpone his commands, but to fulfill his mandates, and to undertake his sheep to be fed and governed, because he who refuses to feed the flock of God rejects the supreme shepherd, and is convicted of not loving. To this Marcianus answered: A servant cannot contradict his Lord, therefore to the will of God I do not refuse, I do not resist. Then Pope Leo the most holy called the bishops and all the clergy, and consecrated Marcianus and Laurentius bishops; whom he detained with him at Rome some days, and, giving thanks to the Lord Savior, sent them to their own places. But when they had gone out from Rome, and begun to proceed, many virtues and miracles, signs, and prodigies the Lord Jesus Christ deigned to work on that same journey through the most blessed Marcianus: for he cured the stricken and the sick, cleansed lepers, healed paralytics, cast out and put to flight demons.
[8] And when they had entered the city of Terracina, behold the only son of the prince, dead, was already being borne to the tomb, On the return he calls back the dead to life, and the prince his father, Sisinius by name, with the whole city and people, was wasted with exceeding grief; for that only son had been beautiful and wise, and was dear not only to his father but also to all his neighbors, whence he was bewailed by all. Whose mourning and sadness the most blessed Marcianus beholding, moved with compassion in his grief, ordered the bier to be set down, and asked of the people that silence be made. But they, hearing these things, struck with fear, yet with joy all were silent, knowing the repute of his sanctity. But the most blessed Marcianus, confiding in the Lord, with hands stretched out to heaven, said: Lord Jesus Christ, who descended from the bosom of the Father to save the human race, who called back to life the only son of the widow, and raised the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, and made Lazarus, already stinking, at your bidding and your command, even with hands and feet bound, to rise from the sepulcher; I beseech you, most clement Lord,
that in your name this young man may rise, the only son of his father, that all may know that you are living and reigning with the Father and the Holy Spirit through all ages of ages. And when all had answered, Amen, at once he who had been dead rose again, and sat up in the bed, and cast himself at once at his feet, and began to bless the omnipotent God and his servant Marcianus. Then blessed Marcianus, taking his right hand, lifted him up, and gave him back sound and whole to his father.
[9] But when he had come into the borders of the Samnium, behold a certain demoniac presented himself to meet him; and works many other miracles, then blessed Marcianus made the sign of the Cross, saying: May God command you, devil, that you have no power to vex him any longer. To whom the demon said: Behold, Marcianus, I cannot endure the little sign which you have raised up against me: behold, now through so many turns you have done such things to me, why do you persecute me? What evil have I done to you? To whom blessed Marcianus said: In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, go out from him. Who at once going out, never appeared. But blessed Marcianus ordered nourishment to be given him, whom he left sound and whole. And when his arrival had been announced to the people of Frequentum, rejoicing and exulting over so great a Patron, they went out to meet him, and with hymns and praises bore him to the church. But a certain blind man, dwelling there, who awaited his arrival, when he had heard that blessed Marcianus had returned, began to cry out and say: Servant of Christ, Marcianus, enlighten me. Then the most blessed Marcianus said to him: May Christ, who redeemed the world with his own blood, enlighten you by his power; and making the sign of the Cross over his eyes, at once he who had been blind began to see, and to praise and bless the name of our Lord Jesus Christ through his servant Marcianus.
[10] by which he grows illustrious even after death. But after these things the prelate of the city of Canosa, commending himself to the most holy man, embracing and kissing each other in the love of brotherhood, sent him from himself. Amid these things the most blessed Marcianus began more and more to be devoted to Christ the Lord, and to govern his church most religiously. But how great miracles the Lord wrought through him, it is long to relate. Wherefore let us now proceed succinctly to his most holy death. When therefore he had known that the Lord called him from this light, he announced it to the clergy and all the people, and delivered to them peace and concord to be kept. Then, bidding farewell to all, on the Sabbath day, at about the tenth hour, he fell sick, and through the whole night remained in the praises of God. But the Lord's day dawning, at the first hour of the day, he partook of the body and blood of Christ, and thus proceeded to the Lord with triumph. Then all the clergy and laity, and all the people, buried him with hymns and praises. But after our Lord Jesus Christ had withdrawn his most blessed servant Marcianus from this light, he began through his body to exhibit virtues and miracles, not less than he had granted him in his life. Some therefore of the sick from nearby, and even from far regions, coming, kissing the ark in which his most sacred body rested, returned sound from whatever infirmity held them; whose fame and venerable powers the Lord did not suffer to rest, because the charity of God was in him; our Lord Jesus Christ reigning, to whom befits all honor and glory, and all adoration, with the omnipotent Father and the most holy and life-giving Holy Spirit, now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.