ON ST. SEVERUS BISHOP AND CONFESSOR
AT CASSINO IN SAMNIUM
From the Vatican Usuardus and Ferrarius.
Perhaps IN THE 5TH CENTURY.
CommentarySeverus bishop and confessor, at Cassino in Samnium (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
How little celebrated in the Martyrologies the memory of this holy Severus was, I think abundantly clear from our edition of Usuardus; since there he is known almost by name alone among the appendices in the Vatican codex, which formerly belonged to the church of Benevento, where it is thus read of him: The obscure memory of the Saint At Cassino, the birthday of St. Severus the bishop; whereby at least concerning his cult, as of one different from the synonymous Neapolitan, who was reported on 30 April, we may be rendered in some measure secure. Of him Ferrarius collected more things in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy on this day with this elogium: Severus, in the reign of Valentinian, Marcian, Leo, and Zeno, under Leo I, Hilary, Simplicius, and Felix III supreme Pontiffs, lived, who, on account of the holiness of his life and his doctrine raised to the bishopric of Cassino, contended against the heresies of his time. For he was present under Leo at the Roman synod against Nestorius, Eutyches, Dioscorus, and other heretics, and under Felix against Acacius. He led an austere life; and was especially pious toward the poor. Who, when he had holily presided over his church for several years, fell asleep in the Lord on the 8th day before the Kalends of August, buried in his own church.
[2] Thou easily observest a typographical error, for the Saint's birthday is by Ferrarius consigned to this very day the 13th day before the Kalends of August. Famous, he says next, Ferrarius revived; after death for miracles: for when a woman of Aquino labored with a most difficult disease of the eyes, which no work of the physicians had profited, the holy Bishop appeared to her praying, commanding that she betake herself to his church. And she, led thither by her husband, at once recovered from that infirmity. From Peter the Deacon, On the life and death of the Saints of Cassino, who reports several miracles. I know not where Ferrarius read these things, I in our
codex, and indeed described in such a way that it scarcely finds credit. More pleasing is what is subjoined in the annotation, that near the monastery of Cassino there exists a little building dedicated to St. Severus, concerning which the Chronicle of Cassino revised by Angelo de Nuce book 2 chapter 52 is to be seen, where the editor's note adds light to the text, from which we are more clearly informed of the ancient and present situation of the aforesaid little building. Further, Ferrarius attesting that the monks of Cassino celebrate the birthday of this holy Severus on this day, I shall not with difficulty believe.
[3] These things concerning the cult of St. Severus are sufficiently certain, but concerning his age or deeds what Peter the Deacon could have handed down, whom Ughelli seems to have followed I do not indeed sufficiently perceive, inasmuch as he, six whole centuries later than the Saint, wove nothing but a verbose as well as harsh panegyric, concerning which we shall not presently fear to pass a censure. For the rest, Ughelli is to be seen, Sacred Italy volume 2 in the appendix on the bishops of Cassino, where he shows the memory both of that bishopric and of St. Severus to be plainly obscure. Let it be permitted to transfer a few things thence hither. That the ancient people of Cassino embraced the Christian religion first disseminated by Peter the prince of the Apostles is the constant tradition of the elders; nor are they led by an empty conjecture who assert that by the same, Cassino being raised into a cathedral church, its own pastor was left to it, whose name and those of the rest after him, down to Severus, invidious antiquity has blotted out. For it is established that Severus bishop of Cassino, a most holy man, under Felix III Pope in the year 483, together with the neighboring bishops of Aquino, Fondi, Capua, and other prelates of Campania, subscribed to the Lateran council, and was present at another council convoked under the same Felix, Peter the Deacon hands down, who embraced his illustrious virtues in a peculiar volume.
[4] and likewise Angelo de Nuce. Ughelli here abuses the signification of words a little, when he obtrudes a peculiar volume. It is a verbose oration, concerning which what should be thought I have already promised to say. Let us hear the rest of Ughelli's words pertaining hither: Of whom also, namely St. Severus, Leo of Ostia makes mention book 3 chapter 40 (to me book 2 chapter 52) of the Chronicle of Cassino, and reported that a church was consecrated to his name on the mount of Cassino. After this Severus, and not before him, whether from a longer series of times, or from the incursions of the Goths, the memory of the ancient prelates of Cassino perished. With better right perhaps one might say that those pretended prelates never existed in the nature of things. I know indeed that concerning the quality and origin of the spiritual jurisdiction of Cassino the praised Angelo de Nuce disputes at length in the historical Excursus from page 103, where he laboriously strives to prove that before the coming of the holy Patriarch hither, the territory of Cassino already had its own see, diocese, and bishop. But whether all these things are placed sufficiently beyond controversy, there will be, if I am not mistaken, those who doubt with me, unless arguments a little more certain be adduced than those which have hitherto been brought forward from probability rather than from ancient and true documents. Let us inspect more closely a source not sufficiently clear.
[5] The source of all is Peter the Deacon I see that all these things rest on the sole authority of Peter the Deacon of Cassino, how great which is, in more than one place Mabillon and other learned men have attested. The history is namely taken from that book which is entitled, On the origin and life of the just of the sacred monastery of Cassino, which we have copied from his autograph manuscript in ancient and most difficult Lombard letters on parchment, which is kept in that monastery under most strict guard. Truly very anxiously, too much perhaps; for if the rest are equal to those which there either Peter himself, or another, handed down concerning St. Severus, they will by no means deserve a place in this our collection of Acts. From a brief analysis of that peculiar volume, how much it should be esteemed, I shall presently make thee understand. The whole hyperbolical oration embraces about ten folio pages, whose prologue, plainly luxuriant, can be fitted to all and to none: this is most true, and cannot be read without pardon for youth, which the author deservedly demands. After various digressions, Now, he says, let the following pen turn to unweaving the praises of Severus.
[6] But wonder at what he brings forth with so great a gaping: for two whole pages Publius Marcus Terentius Varro is most verbosely praised, in a most verbose oration as the most learned, most considerate, most acute, and most diligent of the Romans, because somewhere under the name of Casca he called the mount Casinus, so that the childish loquacity moves one's stomach. Behold at last on page 6 he begins to write the Life of the venerable prelate Severus. And that indeed in such a way that through five other pages he says the fewest things in the most words: for thou wilt have drawn much thence, if thou provest sufficiently that St. Severus existed, was present as bishop at the Roman council under Felix III Pope, died, was buried at Cassino, and by various circumlocutions restored sight to a blind woman. From one specimen learn the rest: But the four hundred and first cycle of years from the incarnation of the life-giving Word was rolling, when Valentinian III took up the most happy and most excellent throne of the Roman empire to be ruled. This one, therefore, guiding the reins of the world, the man of the Lord Severus, endowed with the benefit of the Almighty, like a topaz shining with gravity of manners, prerogative of life, and the splendor of virtues, at that time especially shone as pontiff of the church of Cassino, when equity from injustice, piety from impiety, meekness from severity, the cult of the Catholic and apostolic faith fluctuated from the madness of the Arians, Nestorians… This one therefore… was conspicuous for sanctity, modest for chastity, etc.
[7] from which we are not even sufficiently informed of the Saint's see. Softly, I pray; thus the boy, still a boy, leaves the man behind him; presently, promoted with the same buskin to the see, discreet in equity, prudent in fortitude, vigorous in long-suffering, patient in adversities, and what not? Thus he pursues the childhood, thus the election, thus the episcopal virtues more pompously than truly: then he describes at length the heresies of Nestorius, Eutyches, and others, only to insinuate what I was saying, that St. Severus was called to Rome with other bishops to a council, which if it rest on the sole faith of these Acts, I for my part shall not admit, whatever Ferrarius, Ughelli, and de Nuce seem to lean on that assertion alone. A weak one indeed, to repeat again: for what, I pray, could Peter the Deacon testify concerning things done six centuries before? When the archives of Cassino had been so plundered, nay most utterly destroyed, that of that bishopric scarcely any vestiges survived, I do not say, but not even the mere memory. Let it suffice that St. Severus is worshipped as a bishop, of whatever place he was at last prelate: for the most ancient monument which survives concerning him says indeed that he was laid at Cassino, but that he was bishop of that place, it nowhere pronounces. But to draw the rope of contention for that cause I by no means think worth the trouble. For the rest, from what has been said it is sufficiently manifest that there cannot be referred hither Severus, of whatever kind, wrongly inserted into the Epternach codex, as was said above on this day in the class of African Martyrs number 2.