ON ST. DICTINUS, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR,
AT ASTORGA IN SPAIN.
5th Century.
CommentaryDictinus, bishop and confessor, at Astorga in Spain (St.)
J. B. S.
That our predecessors ascertained nothing about this St. Dictinus which should greatly recommend him, is confessed: for he is venerated in the very church of Astorga on June 11, yet with no memory of him at all in the Acts on that day, He is venerated on June 11, reported by Tamayo on this day, not even in the "Passed Over"; I suspect on account of that deplorable negligence, by which, deprived of the necessary documents, they were altogether unable to render to individual churches their due. Nor would his cult have become known to us, had we not found his festivity marked on that day in the Directory of the same church, published about eight years ago, and by chance transmitted to us. Thither Tamayo, for the rest usually deceptive, opportunely led us by the hand, reporting the Saint on this July 24; yet so as to observe that he was wont to be venerated even today by the people of Astorga on that June 11; but that he
found the day of death, hitherto unknown. Whether certainly enough, let others see; to us at least the muddy source is not pleasing, from which he attests that he found both the year and the day of death, namely the sepulchral poem of Aulus Halus, an author — whether true or supposititious — long ago rejected by us, whom no one will easily explain, except one who twisted the verses themselves, perhaps Tamayo himself. Behold two distichs duly restored to their proper meters: "Thrice three the ninth the Kalends of Sextilis August often commemorate Era 458. Year 420. of the month, on which the Shepherd sought the lofty stars. Twice a hundred, the numbers being doubled, is the Era, [and] ten times five and eight in units added hence."
[2] whose Legend we have passed over. Nor indeed are the Acts embellished, as usual, by the same Tamayo pleasing. For since the people of Astorga themselves have nothing to recite about their holy Prelate in the Office except the lessons from the Common of a Pontiff and Confessor, it is sufficiently plain, I think, that no history of St. Dictinus exists there which merits any credit. You will doubtless agree with me if you inspect more closely the fountainhead whence those things chiefly flowed which the orator-Martyrologist Tamayo retails to us about him: namely Flavius Dexter in the Chronicle at the year 388, number 3, in these words, which Tamayo does not fear to allege: Some bishops of the Priscillianist faction take refuge with Ambrose, bishop of Milan, most closely joined to the Catholic bishops of Spain by a bond of faith and friendship, who, greatly grieving for their past life and their errors, strive by confession to return to the bosom of the Church. Among whom [was] Dictinus, then a priest, but afterward bishop of Astorga, Symphosius bishop in Galicia, and also several others. In which place Bivar, folio 413, number 3, heaps up several things in proof of this matter, etc. If it should please anyone to unroll a Legend woven from patchworks of this kind, let him go to the praised Tamayo; we think that by this specimen we have satisfied our duty. The chief thing is that we have here restored St. Dictinus to his due place among the Saints, whether he put off his mortality on this or on another day.