ON SAINT CLATEUS
BISHOP OF BRESCIA, MARTYR.
His cult, age, and martyrdom are explained.
I CENTURY.
CommentaryClateus, Martyr, Bishop of Brescia in Italy (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
Brescia, an Episcopal city of Lombardy, under Venetian dominion at the foot of the Rhaetian Alps, reckons very many Saints, partly Martyrs, partly Bishops or others; of whom we have thus far brought forth more than thirty, with a few again to be related this month: and we begin on this fourth day with the Roman Martyrology, in which the following is read: Memorial in the calendars, At Brescia, of St. Clateus, Bishop and Martyr, under the Emperor Nero. Peter Galesinius adds more in his Martyrology with these words: At Milan, of St. Clateus, Bishop and Martyr. This man, the second Bishop of Brescia, by the order of the Judge Anolinus, was beaten with cudgels by idolaters under the Emperor Nero, and at last subjected to slaughter, was crowned. These things are related with some words added in the Brescian Martyrology of Bernardinus Faynus, who also deals with him in the "Heaven of the Brescian Church," and to the Martyrology cites very many who have remembered him. In Ferrarius, in the Catalog of Saints of Italy, this small eulogy is found.
[2] Clateus, disciple of St. Anatalon, second Bishop of Milan, and ordained Bishop of Brescia by him, Eulogy by assiduous preachings converted to Christ the people of Brescia in great part, confirming his doctrine by the example of his life and by signs. But when he had appointed Viator in his place, he himself set out for Milan to visit Caius, Bishop of Milan, his fellow-disciple; and being there detained by order of the Prefect Anolinus, after many beatings, since he would not renounce Christ, was beheaded under the Emperor Nero, on the day before the Nones of June: whose body is preserved at Milan. John Francis Florentinius in the Chronological Index of the Brescian Prelates says it is the constant report that the sacred body of S. Clateus, though in an unknown place, still lies at Milan. The aforementioned Bishops Anatalon are venerated on the 25th of September, Viator on the 14th of December, and Caius on the 27th of September.
[3] About the Judge or Prefect Anolinus there is some scruple, Who was that Judge Anolinus? in that Anolinus, Prefect of the Praetorium, in the times of the Emperor Maximian raged at Milan, Verona, and neighboring places; as we have deduced at length on the 23rd of March, in the Acts of St. Proculus, Bishop of Verona: and in the Index or Idea of Roman History, by Andrew Schottus appended to the Annals of Stephen Pighius, around these times no Anolinian family or clan is found. But neither was everything written so accurately, that some families could not have been omitted — less celebrated in the first century of Christ, afterwards made more famous, which even gave Roman Consuls, as in the year 295 under Diocletian and Maximian there were Nummius Tuscus, and Annius Cornelius Anulinus: nor are the things said about the age of S. Clateus, fetched from so remote a distance, so certain to us, that he could not have suffered under Maximian, and have been first made a Martyr at the confines of the III and IV centuries; but was ascribed to Nero's persecution from a mere presumption of antiquity.
[4] Concerning this persecution we have treated in the old Catalogs of the Roman Pontiffs, Time of Martyrdom. in the preliminary Diatribe before the first tome of April, in the Eulogy of S. Peter no. 32; where we taught that it most properly began in the year 64, and in the following year the holy Apostles Peter and Paul were consecrated by martyrdom: about which time it would be fitting that S. Clateus also suffered, according to the Brescian tradition of the order of their Bishops, which we are unwilling to bring into controversy, supported by no more certain Chronology. Faynus in his manuscript annotations sent to us wonders that he, out of so many Saints, Bishops of this Church, is the only one who sealed his faith with his blood, made a Martyr; and the more is it to be desired, that such a palm be confirmed to him by more certain and ancient authorities. Brautius, Bishop of Sarzana, in his poetic Martyrology, silent about the Martyrdom, has these words:
He broke the statues, with Pastor Clateus commanding, And joyful Brescia gave its name to Christ.