Pacificus

ON BLESSED PACIFICUS,

OF THE ORDER OF MINORS, AT CERANO AMONG THE INSUBRES.

Notice of his Life and Cult from various.

A. 1482.

Pacificus, of the Order of Minors, of Cerano among the Insubres (B.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

Charles of the Basilica of Peter, Bishop of Novara, in book one of his "Novara," treating of the places of the diocese, page 56 writes these things: "Ceredanum, commonly Cerano, By him the Summa of Cases was written. a village nearer to the Ticino (distant from Novara to the East about five thousand paces), seems to surpass others in pleasantness: but more does it surpass for the blessed man Pacificus, whom it produced, and whose body it holds. He is said to have been born of the family Ramota of this village. He was of the Franciscan Order, distinguished in learning and sanctity. He composed a book in the year 1473, of Sixtus the Pontiff the 2nd year, on Cases, which they call of conscience, which from his name was called the Pacific Summa, and now printed is read. Of him, as Preacher of the word of God and Apostolic Commissary in the Pontifical indiction, which was called the Crusade, promulgated against the Turks who had occupied some shores of Italy, we read certain letters granted to the Ceredanenses in the year 1481, on the 9th day of September. His body, with limbs joined, is touched, clothed with the garment of the order: On the altar the body and by ancient custom on account of the fame of holiness is kept on the altar of a chapel, which is adjoined to the major church on the south: where with the prayers, vows, and offerings of the faithful he is venerated as Blessed: especially on the day after the Nones of June: on which day a great multitude convenes at Cerano for the sake of venerating and seeing the body. The head is missing however, which is kept on the altar of the major Church: and a finger of the right hand, which is said to be at Mortara: and head: the left arm also, which is reported to be kept in Sardinia, where the blessed man passed his day; and from where the Ceredanenses once took care to translate the body, as a paternal solace and protection. In which place they soon founded a hostel of his Order." These things the said Bishop published in the year 1612.

[2] Luke Wadding, in the book of Writers of the Order of Minors, He was in 1481 Commissary of Sardinia, asserts that Pacificus's Summa of cases of conscience was published at Venice with the Guerra brothers in the year 1574, and 1580 with Joannes Baptista Sommascus, which Francis the Carmelite of Treviso rendered in Italian. Wadding in the Annals of Minors tome 7 on the year 1481 no. 7: "In the Roman curia," he says, "Commissaries were instituted… of Sardinia, Pacificus of Novara or rather of Cerano, of whom we shall speak below." And then on the year 1482 no. 71, "There died," he says, "this year in Sardinia (not in Corsica as Marcus has, nor did he there write the Pacific Summa, where he lived only one year) Pacificus of Novara, and there in 1482 he died. or rather of Cerano, whom we have said last year was destined there as Commissary. That he died this year is established to me from an old Register of the Observants, in which is noted, that the Vicar general at Florence on the 14th of June this very year instituted as Commissary of Sardinia Michael of Acqui, the most celebrated preacher, on account, he says, of the death of Pacificus of Novara."

[3] arm at Mortara. The same Wadding, when on the year 1476 no. 56 he had treated of the Convent at Vigevano erected, in the following number treats of two hospices subject to it, the Ceredanensian and Gumhalensian: and in the first, he says, "is buried B. Pacificus, born of that town, but dead on the island of Sardinia, and to Cerano by stealth in the little bundles of merchants, at the expense of the townsmen translated. They err who affirm him to have died in his fatherland. While those who were carrying him were passing through Mortara, he raised his arm, which at last the Mortara Clarisses obtained, and they have it in great veneration. The head, separated from the rest of the body, is honorably kept in the parish church of Cerano. Often arose contention between the Brothers and the townsmen about the showing of the body: for the Brothers ceded the hospice and adjoined chapel, under whose altar Pacificus lies, to the Confraternities of the Body of Christ near the cemetery of the parish church, on this condition, Body under 2 locks. that for the Brothers a house and church in a more convenient place be built. Which the Confraternities promised, they fulfilled: but they refused to return the body. At length it was agreed that it should be closed with two locks, and that the Brothers should have the first key, as legitimate possessors; the Confraternities the second, as guardians, and finally that at Cerano a monastery should be built for the Brothers." Thus Wadding, and after him Francis Harold on the year 1482 no. 14: "But the left arm," he says, "some report was left in Sardinia, others given to the Sisters of S. Clare at Mortara."

[4] Philip Ferrarius in the general Catalog on this 4th of June: "At Cerano in the territory of Novara, Memorial in the calendars on June 4. of Blessed Pacificus Confessor of the Order of Minors," and in the Notes cites monuments of the place and the Chronicle of Minors, and Charles Bishop of Novara, in which indeed he is said to be venerated on the day after the Nones of June; but others seem to have thought, that this was written by some error, and that much better it would be if it were read, "on the day before the Nones of June," since the other day used to be called the eighth Ides of June. Also on the 4th day of June, the same Arthur of the Monastery inscribed him in the Franciscan Martyrology, where in the Notes he is called "a fervid preacher, and in winning souls powerful by word and deed: conspicuous in exemplary life and holy works, and in the observance of his institute."