ON SAINT FORTUNATUS THE BISHOP,
RESTING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OF SENS IN GAUL.
ABOUT 575.
HISTORICAL COLLECTION.
On his cult, age, writings, Bishopric.
Fortunatus the Bishop, resting in the countryside of Sens in Gaul (Saint)
G. H.
Among the Archbishops of Bourges in first Aquitaine is numbered as the eighty-eighth Peter Cadoëtus, who sat from the year 1483 to the year 1492, and to him Jean Muneratus inscribed his Martyrology, Canon of Blessed Mary de Salis and Scholasticus of the Navarre college at Paris and Cope-bearer in the choir: and he first published it in the year 1490, reprinted afterward in the year 1521 and 1536. In this Martyrology the text of Usuard is published, The elogium from the Martyrology of the year 1490 with certain elogia of some other Saints added here and there. Thus, as pertains here, it has on the 5th of May these things: At Celles, of Saint Fortunatus the Bishop and Confessor; and more fully on this 18th of June with these words: In the territory of Sens at Celles, the deposition of Blessed Fortunatus the Bishop and Confessor. Who, a native of the city of Vercelli, and from the flower of his earliest age handed over to the skill of letters, a philosopher of the Lombards with shining zeal: but then, known by Blessed Germanus, Bishop of Paris, he made manifest without doubt to the whole circuit of the world the Life of Saint Marcellus, Prelate of the aforesaid city. But after a little time, with Saint Germanus being sick, the fasting being fervent, admonished by an Angelic visitation, desiring also with the fervor of contemplation to go to Paris, and so about the twentieth mile from the city, touched by the name of God, he rested in peace. Thus there, in rather confused phrasing, which however Molanus described plainly the same on both days in the Additions to Usuard of the first edition of the year 1568, but in the second and third edition some things about his journey to the sick Germanus, and about his death, were omitted. Canisius in the German Martyrology contracted these things from it: In the territory of Sens at Celles, the deposition of Saint Fortunatus the Bishop, born at Vercelli, and others. who, illustrious as much in life as in doctrine, rested in peace about the twentieth milestone from the city of Paris. His memory is celebrated in the manuscript of Saint Riquier, and in Grevenus in the Auctarium of Usuard, and in Ferrarius in the general Catalogue.
[2] Saussay in the Supplement composed for him this elogium on the 18th not of June, but of June [sic]: In the territory of Sens, of Saint Fortunatus the Bishop, who, a contemporary of Saint Germanus Bishop of Paris, and most dear to him on account of the affinity of their sanctity, when he was going to visit him while sick at Celles, twenty Gallic miles distant from the royal city, himself anticipated by the divine summons, the mass of the flesh being put off, sent his soul, relying on its merits, purely to the most desired tabernacles of heaven. Thus Saussay, who—would that, as he could on account of the nearness of the place, he had applied a further inquiry concerning the site of the place, the Burial, Relics, patronage, and veneration such as they still have at this time.
[3] Thus far our Henschen, which things, when Claude Castellan, Canon of Paris, often praised by us elsewhere for his diligence, had read in his manuscript, he thus added in his own hand. Between Melun and Moret on the Fastum-Yonne is a place called Celles, commonly a great Parish; and one mile toward Melun is Vernou, and there a Church of Saint Fortunatus; formerly of Saints Felix and Felicissimus, who suffered there on the 12th of May in the year 287: but on the occasion of the relics of Saint Fortunatus, it changed its name. At half a mile is another Church of Saint Fortunatus with a spring: and near it a little hamlet called Celle, distinct from the aforesaid Celles. In four manuscript Martyrologies of the greater Church of Paris, in one of which Martyrologies, a most ancient one, he is called of Vercelli, writer of the life of Saint Marcellus, and friend of Saint Germanus; and in the same four on the 5th of May there is likewise the memory of Saint Fortunatus.
[4] The time of his life is gathered from the age of Saint Germanus; who was made Bishop of Paris about the year 530, died in the year 576, on the 28th of May, on which day we gave his Acts illustrated. Therefore Saint Fortunatus, if he laid aside the mortal life on this 18th of June, it must have happened before the year 576. If however he died on the 5th of May, The place and time of death, when we showed that he is referred by several among the Omitted, he could have migrated to Christ in the same year as Saint Germanus: since the Lombards had already begun to have their dominion in Italy from the year 568. But of what place he was Bishop is not sufficiently clear. Ferdinando Ughelli, in volume 2 of the Italia Sacra, names one of Forum Pompilii in Flaminia, distant rather far from Vercelli, who sat in the 6th century, and seems more nearly referable here. For although he says he died in the year 600, yet he could have defined that only by mere conjecture; inasmuch as he has none whom he might name after Azellus, present in the year 500 at a Roman Synod; and Mailocus, recognized from the records of that Church for the year 622. It is however difficult to establish anything certain from the name alone, which at the same time could have been common to several Bishops of whom the notice fails us. Distinct from him is another Saint Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers. That Claude Robert in the Gallia Christiana thought he was Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, the reckoning of time forbids: because that Fortunatus, while still a Presbyter, wrote the Life of Saint Germanus, Bishop of Paris,
before whom Fortunatus is now established from what has been said to have rested in peace. The Fortunatus of Poitiers is venerated on the 14th of December. To which of these the Life of Saint Marcellus, Bishop of Paris, is to be attributed, can be more accurately examined on the Kalends of November.