Venerius

ON SAINT VENERIUS

BISHOP OF MILAN IN INSUBRIA.

A.D. CCCCIX

Venerius, Bishop of Milan in Insubria (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

They celebrate on this day IV of MAY the sacred memory of S. Venerius Bishop of Milan the Tables of the present Roman Martyrology, Sacred cult. to whom a solemn office on the same day is prescribed in the Ambrosian Breviary, by command of S. Charles Cardinal Archbishop of Milan edited. In the Life of S. Ambrose, by Paulinus the Presbyter this man's secretary written, these things about S. Venerius are handed down. About the same time, when in the extreme part of the portico, Under S. Ambrose a Deacon, in which lay sick S. Ambrose, in the lowest placed Castus, Polemius, Venerius and Felix then Deacons among themselves treated, with voice so repressed, that scarcely each other they heard, Who after the death of him Bishop ought to be ordained; and when about the name of holy Simplicianus they spoke, as if he were present to the discussion, when far placed from them he lay, approving he cried out thrice: An old man, but good. For Simplicianus was in age more mature. By which voice heard being terrified, they fled. The same dead however no other to him succeeded in the Priesthood, in the Episcopate succeeds S. Simplicianus, in the year 400. except him whom that good old man with a triple voice had marked. To which Simplicianus Venerius, whom above we have remembered, the successor was. Felix indeed even now the Bologna rules Church. But Castus and Polemius, nourished by Ambrose, of a good tree good fruits, in the Church of Milan of the Deaconship discharge the Office. These things Paulinus an eye- witness. Is venerated the remembered Felix Bishop of Bologna on the day IV of December, and S. Ambrose on the day of his ordination VII of the same December. Died he the day before Easter of the year CCCXCVIII, as in a singular exercitation before the volume first of April we proved, to whom then succeeded S. Simplicianus, in the third year of his See dead, on the XVI of August of the year CCCC, and to him substituted S. Venerius, soon indicated his ordination to S. Paulinus Bishop of Nola, and that he indicates to S. Paulinus of Nola as this man writes to S. Delphinus Bishop of Bordeaux in epistle 16 with these words: The Milanese also Bishop new, your son hitherto, now brother, Venerius already had written to us after his ordination: but because also this Cardamas to have commanded thee he reported, we wrote to him through him himself that he might know prepared to be the opportunity, if he wished the office of due piety to recognize, that to thy beatitude he should write and commend to the breast of thee his beginnings. These things there. Are venerated moreover S. Paulinus on June XXII, and S. Delphinus on December XXIV.

[2] There was then the Supreme of the Roman Church Pontiff S. Anastasius I, created in the year CCCXCVIII, having died in the year CCCCII on April XXVII, on which day his Acts we gave: in which a notable is made mention of S. Venerius, on account of an epistle of his to this man given, which hitherto not we know to exist: whose nevertheless mentions S. Anastasius in the Epistle to John Bishop of Jerusalem, in which he detests the translation of Origen by Rufinus made and among other things has these: Far be it from the Roman Church this by no means Catholic discipline. Never assuredly will it come about that any by this we admit reasoning, which by right and deservedly we condemn. Wherefore in the whole world of Christ our God the diffused providence will deign to prove, to receive us altogether not to be able, those things which the Church spot, he is admonished by S. Anastasius about the perverse translation of Origen: approved manners overturn, the ears of bystanders wound, quarrels, wraths and dissensions dispose. Wherefore know what kind of epistle, to the brother and Co-bishop our Venerius with a more diligent care written out, our littleness has transmitted: and to thee this conscience I have made, that not by superfluous of labors dread nor by vain fear I am solicitous. To me certainly care will not be wanting the Gospel's faith about my to guard peoples, and the parts of my people through whatever spaces diverse of lands diffused as much as I can by letters to meet: lest any of profane interpretation origin creep in, which devout minds sent in by its gloom to shake may strive. These things S. Anastasius the Pope, implored as much as we gather, especially S. Venerius's helping hand, in the said Rufinus's translation to be eliminated: and that by S. Venerius performed to have been we gather from the Apology of S. Jerome against Rufinus book 2, where number 6 thus this man he addresses: I beg thee, friend dearest, that in Ecclesiastical treatises, where of the truth of dogmas is inquired, and of the salvation of our souls of the elders is demanded the authority, of this kind dotages thou dismiss, and of lunches and suppers fables for an argument hold not of truth … Who are those, who in the Church to dispute more widely are wont, who books to write, who wholly of Origen speak and write, who while their own thefts they wish not to be known and ungrateful are toward the master, therefore the simple from his reading deter, namely thou oughtest to say, and the very men to denote. Therefore the blessed Bishops Anastasius, and Theophilus, and Venerius, and Chromatius, and every as much of the East as of the West of the Catholics Synod, since with equal sentence, since with equal also spirit, him a heretic denounce to the peoples, and for that condemned he is praised by S. Jerome: thieves of his books to be judged are; and when in the Churches they preach, not of the Scriptures the mysteries, but Origen's thefts they commemorate? Is it not enough for thee everywhere against all detraction &c. Of the aforesaid Theophilus is Bishop of Alexandria, who with S. Jerome agreed against the Origenists: the other indeed S. Chromatius Bishop of Aquileia, an intimate of S. Jerome's friend, who is venerated on the second of December.

[3] There was held in the year CCCCI in the month of June a Provincial Synod in the metropolis of Africa Carthage, in which a legation is destined to SS. Anastasius and Venerius, and so in the words of Aurelius Bishop of Carthage is indicated: After the Consulate of Flavius Stilicho a most illustrious man, on the XIV Kalends of July, The Carthaginian Synod's Legation he undertakes, at Carthage in the secretarium of the basilica Restituta, when Aurelius the Bishop together with his Bishops had sat down, the Deacons standing by Aurelius the Bishop said: Of the Churches of God through Africa constituted the necessities with me very well knows the charity of you, most holy Brothers. And because the Lord granted, that from some part of your holy assembly was gathered the presence, it seems to me that these same necessities, which for our solicitude to investigate we could, into the midst we should bring forth. Which when shall have approved your sincerity, let it be consequent, to be chosen one from our number a Fellow-priest, who, the Lord aiding and your prayers and these same necessities to undertake may be able, and energetically to be performed to fulfill, about to go on to the transmarine Italy's parts, that to so holy Brothers and Fellow-priests our, the venerable holy Brother Anastasius of the Apostolic See the Bishop, and also the holy Brother Venerius Priest of the Milanese Church, the necessity itself and grief and want our thou mayest be able to intimate (from these indeed Sees this had been prohibited) that they may know by common peril to be provided, that Clerics he should send, he is asked: most of all because so great indigence of Clerics there is, and many Churches so deserted are, that not even one Deacon or unlettered to have are found. These and other things there. Baronius on the said year CCCCI number VII S. Venerius to have favored the vows of the African Bishops from this esteems, that Paulinus the author of the Life of S. Ambrose into Africa sent away, to have sat at Carthage with Fortunatus

the Deacon testifies he himself in the Epilogue, and from the petition of S. Augustine to have written himself the deeds of S. Ambrose he confirms in the Prologue.

[4] S. Anastasius dead the Roman Pontiff succeeded Innocent I in the year CCCCII, under whose Pontificate departed S. Venerius in the year CCCCIX. Meanwhile with this Pontiff very much he labored, that S. John Chrysostom driven into exile, to his See of Constantinople should be sent back. That business is known from the epistle of the same Chrysostom to S. Venerius written, and by Baronius at the year CCCCV number XVI edited under this title: Of our holy Father John Archbishop of Constantinople Chrysostom the epistle to Venerius Bishop of Milan. And this is the Epistle. Your brave and virile mind, and likewise both of the truth to be vindicated the confidence and to be preached the freedom, he receives from S. Chrysostom in exile an epistle although even before all had known; made nevertheless the condition of the times, that itself also should appear the highest fraternal benevolence and charity and piety, and frequent commiseration, and diligent finally management your of the Churches. Doubtless as either at sea a pilot, who is the best, great tempests; or in bodies the most skilled physician, the most difficult diseases show; so who to the study of piety his whole life shall have prepared, and who in mind's greatness excels, easily of things declare the asperities and of the times. Which surely when has happened now to you, on account of the charity exhibited. then indeed on your part well all directed, nor anything omitted. But since the men, who these both produce perturbations and have produced, to that have come of depravity, that not only not to have done with the prior, but to strive even with them they try; I admonish you and exhort all, that promptly a mind most strong you apply, nor that to be dissolved so much zeal you suffer: nay intend more, even if a thousand happen difficulties. For who with sweats and hardships more some great thing and of a generous man worthy shall have undergone, greater they rewards shall obtain, than who easily and with no trouble the same shall have accomplished. Since each one, which Blessed, says Paul, only of reward shall receive, as much as of labor he shall have drained out. Wherefore by no means let that long-lasting fatigue to you a cause afford of despairing, but rather the very honor let it excite. For the heavier to the temptation is the accession, the greater will be to the crowns the adjunction, and shall flow more abundantly to you the due of contests rewards of honorable ones.

[5] Thus far S. John Chrysostom's epistle to S. Venerius. In the Lesson third, with others fourth and fifth, which at Matins from the year MDLXXXII in the Church and diocese of Milan are read, these are had: His of virtues name great everywhere was, even to that point, that both of the Carthaginian Synod the Fathers to him Legates sent, he dies illustrious with miracles. and S. John Chrysostom letters in Greek written gave, by which his divine charity and other pastoral ornaments attested he makes. To the study moreover of piety especially a Pastor learned, nothing in those turbulent times he omitted to the diligent of the Church to him committed to be guarded and religiously to be governed reason. Which when years many he had administered, at length of miracles and sanctity by glory illustrious he fell asleep in the Lord, on the fourth Nones of May. His body in the basilica of the Apostles buried S. Charles the Cardinal Archbishop, a frequent of Bishops provincial assembly, in the same basilica, which with a more illustrious work to be restored he had taken care, with solemn supplications piously laid. These things there. Some of his Relics to be preserved at Bologna in the church of the Society of Jesus at S. Lucy, testifies Masini in Bologna surveyed: he is translated by S. Charles. but of these asked in the year MDCLXXVI R. P. Alexander Zampi, there the Rector, answered after a most exact inquiry and discussion of the single Relics with which that College is fortified, nothing himself to have been able to find which the name of S. Venerius bears, and so either to have erred Masini, or so minute to have been the particle, that into oblivion to come it could.

[6] Of the same S. Venerius Ennodius of Pavia composed this epigram. by Ennodius he is praised, A form of modesty the youth to be followed to Venerius came, to its names nothing serving. The strong members were withering under the aged judge, Age the present boy had lost. Sublime after he ascended the supports of the Chair, Hoary the tender man to the peoples dogmas expounded. Golden flowed the genealogies of his rich tongue, The sun of life rendered shining the eloquence. As the womb of the Church had swelled with the seed of the word, Not wanting was the pasture of Apostolic milk.