Gerontius

ON SAINT GERONTIUS

ARCHBISHOP OF MILAN.

Century V

Gerontius, Bishop of Milan (S.)

By the Author G. H.

The Milanese pursue with Ecclesiastical cult on this day V May S. Gerontius their Archbishop: the ancient Missals prescribe him, such as we have printed in the year MDXXII and MDLX, and the Breviaries of the year MDXXXIX, and others later by order of S. Charles the Cardinal Archbishop edited: sacred cult. in which for the third Lesson this encomium of his Life is given: The greatest virtues of Geruntius the Bishop, with examples and other manners, but especially shone forth on account of the violence of the barbarians, who under King Odoacer entering Italy, were most miserably and most savagely depopulating. By those immense peoples not only all Ecclesiastical discipline was corrupted and dissolved, but also the most beautiful works of the city were ravaged, the city itself was almost destroyed from the foundations. Which when by the barbarians were being done, Geruntius always most sharply opposed. Who as by his prudence and humility he had refused that office, so taking it up most constantly bore it, nor did he ever succumb to any perversity of times or of men. When he had most holily fallen in death, he was buried in the basilica of S. Simplicianus. Thus there: and is the fourth Lesson for the use of those, who in that city and diocese use the Roman rite: to whom the rest of the Office from the Common of Pontiffs and Confessors is prescribed to be taken under double rite. Of the same S. Gerontius the sacred memory is recalled in the Tables of the present-day Roman Martyrology, and in Galesinius, Ferrarius in the Catalog of the Saints of Italy, and other writers of Milanese affairs.

[2] On the time of his See it is not agreed among the authors. In the Catalog of Archbishops, Time of the See, among the more recent uncertain, edited among the diocesan Synodal Acts of the Milanese Church held by S. Charles, this encomium is brought forth: S. Gerontius, citizen of Milan, with Simplicius the Pontiff, on VII Kalends of January unwilling created Archbishop, with great humility took up that office, and in the most strait times of Insubria most holily bore it for VI years. He died in the Lord on III Nones of May, was buried in the basilica of S. Simplicianus. Thus there. The Acts of S. Pope Simplicius we illustrated on day 2 March, and we showed that he sat from the year CCCCLXVII up to the year CCCCLXXXIII, but in which of these years S. Gerontius presided over the Milanese Church, hence is not established. Ferdinand Ughellus in the Archbishops of Milan with others establishes that he presided from day XXVI of December of the year CCCCLXVI up to CCCCLXXII: but so before the times of the kingdom of Odoacer in Italy he would have departed from life: and therefore what about him here is transmitted, are transferred by Ughellus

to S. Benignus the successor, whose Acts are to be given XX November. But Odoacer reigned, after his irruption into Italy, from the year CCCCLXXVI up to the year CCCCXCIII. Ferrarius from the deduction of times in the preceding Bishops, but not solidly enough, says, that S. Gerontius administered the Episcopate from the year CCCCLXXIII up to the year CCCCLXXIX, and so in the third year of the reign of Odoacer in Italy he would have departed from life.

[3] So great a discrepancy of authors regarding the chronology of the Milanese Bishops, here and elsewhere generally noted, has caused, that having before us a copy of an ancient Catalog from three parts of various ages collected about six hundred years ago, we have judged the whole should be examined first and illustrated, before we could establish anything certain about the individuals. from an old Ms. catalog more certainly defined. In the first part of this, less accurate indeed than the rest, and less certain, yet of great account on account of the prerogative of age, as one which can be reckoned to have been compiled before the end of the VI century; in the first, I say, part of the Catalog we read thus: Geruntius, sat six years, deposed VII May: and we have said it seems to us originally to have been written dep. v. m. Maji, that is, V of the month of May: then to constitute certain limits to the six-year Episcopate of S. Geruntius, we have not found a more certain foundation, than in the beginning of Lawrence, the fourth Bishop after him, which beginning could not be had before the year CCCCXCIX. Hence however ascending upward to Geruntius, through the spaces attributed to the three intermediates, we come to the year CCCCLXXVIII, in which Geruntius would have died, ordained about the beginning of the year CCCCLXXII. In Geruntius's predecessor Eusebius this one we have certain, that his beginning cannot be put off beyond the year CCCCLI, when already as Bishop he wrote an Epistle to S. Pope Leo: but because the duration of his See cannot be sufficiently certainly defined, on account of the error in the number of years attributed to him or to some of the antecessors; therefore we judge the age of Geruntius rather to be measured from the age of his successors.

[4] Relics of others translated, Joseph Ripamontius decade I of Histories of the Milanese Church book 7 asserts that by S. Gerontius in the basilica of S. Simplicianus, in which he himself was buried, were placed Marolus, Glycerius, Lazarus, when before they had a more obscure tomb. The Acts of S. Lazarus we have given XI February, and S. Marolus XXIII April, and S. Glycerius will have to be given XX September. The aforementioned Ughellus before adds; that some judge, from the noble race of Basilicapetri of Milan, in every memory most fertile of excellent men, Gerontius had origin; according to others from the most noble Burrea family: which gratuitously presumed, since by no solid authority on either side it is proved, so it does not deserve to be laboriously refuted. About the same Gerontius the following verses Ennodius the Bishop of Pavia composed.

When for the Church the chair was acquired for you, Geruntius, Encomium of Ennodius.

The dying predecessor did not fear his funeral.

With you repairing it returns, the pale lot suffers death,

He lives after death by the price of his disciple.

Joined with the farmers you cultivated the seeds of Life,

Nor did the serpent's tares bear glad food.

Who gave in the midst, to whom the best law commands sustenance:

With earthly fruits he buys heaven.

You pressed down the error of mind by the law of labors;

Not suffering leisure, you are borne by virtues.

[5] In the church of S. Simplicianus are reported to be preserved five sacred bodies of Milanese Archbishops, namely SS. Simplicianus, Benignus, Antoninus, translation in the year 1582 Gerontius and Ampelius; likewise S. Vigilius Bishop of Trent, and SS. Sisinnius, Martyrius, and Alexander Martyrs, whose Acts of passion we give XXIX May. The bodies of all these with most solemn procession by S. Charles Borromeo to have been translated, in the year MDLXXXII in the month of June, Morigius transmits in the Sanctuary of Milan page 153.