Petronax

ON SAINT PETRONAX

ABBOT AND RESTORER OF MONTE CASSINO.

YEAR DCCLII

Petronax, Abbot and Restorer of Monte Cassino (S.)

By G. H.

The monastery of Monte Cassino, illustrious for its antiquity and for the magnitude of things done there, reveres S. Benedict as its founder, and acknowledges S. Petronax as its restorer. Toward the monastery of Cassino, destroyed by the Lombards, The Acts and miracles of S. Benedict we have largely set forth on the day of his birth XXI March, on which he ended this mortal life in the year DXLIII, on the day before the Lord's Passion. There succeeded in the rule of this monastery Constantine, Simplicius, Vitalis, Bonitus: under whose presidency when the said monastery was being despoiled by the Lombards, the monks fled to Rome, carrying with them the codex of the holy Rule, which B. Benedict had written, and certain other writings, also the weight of bread, the measure also of wine, and whatever furniture they could snatch up: and by the concession of Pope Pelagius, beside the Lateran Patriarchium, they constructed a monastery: as we have abridged from chapter 2 of book 1 of the Cassinese Chronicle written by Leo Marsicanus. This is Pelagius II, raised to the Supreme Pontificate in the month of November of the year DLXXVII, who died in February of the year DXC. Adds Leo, that the monastery of Cassino remained destroyed for one hundred thirty years: that is, from the year DXC up to the year DCCXX, when, witnessing Paul the Deacon and monk of Cassino, in book 6 *On the Deeds of the Lombards* chapter 39, Petronax sent Petronax, citizen of the Brescian city, pricked by divine love, came to Rome: and at the exhortation then of Gregory, the Pope of the Apostolic See, sought the fortress of Cassino: and reaching the sacred body of the blessed Father Benedict, there with some simple men, already before residing, began to dwell: who that same venerable man Petronax constituted as their Senior (that is, Abbot). by S. Gregory 2 Pope, So there. That this Pope was S. Gregory the second, we said on his Life on day XIII February § III. He administered the Roman Church from the year DCCXV to the year DCCXXXI. Under this Pontiff, about the year DCCXX, Petronax came to Cassino: for S. Willibald, afterwards Bishop of Eichstätt, as his Acts to be elucidated on July VII have it, coming to S. Benedict, that is, to the monastery of Cassino, found there a few monks and an Abbot, by name Petronax, with whom for ten years he remained: which having been completed he proceeded to Rome, with the supreme Pontiff Gregory III sitting, who had succeeded the said Gregory the second. But S. Willibald came around the year DCCXXIX or the following, as we have more broadly said on February VII on the Life of S. Richard the father §. 2, and on the Life of S. Gregory Pope the second under the end of §. 3. Further S. Willibald in the first year was Chamberlain of the church, restores a double monastery, and in the second was Dean in the monastery: and afterwards for eight years he was porter in that monastery, which stands above on a very high mountain, and four others he was in another monastery, which stands below by the river Raphito. Each monastery Leo describes broadly in book 1 chapter 31. Now the lower monastery does not exist.

[2] But what about the construction of these monasteries others have, let us inspect. Paul the Deacon in the chapter above indicated writes thus. This Petronax not after much time, with divine mercy cooperating, and the merits of the blessed Benedict the Father supporting, and now with almost a hundred and * ten years elapsed, since that place had been destitute of human habitation, with many monks there, noble and middling, gathering to him, was made Father, under the yoke of the holy Rule, and the institution of the blessed Benedict, and Abbot of many monks is constituted with restored dwellings he began to live, and he raised this holy convent to the state in which now it is seen. So Paul the Deacon: whose words, related above here, thus expounds Leo of Ostia in book 1 chapter 4. When however almighty God had decreed to restore the aforesaid monastery of B. Benedict by His most omnipotent compassion, and the cenobitical institution, which had taken its beginning thence, from the place of the same Father and through the circle of the orb to propagate; it happened by God's disposition, that Petronax, citizen of the Brescian city, a man very religious, inspired with divine love, came to Rome: whom the Most Reverend… Pope Gregory inspired from heaven admonished, that he should seek this fortress of Cassino; and the monastery of B. Benedict, which now for so many years had remained destroyed, by his zeal he should strive to restore. With him assenting, soon the same venerable Pontiff with him directed some of the Lateran Congregation Brothers, and other helps to him conferred. He therefore here to the holy body of B. Benedict reaching, both with those who had come with him, and also with some simple men, whom he found there from long ago residing, began to dwell in the year of the Lord seven hundred and twentieth: year 720. and by the same Brothers preferred as Abbot, with God cooperating and B. Benedict supporting by his merits, with becomingly constructed dwellings, and with the gathering of many Brothers there established, under the rule of holy doctrine he studied to live. Thus far Leo: into whose text some pretender but clearly inexpert, has inserted, that Pope Gregory was the third: which word with affixed marks, as against the mind of the author intruded, we have omitted: and this is most clearly proved from the year DCCXX appended: and the said word is missing in Paul the Deacon.

[3] with SS. Paldo, Taso and Tato helping, About other helpers of the construction these things adds the same Leo. Whom, namely Petronax, three certain noble men of Beneventum, Paldo and Taso and Tato, brothers german, who about fifteen years before the monastery of the holy Martyr of Christ Vincent, beside the source of the river Volturno, of their own expense to construct had begun, since they were powerful and rich, in the work itself both through themselves, and through their men up to the restoration of this place, very much helped. So there. The Life of these brothers wrote S. Autbert, there an Abbot almost contemporary, of whom Paul the Deacon makes mention. He relates moreover S. Paldo to have undertaken the rule of the convent in the year DCCVII, when already two years before the monastery seems to have begun to be constructed, so that there are fifteen or so years before the restored Cassino in the year DCCXX, in which S. Paldo died on October XI, on which day the said Acts will have to be elucidated. Him succeeded S. Taso, in the year DCCXXIX on day XI of January died; to whom the third brother S. Tato substituted, died on December XI of the year DCCXXXIX. We following Ferrarius, because we did not yet have the said Acts, referred Tato in place of Taso to January XI, which in the Supplement can be emended. About S. Petronax helped by these brothers the indicated Acts are silent, what otherwise Leo could have known. To the said relation these adds Leo: He augmented the church of B. Martin, which he found small, by almost sixteen cubits, and there making an apse in honor of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin and of the holy Martyrs Faustinus and Jovita, in it an altar he placed, in which also the arm of one of them, which he had brought with him from Brescia, becomingly deposited. The various Acts of these Martyrs we illustrated on day XV February.

[4] S. Petronax presided over the Cassinese convent under three Roman Pontiffs and these Holy ones, namely S. Gregory II, S. Gregory III, and S. Zacharias, who administered the church from the year DCCXLI and the beginning of December, and S. Zacharias Pope conferring various gifts up to the year DCCLII and day XV March, on which we adorned his Acts. The benefits conferred by him on the monastery thus describes in the place indicated Paul the Deacon: To this venerable man Petronax in the following time the chief of priests and beloved of God Pontiff Zacharias many helps conferred, namely the books of holy Scripture and also other things, which pertain to the utility of the monastery, moreover the Rule, which the blessed Father Benedict had written with his own holy hands, with paternal piety conceded. So Paul and from him Leo, who adds these: He also conferred the weight of a pound of bread, and the measure of wine, which once thence under the invasion of the Lombards, the monks fleeing carried with them to Rome. From this most holy Pope also the aforesaid Abbot the privilege first received, and exemption granting. that this monastery with all the cells pertaining to it, wherever in lands constructed, on account of the honor and reverence of the most holy Father Benedict, from the dominion of all Bishops should be free, so that under no jurisdiction it should lie, except only of the Roman Pontiff. So there, to which place most learned notes about the quality and origin of the spiritual jurisdiction of Cassino adds Angelus de Nuce, from Abbot of Cassino made afterwards Archbishop of Rossano in Calabria.

[5] Among the noble monks, whom above Paul the Deacon asserts gathered, There were under him as monks Carlemann, eminent was Carloman Duke of the Franks, brother of King Pepin, whom in the year DCCXLVII to retire to Cassino and become a monk, the Annals of Fulda have. There came also Ratchis King of the Lombards, who, witness Leo chapter 8 of the said book first, to this monastery of B. Benedict reaching, Ratchis with wife and daughter and under regular magisterium handing himself to be instructed, after sufficiently religious and pleasing to God conversation, there obtained the end of life… But his wife by name Tasia, and daughter Ratruda, with the aforesaid Abbot conceding and helping, a monastery of girls, not far from Cassino (here understand the river not the mountain) in the place which is called Plumbariola, of their own expense constructed; and enriched with many goods, there under great caution and severity of regular life living, they closed their last day. So there. To Cassino also, that they might more perfectly learn monastic discipline, betook themselves S. Willibald praised above, and S. Sturmius first Abbot of Fulda directed by S. Boniface to Cassino. SS. Willibald, Sturmius, Liudger and others. To whom add the somewhat later in time S. Liudger afterwards Bishop of Mimigardivord or Münster, who in the year DCCLXXXIV expelled from Frisia, to Rome and thence to the Confession of S. Benedict went for two years, as in the Commentary on his Life is explained on March XXVI. Cardinal Baronius, having followed Sigebert at the year DCCXVI, in num. VII having indicated the monastery of Cassino restored by Petronax, in num. VIII adds these. Wonderful to say, how great soon from the new planting of Petronax were propagated in that place shoots of monks, and were augmented their swarms like bees, which from swelling hives going forth, into diverse places to the multiplication of offspring flew: as by us on many Saints of this institution through this whole work of ours is to be said.

[6] At length concludes Leo chapter 8 of the said book first, that Petronax presided over this monastery for thirty-two years, S. Petronax having departed life in the year 752 died on the II Nones of May, and was buried in the porch beside the church of S. Martin. The said years if taken as completed, from the year DCCXX to the year DCCLII are to be counted. In which year still DCCLII Optatus,

Petronax's successor, by Pope Stephen II (who from day XXIX April of this year had taken up the Pontificate) to King Aistulph, after the seventh month from his ordination, was destined, but this notwithstanding, the death of Petronax can fall on this day VI of May of the year DCCLII. Inscribed in the fasti on May 6, His birthday celebrates Arnoldus Wion with these words: At Cassino of S. Petronax the Abbot, who restored magnificently the monastery of Cassino after its first overthrow, and propagated monastic observance. Following Wion are Dorganius, Menardus, Bucelinus in the Benedictine Fasti, Mabillon in the Acts of the Saints of the Order of S. Benedict, Marcus Antonius Scipio in the Eulogies of the Abbots of Cassino: Ferrarius in the general Catalogue, and is said to be venerated with ecclesiastical Office. all of whom honor him with the title of Saint: as also does Bernardinus Faynus in the Italian Life composed by him and sent to us, in which he testifies that S. Petronax on this VI May in the monastery of Cassino is venerated with ecclesiastical Office under the rite of double.

[7] The same Faynus takes the beginning of his narration from the ancient Petronian family at Brescia equally as at Rome, which in the Brescian field, about eighteen miles from the city, possessed and named from itself Petroniaca, in the Brescian field having built the monastery of S. Andrew commonly Pedergana: where Petronax received some monks from the dispersion of the Cassinese, bearing with them part of the sacred skull of S. Andrew, in whose honor he built them a monastery. All of which in the silence of ancient writers we prefer to leave undiscussed; since no conjectures are more uncertain, than those which taken from the affinity of names, presume to ascribe illustrious men to certain families, either once noble or now famous, and families to places, or these to those to assign.

[8] I would judge, if S. Petronax has the said monastery of S. Andrew as founder, it was founded by him, not before, but after the restored Cassino; and that I would judge even more likely, if it were proved, [and to have brought to Brescia a bone of S. Benedict and to have received for it one of S. Faustinus.] what relates the same Faynus, that Petronax in the year DCCXXXIX ran out to Brescia, at the invitation of S. Apollinaris the Bishop, and for a bone from the arm of S. Benedict, which he was bringing, and which enclosed in a silver arm of Lombard and most ancient work even now is preserved, and yearly on March XXI is proposed to be honored, in a certain chapel dedicated to the holy Cross of the Cathedral church; received, on day XIII September, a similar bone from the right arm of S. Faustinus. From this matter so distinct knowledge, which a most sincere man ought to have found in the monuments of the said church, even more would be confirmed, what the Cassinese pretend, that the faith concerning the presence of the holy body in Cassino at that time was not at all controversial among those who there at that time dwelt.

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