ON SAINT INNOCENTIUS
AFRICAN BISHOP AT GAETA IN ITALY.
4TH CENTURY.
PrefacePlacidus or Placitus, Presbyter, at Autun in Gaul (S.)
D. P.
Gaeta, in lateral Latium and the Formian gulf, a most ancient and Episcopal city is: which at this time annexed to the kingdom of Naples, reveres the Catholic King of the Spains as its Prince: by whose help and most strongly fortified citadel, it has been rendered impregnable. In the Cathedral church there rest various bodies of Saints: At Gaeta with other bodies of Saints is the body of S. Innocentius namely of Erasmus, the Patron of this city, whose feast is celebrated on the second day of June; of Marcianus, Bishop and Martyr, to be referred to the XIV day of the same June; of Castus and Secundinus, whose birthday falls on the Kalends of July; of Probus Bishop and Martyr, to be commemorated on VI of October; and to this month of May to be recalled pertain, S. Innocentius on this VII day, Euperia Virgin and Martyr on the day XVII, and Albina, likewise Virgin and Martyr, on the day XXVI: of all of whom the bodies rest there, and solemn cultus. and the feasts are performed with solemn rite, testifies Ferdinandus Ughellus in volume 1 of Italia sacra in the Gaetan Bishops. We, about to treat of each in his own time, from by the procurement of P. Antonius Beatillus of the Society of Jesus, most loving of our studies, to whom for promoting them he liberally communicated the treasure collected by himself concerning the Saints of the kingdom of Naples. Some compendium of it, but the fabulous things, as he says, being rejected, Ferrarius published in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy; and subjoined this Annotation: This history of S. Innocentius needs the accurate censure of some learned man, who all things being diligently inspected, the time in which the man was among men should bring forth, what Galilaea city, and what Justiniana is (for three cities of this name are read) should explain. Thus he. But, whence does he think the compendium of the Life published by himself can obtain among learned men some specimen of verisimilitude, when the very history, from which that compendium is taken, he asserts to be fabulous? Before therefore we pronounce anything concerning it itself, how it is here set forth? of what kind it seems to us, it pleases us here to set forth its context, under the title of an apocryphal Life; inasmuch as it contains many obscure things, some even foreign to verisimilitude: then indeed our conjectures for illustrating it, and for correcting it censures we shall set forth, leaving the entire judgment of the whole matter to the Reader. It itself stands thus.
APOCRYPHAL LIFE
From the MS. Legendary of the church of Gaeta.
Placidus or Placitus, Presbyter, at Autun in Gaul (S.)
BHL Number: 4279
FROM A MS.
[1] In those days there was a persecution of the Christians: and when Blessed Innocentius had been born in the city of Galilaea, [He is said at five years old to have been carried away by an Angel from his parents] being made five years old in the middle of the night he was carried away by an Angel from the side of his mother, and led to the Holy Forty, at the thirtieth milestone from his parents. Then his mother being awakened, did not find her son at her side: and says to her husband Adrianus: Woe to us! how has our son been carried away from our side? what profit will it be for us to be in this city? Our first fruit has been taken from us: let us go out of this city, and let us change to another Province. Going out the gate of the city of Galilaea, they came to the city of Justiniana in the land of Africa, searching through all places, seeking B. Innocentius their son, and at the same time sending forth B. Memoratianus… seeking B. Innocentius.
[2] grown up, returned to his fatherland, But Blessed Innocentius, when he had remained in the place to which he had been carried by the Angel, for twenty-two years, and had been made already twenty-seven years old; there was given to him grace from God of wisdom and understanding, and remembering his parents, he said within himself: Who are my parents, or whose mother's milk did I drink, or how into this place I was brought I know not. But remembering the Psalm in the place where it says, "they that go down to the sea in ships, in the many waters, to do their work": he went up into a little ship, and returned to the city of Galilaea, seeking his parents. Ps. 100, 2. And confessing himself to be a Christian, he was led to a certain Proconsul, by name Anolinus, who in those very days was holding S. Crispina the Martyr in chains, before the Proconsul having professed the faith of Christ and afflicting her. And when he had heard B. Innocentius, and had recognized him to be a Christian, he began to interrogate him with words saying: Whence do you come? or whither do you go? or whom do you seek? To whom B. Innocentius answered: The parents whom I have, are not earthly: yet nevertheless my father and mother, who carnally begot me, how I was carried away from them, or where they are, I know not: wherefore I go to seek them, and where I should seek, I know not; and if I do not find them, it suffices to have Christ, whom I confess, daily with me. At which word Anolinus the Proconsul was angered, and wished to terrify him.
[3] in the city Justiniana of Africa ordained Deacon then Bishop. Which B. Innocentius recognizing, struck with fear, that same night going up into the little ship in which he had come, came into the Province of Africa into the city which is called Justiniana: where he found his parents. And he remained in the same city, where there was given to him grace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and he was made a Deacon, in which habit he was for seven years. Afterward when he had been made a Bishop, he was in the order of the Episcopate for another seven years.
[4] [to have come to the island Aenaria, then the Cave and about to sail to Terracina,] Then indeed he came into the Province of Italy, into the island which is called Aenaria, set in the parts of Campania, at the eighteenth milestone from the city of Naples, in which place there were dwelling certain handmaids of God, nuns; who received him with great joy into their monastery, and there he remained for seven days. And going out from that island, coming into the place which is called the cave, where he found B. Memoratianus his Deacon, who had already gone before him with all his family, and they rejoiced greatly; and entering the little ship they wished to go to the city of Terracina, at about the thirteenth milestone from the Cave. And when he had already drawn near to Terracina, driven by the wind to Capratia: suddenly there was given a strong wind, and it began to weary them; so that the oars in their hands were broken, and the wind cast them into a place which is called Capratia: in which place they remained fifteen days.
[5] Hearing these things one Severianus by name, who held the first place in the city of Terracina, coming to seize them, commanded his Notary, that he should take seven pairs of oxen and go to B. Innocentius, and under all custody with all his family and possessions, should carry them off into the city of Terracina. Whom when B. Innocentius had seen so armed coming to him; he said to Blessed Memoratianus: Those servants come to seize us, says to him Blessed Memoratianus: And I already see, but pray, a prayer being poured forth to God my Lord, in Christ's name, that against us they do not do what they wish. But Blessed Innocentius
bending his knees began to pray saying: Lord God, Father almighty of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You forever and ever, whom You deigned through the Prophets to announce to us as about to come, that He might free us by His passion from the region of the shadow of death, and redeem us from the snares of our enemies, hear me Your servant, in this hour: that those men, who come to us for the harming of Your servants, may not be permitted to work anything against us, through our Lord. And when he had finished the prayer, to have driven them far away, the Notary drew near with the soldiers, and seven pairs of oxen. But when they had laid hold of B. Innocentius, suddenly there was given a bellowing of all those oxen, and they expired all. But terrified, those who had come, with great fear and put to flight, returned to the city of Terracina, reporting to Severianus all things which had befallen them, and how their oxen had expired. But such a fear and trembling was given them; that no longer did Severianus presume to send word to B. Innocentius, except only by asking that he would pray for him. But Blessed Innocentius in that hour, in which he was surrounded by the soldiers, before the fear was shown in them, lifted his eyes to heaven, saying: As with grace I could not enter this city of Terracina, but they received me as an enemy; I ask, that whoever shall be born in it, that man may not there prevail.
[6] to have healed a one-eyed and maimed man, But afterward, while still B. Innocentius was tarrying in the aforesaid place Capratia, there was there a certain poor man from his birth needy of food, whose name was Secundus: who had one eye injured, and one hand and one foot withered: who in no wise found food, nor was there any other means at hand, except one pair of unblemished young oxen. To whom appeared an Angel of the Lord in sleep, saying: Take the young oxen, and go to B. Innocentius: and what shall be commanded you by him, do. Rising in the morning that man walked to B. Innocentius, and told him what he had seen in his sleep. To whom B. Innocentius said: Do what you have been bidden, and come to us. To whom that man says: Lord, I wish to take the young oxen, but I am in no way able, because they have neither received a band on the head, nor a yoke on the neck. To whom B. Innocentius said: Go in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to have tamed untamed oxen. whose servant I am: take these cows safely, and they will do no trouble to you. That withered man went off, and with such gentleness laid hold of them, as if days and nights they had stood in the rope, which previously not even ten men could bring to their home. Which when he had laid hold of, putting the yoke upon them, he leads them to the sea to B. Innocentius. Who when he had seen him, said: God and our Lord Jesus Christ recompense you for us, and may you be made whole; that you who in your infancy had it ill, now may receive it well. And the vehicle being joined he placed upon them what things were necessary, and went off to the place which he desired, that is from the bottom to the Palm, about eight hundred paces more or less. That man returning with prayer to his home, found all the vessels full of wheat, oil, and wine, to whom from that very day was restored health in eye, hand, and foot: and so much did God minister to him through the prayer of Blessed Innocentius, that until his death he had not anything the less.
[7] he dies May 7 But Blessed Innocentius rested in the same place with his Deacon Memoratianus, on the seventh day of the month of May, where the Lord showed wonders through them. But after much time the body of B. Innocentius was translated by the citizens of Gaeta into the city of Gaeta, translated to Gaeta he shines with miracles. and with hymns and praises was laid up in a hidden place of the church of holy Mary of Gaeta: where by his merits and intercessions many wonders shine, to the praise of our Lord Jesus Christ: who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
CONJECTURES AND CENSURES
On the preceding Life.
Placidus or Placitus, Presbyter, at Autun in Gaul (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
[1] Under Diocletian and Maximian Innocentius lived That which in the whole history that is had of S. Innocentius seemed most difficult to find to Ferrarius; plainly has a ready solution, to one turning his eyes back to S. Crispina, who when she was held in chains and afflicted by the Proconsul of the Province, to the same was led S. Innocentius said to be, and to have professed the faith. For neither is she an ignoble or obscure Martyr: but in S. Augustine on various occasions and in places at least five times she is praised; to be expounded more fully and distinctly at the day V of December, on which she is venerated. It will be enough here to hear Ado, weaving from those this elogium for her: in Africa at the Colony of Thebeste, the birthday of S. Crispina, who in the times of Diocletian and Maximian, when she would not sacrifice, by command of Anolinus the Proconsul was beheaded. Behold the time, behold the place to which you may refer the rest.
[2] Namely Thebeste, as he himself in his Geographical Lexicon teaches, Ferrarius, Galilaea in Africa at a maritime place, a Mediterranean city of Africa and once Episcopal under the Archbishop of Carthage. To this therefore very near, but at the sea, was Galilaea, the fatherland of Innocentius: nor far thence also at the sea, but in another, suppose the Byzacene province, the city Justiniana. Unknown, you will say, to the African Councils and histories are the names, nay fetched from afar: for Galilaea we read to be a region of Palestine alone, but Justiniana (which nevertheless ought to be an Episcopal city) elsewhere several, none in Africa. Concerning Galilaea I confess: but also this I know, that very many towns, nay also cities, are and were in Africa of unknown appellation or position. Carolus a S. Paulo in his Geographia sacra sets forth in alphabetical order the notice of Episcopal Sees more than a hundred and fifty in Africa, which to what province they should be ascribed is unknown; but among the noted and to a certain province ascribed cities, you will read in the same Beneventum, Papia, Neapolis, Parisium, Regium, Abidum, Sestum, Ida, Abdera, Horta, and the like, nay Germania and Aquitania, not regions, but cities; which with no less wonder some less skilled person may hear named in Africa, than Galilaea.
[3] then at Hadrumetum afterward called Justiniana: As to Justiniana, I observe, that all cities called by this name received it from the restorer Justinian in the VI century, after those Councils were celebrated, from which now we have almost the nomenclature of the African Sees, when they were before called by other names, just as Byzantium was first called, what afterward by its enlarger was called Constantinople. We have of these a wealthy and irrefragable witness Procopius of Caesarea, throughout all the six books which he wrote concerning the buildings of Justinian, of which the last treats only those things, which he did in Africa, but in chapter 4 he narrates, how in the Byzacene province the maritime city Hadrumetum, despoiled of its walls by the Vandals, and thence exposed to the incursions of the Moors, he found; but the same girt with the greatest walls, and furnished with a just garrison, vindicated the citizens from the fear of any enemies whatsoever into the confidence of security. Wherefore, says Procopius, this city also today they call Justiniana, paying to the saving Prince such a reward, and by the imposition alone of the name signifying a grateful mind: inasmuch as nothing else, by which they might recompense the Emperor's beneficence, either have they themselves or does he greatly desire. We have therefore Justiniana, different from the three which Ferrarius knew, situated in Macedonia, Moesia, Bithynia, and so making nothing to the purpose here. But Hadrumetum was an Episcopal city, and in it in the year CCCXCIV was celebrated a Council.
[4] But as the writer of the life used the appellation of this city known in his own time, for that which in the age of Diocletian was known; so he seems also to have used the word of a more recent institution, when he called the place, distant at the thirtieth milestone from Galilaea, the fatherland of Innocentius, "at the Forty," meaning of course the Martyrs of Sebaste, wont to be venerated on March IX, brought up in a place which is afterward called "at the Holy 40." whose sacred ashes, in the times of Constantine and his posterity, carried into various parts of the world, made the name in several places also: which we can believe to have happened also in Africa. But there presided over the Byzacene Province a Proconsul; whom I altogether believe should in this Life have been called Anolinus, if the author had had a more exact notice of the matter: but indeed reading or hearing Innocentius to have suffered some trouble from Severianus, holding the first place of Terracina, he did not absurdly believe, to lead to the same in Africa Innocentius, about to profess the faith, which now might better be corrected.
[5] Moreover the Saint's pilgrimage into Italy for the cause of fleeing the persecution, then he migrated to the shores of Campania. has no difficulty as to the places expressed by the author of the Life: for the African Provinces were subject to the Praetorian Prefect of Italy, nay also to the Emperors Augusti themselves, who chiefly dwelt at Rome: hence there was continual navigation from Africa into Italy, in which first is the island Aenaria, everywhere by the ancients described, now Ischia called. Most well-known also there is the city Terracina, between which and Gaeta is Spelunca, by Tacitus, Suetonius and Strabo mentioned, now called Sperlonga. Not far thence Fundi, a most ancient city and even now Episcopal is: whence concerning Capratia, that it is there in the territory of Terracina, a conjecture can be made: what if this is now called the Tower of S. Anastasius? We leave it to be inquired by learned men; because we do not wish to flee to the island Capraria, between Corsica and the Genoese dominion. And these things concerning the places mentioned in this Life.
[6] Now as to what pertains to the rest of its series: it thus seems able to be arranged, that having been born about the year CCLXXVI, how the time of the Life can be arranged, at five years old he was snatched from his paternal home. This because it turned to his salvation, the author believed to have been done by an Angel. To masters then into whose power he came, delighted with the noble disposition of the boy, he was handed over to be instructed in sacred and profane letters, in that place which afterward from the Forty Martyrs received its name; and there for years not only two, but (as by conjecture I have corrected) twenty-two, advancing to all wisdom, when he was now in the year of his age, not the seventh, but the twenty-seventh, having undertaken to seek his parents hitherto unknown to himself, he went off to Galilaea, the persecution of Diocletian against the Christians being now hot: where soon recognized as such, and led to Thebeste to Anolinus, he escaped his hands and came to Hadrumetum: whither already long before his parents had migrated. But finding these there by a certain divine disposition he chose to remain there, and the persecution ceasing through the voluntary abdication of the Emperors he was co-opted into the Clergy, with his former tutor Memoratianus. Made then a Deacon of that church, after seven years spent in that office and grade, the Bishop of the city being dead, he succeeded into the Pontificate: in which being established the aforesaid
Memoratianus he took as his Deacon: for so I correct what in our copy is now written "given," now "called his," wrongly.
[7] What cause then there was, being now a Bishop, that he should determine, his Church being dismissed, to migrate into Italy, The cause of deserting the Episcopate, can have been the violence of the Arians with his Episcopal family, who can divine? If it please one to suspect that to the times of Constantius and the vexation of the orthodox Bishops in the whole empire Innocentius came; to conjecture would be not inconsequent, that to the violence of the Arians occupying the churches he himself yielded at the same time, in which S. Athanasius was forced to lie hidden: and Memoratianus being sent before in a ship with the family, he put in first at the island Aenaria, then at Spelunca, whence he wished to sail to Terracina: but compelled by a stronger wind he disembarked at Capratia, perhaps in the middle space between Terracina and Spelunca, and there he stayed fifteen days.
[8] But meanwhile being warned of the arrival of the Catholic Bishop from Africa, Severianus, Prefect of that city by the Emperor Constantius, an Arian man (for that he was not a Gentile, but not Catholic either, sufficiently appears from what he did) commanded him to be brought bound, a Notary being sent with a seven-yoke wagon, [for which cause also he was excluded from Terracina under the Emperor Constantius.] in which he and his companions might be conveyed to Terracina. But the oxen at the prayer of the holy man being dead, the Notary being terrified, and terrifying Severianus, so that he even commended himself to his prayers; he was there at Capratia left to dwell in quiet: until both he himself and B. Memoratianus and the rest died, famous for miracles, especially the Bishop Innocentius, whose cultus there persevered on May VII; until the place being desolated by the Saracens, like many others, the Gaetan citizens were stirred up, to translate the venerable body into their own church. When out of those things which at Capratia were handed down by word, or at least painted or written, this Life also was compiled; to which after so great an interval of time you may easily pardon some sprinkling of less verisimilar circumstances, since that is almost the fortune of all Lives which were written after the lapse of very many centuries. Ferrarius in his General Catalogue called S. Innocentius a Bishop and Martyr: but he himself correcting himself in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, more rightly asserts, that he fell asleep a Confessor in the Lord.