ON ST. ANASTASIUS,
BISHOP OF BRESCIA IN ITALY.
ABOUT THE YEAR DCIX.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
On his cult, translation, age, journey into Africa, whether also into Spain?
Anastasius, Bishop of Brescia in Italy (St.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
[1] The feast of its holy Bishop Anastasius celebrates on this XX of May the Church of Brescia, and there is to him a country church dedicated in the village of Isorella on the Navilio river, where on his feast-day frequent peoples gather. The sacred memory of the same on the same XX of May is inscribed in the sacred tablets of the present Roman Martyrology, Sacred cult related also by Peter Galesinius in his Martyrology, and Philip Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy. Rampertus Bishop of Brescia in the year DCCCXIV created in the treatise on the Translation of St. Philastrius on July XVIII to be illustrated, recounts the order of his predecessors after St. Philastrius the Bishops, where are named successively SS. Dominator, Paul II, Paterius, Anastasius, Dominicus: Of whom (as has the of John Francis de Florentinis Presbyter of Brescia Catalogue MS. of the Bishops, by Bernardine Fayno, of the Martyrology of Brescia author, communicated to us) of SS. Dominator, Paul, Anastasius, and Dominicus the bodies, which first in the church of St. Andrew had lain, This one's and SS. Dominator, Paul, Dominicus the Bishops' bodies from the church of St. Stephen in the citadel, because there without congruous honors and cult they were held, nor to pious men on account of the narrow custody of the place was there access for veneration, where in a marble shrine, in the nave on the Northern part which there still is extant, by Bernard the Bishop once restored, St. Charles Borromeo the Apostolic Visitor in the year MDLXXXI, on the Kal. of November with the consent of the most Serene Dominion given to the Rectors of the City, with a solemn supplication caused to be translated, into of the greatest temple that part, which to St. Peter was dedicated, the Lord reserving to the most Holy Prelate a work of exceptional piety, which that it might be done, before more than a hundred two and twenty years, the City to James Third its Orator to Venice commanded, that with the Republic he should treat.
[2] He had ordered before in the year MDLXXX, on the XVI of March the shrine to be opened, with John Delphino assisting there the Bishop, and John Antony Seneca, and Ludovico Monata his familiars, besides the Archpriest and Provost of the greater Church, and the greatest multitude of People. But the following year, with most ample apparatus and most religious cult, and of the whole Clergy and People exultation, the Translation was made; not in some triumphal chariot, translated by St. Charles Borromeo in the year 1581 but (which exceeds all amplitude of pomp) on the sacred shoulders of the Pastors. For St. Charles and John Delphino our Bishop subjected themselves to the sacred burden, and exulting to the prescribed place carried it, a Mass there being sung, and a sermon held by St. Charles, the Bishop being present. But it happened, not without great gladness of the pious and even admiration, that whereas the sky had been cloudy many days, nor without great showers, the sacred bier being raised outside the gate of the citadel, serene at once it became, and with clear light shone. Which not once in supplications of this kind, at Milan by St. Charles held, is established to have happened, in his Life by the Bishop of Novara written books 3 and 4. There were three heads entire only: no title in the shrine; only report, and Annals. There is seen in the shrine still a bronze tablet, with characters of this kind sculptured. The sacred Relics of SS. Dominator, Paul, Anastasius, and Dominicus, Bishops and Confessors, by Charles Cardinal of St. Praxedis, Borromeo called, Archbishop of Milan, Apostolic Visitor, and John Delphino Bishop of Brescia hither from the citadel translated: Gregory XIII Sovereign Pontiff in the year from Christ born MDLXXXI. and again in the year 1604. Which same Bodies from the same temple, which was to be destroyed, into the Altar of St. Justina of the Cathedral Round were translated, in the year MDCIV: above which altar the holy Eucharist is kept, and is eminent the image of Christ scourged.
[3] Worthy further it was, that this Cycnean hill four Saints' bodies should furnish, on which the godhead of Bargimus ancient impiety celebrated, and from which into the City flowed errors: as testifies the following Inscription, from the trench of the shrine drawn out MDCLXI, into the Northern wall of the church closing the Atrium inserted, the most illustrious D. Francis Contarini permitting me
L. VIBIUS VISGIL NIMPIODOTUS
TO BERGIMUS A VOW
C. ASINIUS GALLUS, C. MARTIUS CENSOR.
CONSULS.
L. SALVIUS APER, C. POSTUMATIUS COSTA
II. MEN QUINQUENNIAL.
But in the year MDCXXXIII John Mary Fenarolus the Archpriest the aforesaid heads from the shrine drew out, and for the use of the church in noble silver coffins laid up. Similar things, but much more briefly, in the Notes to his Martyrology on November 1 has the aforepraised Faynus; The earlier translation is commemorated November 4. and says, that of the earlier translation a public document is extant with the Society of the Body of the Lord: at whose namely altar on the south of the choir of the Cathedral of St. Mary the Round the later translation had been made, present the Lord Marino George the Bishop, the Lord Rectors of the city and the deputed Decurions, the Lord Canons and a most frequent people, on the day XVI of February: which elsewhere Faynus teaches us, and says it is plain from the Instrument of D. Ludovico Calini Chancellor of the city. Further that of the first Translation the anniversary memory outside the Octave of All Saints, on the X day of the month of November, by the whole Church of Brescia should be celebrated; the same Holy Visitor established, witness in the Notes the aforesaid Faynus.
[4] All the aforesaid confirm of these Bishops the Sacred veneration. Of SS. Paul II and Paterius we treated on February VII and XXI, of SS. Dominator and Dominicus to be treated it will be on November V and December XX. But because we judged probable on the Life of St. Paterius, that he the exposition of Scripture from the books of St. Gregory the Great excerpted, St. Anastasius sat about the year 604. he himself approving and to this animating him Gregory, necessarily it would follow that Paterius's successor St. Anastasius, about the death of St. Gregory, or a little later, was promoted to the See of the Church of Brescia; to whom then St. Dominicus succeeded, to Queen Theodelinda uniquely dear. Certainly that this one was over it from the year DCVII, until the year DCXII hands down Ughelli in the Bishops of Brescia: which in its own time more accurately is to be discussed.
[5] Few things of the deeds done by St. Anastasius survive, of which in the MS. Martyrology of Brescia (which by the gift of Ferdinand Ughelli we have) these to this XX of May are related: At Brescia of St. Anastasius the Bishop and Confessor. He a man of the highest religion, at some time having set out into Africa, kindled with the zeal of propagating the Gospel, both his fellow-citizens in the discipline of Christ instructed, and Africa being traversed the words of salvation both by sermons and by deeds divinely done everywhere disseminated. Thus far that. Similar things have, and especially of his preaching in Africa Elias Capreolus, book 4 of the Brescian History page 65, Ascanius Martinengus on the Brescian Saints, John Francis the Florentine Presbyter of Brescia on the Brescian Prelates, likewise the before-mentioned Galesinius, Ferrarius, Ughelli, Faynus, who also some things from the MS. History of John Baptist Nasarius transmitted, where it is said he disseminated the word of God in the Neapolitan kingdom, and thence set out into Africa to have been. But all these will, that he Africa being traversed to his Church returned, and with many merits heaped from this life migrated.
[6] Those who lately a Chronicle under Marcus Maximus Bishop of Saragossa's name thrust forth, the occasion seized of the journey into Africa, whether also into Spain? translated also St. Anastasius to their Spain, with Canons added besides at the end, where these things are read: Wonderfully flourished the memory of St. Anastasius the Pontiff of Brescia, who against the Arians preached in Italy, and in Africa, and in Spain, especially in the cities of Celtiberia. At Valeria preaches St. Anastasius, at Libana, at Villa-excussa, at Saragossa, at Valencia, at Salamanca, and in other cities of Spain. Thus far that, which into Francis Bivar's Commentary is knit, and by Tamayo Salazar into the Spanish Martyrology on this XX of May were translated. But we in the silence of others judge, such things with the rest of the Maximus Chronicle to be not worthy to be read. There can be noted meanwhile an error of Tamayo, Brescia, a city of the Cisalpine Cenomani, in the Notes placing at the roots of the Rhaetian Alps; where deceiving memory made him confound Brescia with Brixen, a Subalpine city.