Podius

ON SAINT PODIUS

BISHOP OF FLORENCE IN ETRURIA.

YEAR MII.

HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.

On his deeds in the Pontificate, from Various sources.

St. Podius, Bishop of Florence.

BHL Number: 6868

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

The Tables of the Roman Martyrology proposed in the Title a Saint, on this XXVIII of May celebrate in these words: At Florence, The sacred cult of St. Podius the Bishop and Confessor. But the Florentine Manuscript Martyrologies which we found in the illustrious Medicean Library, and with Carolus Strozzius the Senator, and another there at Florence in the year MCCCCLXXXVI by Franciscus de Bonacursiis published, have these things in the first place: At Florence the deposition of St. Podius, Bishop of the same city, who in life and miracles * glorious rested. He was buried in the Cathedral Church of the aforesaid city, near the body of Bl. Zenobius, in a marble ark. Ferrarius, in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, printed about the year 1613 at Milan, composed for him this Encomium.

[2] Podius, son of Ubertus the Duke, or as others write, the Marquis of Etruria, Encomium from Ferrarius, at Colmela in the year of salvation * 930, Hugo of Arles being King, is born. He instructed in the liberal disciplines, and afterward erudite in the divine letters, made a Canon, to the college of Canons bestowed the Abbey of St. Andrew, for their common sustenance. But Sichelmus the Bishop of Florence being dead, into the place of the deceased for the integrity of his life and morals he is substituted; and the Church of Florence, which by the application of goods, some castles also being adjoined, he greatly augmented, with notable prudence and piety twelve years administered. The rest of his Acts are lacking. His body is kept in the greater basilica. But his birthday on the fifth Kalends of June, on which day he migrated from this life, is celebrated by the Church of Florence. Thus Ferrarius, citing Vincentius Borghinius, in the book on the Church and Bishops of Florence, whom he adds to have been a most accurate author.

[3] Ferdinand Ughellus, in the Preface to the Bishops of Florence, asserts that he drew out the series of the Prelates partly from Vincentius Borghino an elegant writer indeed, partly from other writings and monuments, with as great diligence as he could, composed it, and then adds: The XVI Bishop St. Podius, succeeded Sichelmus in the year DCCCCLXXXIX, who is narrated to have wonderfully advanced the divine worship, nor did he neglect the accession of fortunes. For with the walls of many Castles of his jurisdiction he surrounded them, and full of good works flew away to heaven, in the year one thousand and second, on the XXVIII day of the month of May: on which very day the Florentines solemnly keep his feast, and his memory in the Roman Martyrology was referred; but his body is in the catacomb of St. Zenobius. When at Florence the archive had been burned up, the illustrious deeds also of Podius perished. But this is established, that Podius surviving, many imbued with the most sweet odor of his sanctity, which had widely spread, brought huge goods to the Canons of St. John. And first Ughellus sets forth the liberal gift of Maria the wife of Teuto, made in the year DCCCCXC, in the III Indiction, for the Church of St. John the Baptist, situated within the city of Florence, where the Lord Podo the Bishop is seen to preside. Then are added various donations, made to St. Podius, either surviving, or as instigator and persuader, which can be read there. It pleases to bring forward part of one diploma, which entire Pucinellus exhibits in the Chronicle of the Abbey of Florence page 209, because it aptly declares the industry of St. Podius in this kind. In it he disposes concerning the little Abbey of St. Andrew, given to him by Hugo the Marquis of Etruria, under this exordium.

[4] In the name of the Lord God eternal. Podius, by the Divine clemency bestowing it unworthy Bishop of the holy Church of Florence, to all the faithful of the Churches in the Lord continual salvation. We think it by no means hidden from the prudent, to whom is known the reading of the authentic books of the old Testament &c. where after he related, how the Jews captured by Cyrus King of the Persians, were freed, and sent back to Jerusalem, he adds: On a certain day invited I came to the table of the Lord Hugo, the most noble Duke, to feast with him. Invited by Duke Hugo And when between dining and speaking many things of the divine histories were brought into the midst, it happened that suddenly into our discourses there intervened the reading of the books of Paralipomenon. And when it had come where it is read, that the aforesaid Tyrant remembered the Lord of heaven, and seeing him divinely moved and that for the cause of that fear he gave liberty to all detained in captivity; then the aforenamed Duke and Marquis, than whom none bolder, from the inmost breast, touched by the divine spirit, drawing long sighs, among other things added; If a Gentile, not knowing the truth which is Christ, with so great sweetness named the God of heaven, and for His reverence those bound with long penance, long burdened dismissed to their own; what is to be done by us, who, the cult of Gentilism being left, from the very cradle of the Incarnation of our Redeemer and our liberation through His death have heard? Forthwith therefore the useless beholder, who was present, in whose mind these things which are subjoined sat, humbly answered: O most dear one, take that example into deed, which thou hast praised concerning devotion. The said Duke had indeed at that time now a little Abbey within the walls of the city of Florence, by the gift of my predecessors by the libellary title, he asks and obtains the little Abbey of St. Andrew, built in honor of St. Andrew the Apostle; which soon at my suppliant asking and prayers, and the manifold exhortation of his consort the Lady Judith ever blessed, he relinquished to me, and delivered to the use and utility of my Church: in this order namely, that I should bestow it on the necessities of my Canons present and future, for the remedy of the souls of both, namely of the Duke and his wife, and for the salvation of me and my successors. Which that I would do on the spot with good mind I promised.

[5] Wherefore the said little Abbey, founded in honor of Bl. Andrew within the city of Florence, forthwith with its appurtenances in the Chapter-house of the Church of Florence I give and bestow: he disposes it for the daily refection of the Canons insofar as the Canons themselves, both those who now are, and those who in it shall be ordained in future times, from the fruits of that land, the revenue or rent, may have a daily refection: nor do I will, that any of the Canons themselves have power, of making the things themselves libellary, or to give anything, or of those things, which the Lord shall thence give,

dare to divide among others: and if any of these things they shall do, the donation or division of them I bid to be made void: but I judge, that flesh and fish be bought, establish, and confirm, that one or two Clerics, whom I shall choose, have power of all those things to procure the eating of flesh and fish, and within the cloisters of the Chapter-house to give them to be eaten together, in such a way that eating and drinking unanimously, they may render thanks and praises; and for the soundness of the Lord Duke Hugo and his wife and the offspring of both, and of us and of our successors, may beseech the Lord. But after the decease of those Clerics, and for that someone be ordained by the Canons, whom I shall have ordained to that ministry, let the Canons themselves have power, of ordaining someone of their Congregation fearing God, and who from the said ministry faithfully serve them: in whom there be no jealousy, nor fraud, nor deceitfulness. And if among themselves they shall be so discordant, that what I have bidden, or by the Bishop. or ordained, they will not fulfill; then our successors, having the fear of the Lord before their eyes, so let them ordain it, that they fulfill my will in all things, and offend not the eyes of the divine Majesty. But if anyone this our ordination and the firmness of the testament a rash violator, whether Emperor, or King, Duke, Marquis, Archbishop or Bishop, or any other person great or small, of Clerics or laymen, shall wish or attempt to infringe; with the slayers of the needy or with Judas the traitor let him receive an infernal inheritance, and acquire the malediction of eternal malediction: but the preserver, let him possess without end the fellowship of the blessed spirits.

I Podius, useless Bishop of the holy Church of Florence, to this ordination and the conclusion of the testament have subscribed, and others I have caused to write it.

Hugo the Marquis &c. Leo the Judge, Petrus the Judge, Monopertus the Judge, Sigefredus the Judge of the Lord Emperor, have subscribed.

[8] Scipio Ammiratus, in the first book of the History of Florence, greatly praises both St. Podius the Bishop and Hugo the Marquis, whom he establishes to have presided from about the year DCCCCLXXV to the year MVI, in which he says he died at Pistoia on December XXI. We add to the aforesaid the Encomium, which we described at Florence from the Collection of Old Manuscript Offices found with Carolus Strozzius the Senator. Encomium from Manuscript lections. But when there it is said that to St. Zenobius the Bishop, dead about five hundred years before, Podius succeeded; that ought to be understood of a mediate succession into the same See of Florence. But it is of this kind.

[7] When in the feasts of other Saints, most beloved Brethren, it becomes us to exult; within and without with the highest gladness we ought to use, when the memory of the Lord Podius is by us recollected: for to this day the greatest joys are to be expended, on which he received himself into the eternal tabernacles. For Podius into the place of our Defender Zenobius the Bishop deceased succeeded: who with how great integrity, with how great modesty, with how great praise finally he bore the person of a Bishop, the day would fail me, if I should wish to narrate. Wherefore receive a few of many with equitable ears. This holy man, originating from the town of Gumello, his fatherland and parents being left and very many riches, betook himself to Pavia, to give attention to the liberal faculties. On which when he had longer been intent, he so profited, He teaches letters: that easily whatever faculty he professed. He taught therefore letters with such modesty, that all his disciples not only the liberal disciplines from him, but also good morals and a perfect life to have learned would not deny. For which causes the Florentines chose him after Zenobius as Pastor. Who while he lived, how many gone astray from the heavenly journey into the way of the true Christian he led back, there is no need that I say: for upon him all, as upon a divine exemplar, fixed their eyes. I will not finally be silent of this, that this man brought forth very many miracles; and by a word only obtained from God, which by his merits he had obtained, the liberation of divers diseases. It is moreover not to be passed over, that he built eight towns, and of them the Church of Florence was heir. But he died on the V Kalends of June; and was buried in this church, near the altar of the Lord Zenobius, in a marble urn. Let us not doubt therefore, Brethren, that after the perils of this life exhausted, he works miracles. so great a man in the Lord closed his last day, and enjoys the divine sight, to which also we, he being leader, when from this life we must migrate, may be led.

[8] This Encomium was distinguished into IX very brief Lections. What was his fatherland, The place of nativity here is called the town Gumellum, which above in Ferrarius is called Colmela: in whom since also of Hugo of Arles the King we read, we doubted at some time, whether perchance that were Colmartium, a fortress in the Bishopric of Senez of Provence, the situation of which place Honoratus Bouchaeus describes in the first Tome of the Chorography of Provence page 279. But below he is called a Lombard by nation: and because the said Hugo, from the year DCCCCXXVI governed Italy as King, the said Gumellum or Colmela we judge rather in Etruria, and not far from Florence to be sought; especially if St. Podius had as father a Duke or Marquis of Etruria, who in the year DCCCCXX was Guido, and to him his brother Lambertus succeeded, for whom perhaps in Ferrarius is read Ubertus. who his father, But these things we leave to the curious investigators of Etruscan antiquities to determine: only we add, if of Lombard stock Bl. Podus, or Podius, is born, with stronger right it is to be believed, that the name also he obtained was of Lombard origin, to be written and pronounced by the more softly speaking Teutons Bodo; just as the same Lombards in compounds say Aripertus, Lampertus &c. where others pronounce and write Aribertus, Lambertus. But thus that word signifies a Messenger or Servant, and recurs also in compounds, as are Elbodo, Walbodo, Radbodus and others. But it is most frequent with the Etruscans, the first part of the name, especially a compound, being cast away, as we have often noted, to use only the latter syllables; and so also that name, if it were established to be of Roman origin, could seem left from the name of St. Calepodius.

[9] Joannes Aretinus the Archpriest, who wrote the Life of St. Zenobius related in Surius, establishes St. Podius to have lived somewhat later than we have said above; and not to Sichelmus, but to John substituted he judges, and writes these things. Bl. Podus, a Lombard by nation, endowed with all sanctity, succeeded in the Episcopate; and with walls he girt several towns of the same diocese, the body buried near St. Zenobius, as is plain in the marble tablet: and he died in the twelfth year of his Prelacy, and in the catacomb of Zenobius near the others in the casket of Zenobius is buried. But in the Translation of the body of St. Zenobius made in the year MCCCCXXXIX, which from the said Joannes Aretinus we published on the day May XXV, these things toward the end are had. The sacred Pontiffs take up the little casket of the body of St. Zenobius … and in the new catacomb with great honor placed it. In which place, after very few days, the marble casket, with the entire Relics of Bl. Podus, the aforenamed Bishop of Florence, in the year 1439 translated, only the Canons with the Provost and some Presbyters, and a few citizens and me being present, translated. These things there, which Clemens Mazza in book 3 of the Life of St. Zenobius chapter 9 also relates, and adds that at this translation were also present many devout matrons. Then in the year MDLXXXIV, on the XVII of October, Alexander Cardinal de Medicis Archbishop of Florence, at the instigation of a certain Joannes Fabri, and in 1584 recognized, Minister of the Fabric and Custodian of the Sacred garments, visited the chief Relics of his Cathedral; and inspecting the ark, placed at the left side of the altar of St. Zenobius, within it indeed found all the bones of one body, which they showed to be a Bishop's, except a pectoral Cross of most ancient work, the remnant of Gloves and a Chasuble; but no name anywhere was found; whence it happened, that the Archbishop seeking it, and with his own hand searching the sacred bones, disturbed them not a little: many however said they were the bones of St. Podius, and for this alleged the aforesaid Life of St. Zenobius. Hence it can be doubted, whether the author of the same Life Aretinus, but without a name. from elsewhere than from tradition alone could say, that it was the body of St. Podius; in which nevertheless he had as a follower Cosmus Minerbetti, Archdeacon of Florence, in the year MDCXV describing the Relics of the Metropolitan; and all the rest afterward, treating the same argument.

* otherwise notable

* it was faultily 990