ON SAINT MAXIMUS
BISHOP OF VERONA IN ITALY.
A Collection, from Augustine Valerio, Bishop of the same City.
IV CENT.
CommentaryMaximus, Bishop of Verona in Italy (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
Among very many holy Bishops of the Veronese Church, whom continually we set forth, on this XXIX May in the Tables of the modern Roman Martyrology is inscribed S. Maximus Bishop of Verona: Memory in the Roman Martyrol., and are alleged by Baronius in the Notes the Tables of the Veronese Church, and the often cited Commentary on the Bishops of Verona p. 9 and 40: but in the margin he is said to have flourished about the year CCCLII, from the monuments of the Veronese Church. Furthermore in the old monuments of the holy Bishops of Verona, by Raphael Bagatta, Baptist Peretto, and Augustine Valerio the Bishop in the year MDLXXII edited, on the cited page 9 reverse, these are read: Of S. Maximus the Bishop of Verona the body, a certain one left written, was buried outside the gate of the city; where also a temple of his name was built and consecrated. and a church dedicated to him, But where now he rests, we from the old monuments to find could not. In the table of the Saints on the day XXIX May, of Maximus Bishop of Verona and Confessor, double less. It is unknown where he is. Outside the gate of the city there stands even now a Church rebuilt in honor of the name of S. Maximus, a village, a gate, in a village which also S. Maximus is called, and that gate is called the gate of S. Maximus. In the consecration of the altar of S. Helena, of the Church of the holy Apostles, were replaced also the Relics of S. Maximus Bishop of Verona, as from a Psalter old of the said Church. Thus there. But others above cited on page 40 reverse, these are had. Of S. Maximus the Bishop of Verona. Maximus the Bishop of Verona, as domestic old monuments testify, and also a monastery of Virgins. a man he was of eximious learning and approved virtue. With egregious probity of manners a great use of affairs he had joined. From this life he departed on the fourth Kalends of June, and of his name afterward outside the city, not far from the walls, in honor of him a temple was built. Likewise also a monastery of sacred Virgins, near the same city's gate: which itself also with the village, in which the temple was built, of S. Maximus was called. In the consecration of the altar of S. Helena, in the church of the holy Apostles of Verona, together with the rest of many Saints were placed the Relics, the Relics, also of this holy Bishop. Thus there. Finally on page 77 these are repeated: In the Church of the holy Apostles … in the consecration of the altar of S. Helena were replaced Relics of the wood of the Cross, of S. Pantaleon the Martyr, of S. Facundinus the Martyr, of SS. Proculus and Maximus Bishops of Verona and Confessors: the Acts of S. Proculus Bishop of Verona we gave XXIII March.
[2] Onuphrius Panvinius in book 4 of the Veronese Antiquities chapter 7 produces the Bishops of Verona, The time of his See. of uncertain time, after S. Zeno, whom on page 101 in alphabetical order he places, where these are related: S. Maximus died XXIX May, buried at S. Maximus in his basilica. Ferrarius, in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, some of the already related eulogy edited at this XXIX May, and makes him the XVIII Bishop, and the Veronese Church to have administered he says about the year CCCLII. But Ferdinand Ughellus in the Bishops of Verona sets him Bishop XX, and successor of Syagrius, to whom are extant epistles two of S. Ambrose, and so to be referred according to him the Episcopal of S. Maximus dignity rather to the end of the fourth century.
[3] Therefore this only of him and of several others can be said, that he lived among those five first centuries of the felicitous Church, in which so great was the probity of the Veronese Bishops, that to a man all are held Saints. Of their order among themselves it would be allowed something more certain to establish, and (which is consequent) also about the age of each somewhat to conjecture, if anywhere were found the old of that church Diptychs, The Episcopal series until the year 500 uncertain. from which in the Sacred rites the names of their Predecessors recited the Bishops.
[4] This I would note: by such a usage, long ago abolished, it seems to have come about, that certain more celebrated in Italy Churches the whole series of their first through three or four centuries Bishops, without discrimination, to the Saints ascribe; though from that precisely usage and such a title of Saint, not more perhaps is had, than that each lived laudably, and committed nothing on account of which the name ought to be expunged, as among the Sacred rites to be used unworthy. More yet we have in favor of S. Maximus, whom not simply to have been called a Saint, by the common once to all good Bishops title; but a religious also cult from his death to have merited, prove those, which I said, of sacred edifices appellations.
[5] Nicholas Brautius, Bishop of Sarsina, with this eulogy him in his Poetic Martyrology celebrates:
Heavenly doctrine, to God and the people a Master had made him acceptable; his life approved, more.