ON ST. CASTUS, MARTYR, VENERATED AT BENEVENTO,
AT AN UNCERTAIN TIME
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY
Castus, martyr, venerated at Benevento. (S.)
H. D.
[1] The manifold memory of St. Castus. The name of St. Castus occurs here and there on various days, mostly with a companion, especially in the calendars of the churches of the former kingdom of Naples. And of SS. Castus and Aemilius, African martyrs carried into Italy, some things indeed are read in Cyprian Acta Sanctorum, May vol. V, p. 129. Of Castus and Secundinus, who are venerated at Sinuessa and Gaeta Ibid., July vol. I, p. 19, of Castus and Cassius, who are venerated at Capua Ibid., p. 20, and of others too of the same name, nothing has been handed down that is not either most obscure or utterly fabulous, so that, all things being duly weighed, it seems quite probable that one and the same St. Castus, an African martyr, was offered for veneration in many places and in diverse fellowship, and was praised by hagiographers, according to the variety of places, with new and invented Acts.
[2] St. Castus of Benevento In some books of Benevento, on the 7th day of November, in others on the day before, the memory of St. Castus, bishop and martyr, occurs Above, p. 127, among those passed over. How tangled and empty are the conjectures of the learned about a bishop and martyr otherwise unknown, he will understand who has read Ferrari on this day Catalogus sanctorum Italiae (Milan, 1673), p. 698. It is of no help to unravel his tangles, since history is wholly silent about our Castus no less than about most of the others.
[3] bishop of Trivento For the Life of St. Castus, divided into nine lessons, which we are going to publish from the Casanatense codex 457, of the fifteenth century, fol. 142 – 144v Catalogus codicum hagiographicorum Latinorum Romanorum, p. 22370, is not worthy of credit, and we bring it forward only that we may not seem to have neglected the only monument that survives about St. Castus of Benevento. For the hagiographer narrates that Castus, a native of the territory of the city of Rome, was sent by St. Clement the pope to the city of Trivento — Trivento is an ancient city in Samnium — as bishop, and was killed there by the Saracens; then buried by the faithful in the basilica of his episcopate. After many years, in the reign of Arechis, prince of Benevento, he is said to have been the sacred body was translated by a certain Madius Cariosus to Benevento, to his own property, where there was an oratory of Saint Andrew next to the church of blessed Peter the apostle. These things are unfolded at length, with the usual commonplaces mixed in, by the author, who lyingly claims to have received from the report of certain faithful what he brings forward about the deeds of St. Castus. But they are so foolishly devised that they do not even need refutation.
[4] Translated to Benevento. That St. Castus was venerated at Trivento seems certain. At the beginning of the past century the cathedral church of Trivento consisted of two churches, the so-called upper one, which was sacred to SS. Nazarius and Celsus, and the lower, dedicated to St. Castus. And St. Castus was "by ancient tradition" bishop of the city and buried in the same place [G. V. Ciarlanti, Memorie istoriche del Sannio, vol. I (Campobasso, 1823), pp. 72 – 75]. No one has yet succeeded in finding the source of this ancient tradition, and it is not too bold a conjecture that the people of Trivento rashly turned some unknown saint, whose relics they kept, into their own bishop; for by this route not a few saints have crept here and there into the lists of bishops. But on what authority the hagiographer relies when he asserts that this Castus, whoever he is, was snatched from the people of Trivento and translated to Benevento, is not clear. That a chapel situated on the property of Madius Cariosus of Benevento was distinguished by the relics of some saint Castus is likely. That the translation from the city of Trivento was invented on the pattern of the translations which were carried out at the order of prince Arechis is quite probable, so that not even in this is credit to be given to the narrator. No memory of St. Castus is any longer kept in the diocese of Benevento; and we have questioned the modern people of Trivento in vain about their veneration of the saint.
LIFE OF ST. CASTUS
From the Casanatense codex 457. Cf. the preliminary commentary, no. 3.
Castus, martyr, venerated at Benevento. (S.)
On the feast of St. Castus, bishop and martyr.
St. Castus a Roman 〈Lesson I〉. The most blessed Castus, then, chaste (castus) in name and in deed, properly and by appellation, drew his origin from the territory of the city of Rome. He, from the very time of his boyhood bearing an old man's heart, gave his mind to no vanities. And after he had been handed over by his parents to the study of letters, he advanced from day to day not only in worldly disciplines but also in divine ones. But, despising the sciences of this world, he gave his effort without intermission to the divine praises, so that he might see the God of gods in Sion Ps. 83:8. Finally, as I have received from the report of certain faithful, he had been the disciple of a good master, namely of blessed Clement, pope and martyr, who in the time of the emperor Trajan, because he would not bend his neck to the worship of his gods, was by his order destined to exile on the island of Cherson, and at last, an anchor being tied to his neck, was thrown headlong into the sea; and so, crowned with martyrdom, he departed to God. Strengthened by his prayers and merits, blessed Castus grew up in his holy teaching and religion.
on account of the holiness of his life Lesson II. Having become a young man, then, roused by the example of his aforesaid holy master, he macerated his flesh with fasts, and gave himself also to vigils and prayers. He gave clothing ammictum codex to the naked, to widows and orphans, food to the hungry exurientibus codex poor, and drink to the thirsty. All these things the most blessed Castus fulfilled assiduously, so that, when the Lord shall come at the end of the world to judge the human race, he may say to him in praise: "Come, blessed of my Father pater so corrected, receive the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For you saw me hungry exurientem codex and you gave me to eat" Matt. 25:34, and so on. And because he shone with the vigour of chastity, because he gloried in the straits of abstinence, he deserved to be advanced provei codex to the highest rank of the priesthood.
he is created bishop by St. Clement Lesson III. At the same time there was in the city of Trivento an undisciplined people, and perhaps without knowledge of the true God; whence it was necessary that the flock which was scattered should be gathered into one through the word and the example of the holy life of a good shepherd. Hearing this, blessed Clement said to his most blessed disciple Castus: "Behold, son, you have been instructed in all the things which our Lord Jesus Christ did. Arise, receive the Holy Spirit and the dignity of the pontificate, and set out for the city which is called Trivento. A multitude of undisciplined people awaits you. Preach to them of the true God and do not be afraid. For God is powerful to increase grace for you and to make your journey prosperous, and may the good angel of the Lord go with you" Tob. 5:21. And saying this, blessed bishop Clement blessed him and sent him away from himself. And when a number of the faithful had heard of the coming of the most blessed Castus, they went out to meet him; they praised and blessed God, saying: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
and he is sent to Trivento; Lesson IIII. And when he had come near the bridge of the city, behold, other faithful too, receiving him with joy, met him with hymns and praises as far as the place in which he was to stay. These things being thus done, the most blessed Castus caused the whole people committed to him by the Lord to assemble, and speaking to them of the kingdom of God he taught them to live justly and piously: "My little children, hear me and free yourselves; serve the Lord in fear, as holy David says, and rejoice to him with trembling. Lay hold of discipline from me, though an unworthy bishop, lest you perish from the just way" Ps. 2:12.
the whole province to Christ Lesson V. Strengthened assiduously by these and suchlike admonitions, they returned to their homes praising and blessing God and saying: "Blessed be God, who has deigned to give us such a shepherd and bishop of our souls." And not only did he convert the city of Trivento to God by his preaching, but the whole province too received the catholic faith, whence he is called not only their bishop but also their apostle.
he converted. Lesson VI. This most blessed Castus, my brothers, through the whole course of his life had a conflict with the watchful enemy. How many of his snares, how many struggles he endured from him, it is not ours to unfold. And he who conquered the first man was conquered by this most holy man. But let these things suffice concerning his religion, life and abstinence. Now, however, it is declared in what follows how he held a public martyrdom, by which he came to the palm of victory by shedding his blood.
By the Saracens Lesson VII. For at a certain time certain Saracens of perfidious mind, having gathered a naval army, set sail; and sailing they came to the castle which is called Penna de Buci, which is above the sea, cruelly wounded, and there they considered considerantes codex how they could invade evadere codex that region which was near that castle. Going out at last onto land, they laid waste that whole province and came to the place where the man of God, the most blessed Castus, was. When the most blessed Castus saw them, being of pious mind, he began to admonish them not to act so cruelly among the people. While the blessed man was admonishing these and other things which pertained to the edification hedificationem codex of souls, one of them, who was more cruel, seized a sword and cut off his arm; and those fierce men, not yet satisfied with so great a crime, killed also his companions and disciples. When these had been killed, and the most blessed Castus left half-alive, they went away. Hearing this, the men of the city came in throngs with great grief and sobbing, took him up and carried him back to the church of his episcopate.
he dies, with clergy and people standing by. Lesson VIII. These things concerning the life and acts of the blessed man having been touched on, let us hasten to narrate how he departed from this world. Finally, when he saw the priests and clerics and people standing there grieving, moved by these tears, he turned to them and said: "My little children, do not be saddened, and let not your heart be troubled at the weakness of my body, because virtue is made perfect in infirmity, and the spirit is strengthened; but rejoice and exult in God our helper, because I am hastening to that blessedness
which God has promised to those who love him II Cor. 12:9. In which I shall be an intercessor for you with the Lord Jesus Christ." And when he had said these things, his most holy soul was loosed from the flesh. And those who stood by and who had heard, seeing this, sent up emictebant codex their voices to heaven with great weeping. And after laments and griefs of mind they buried him most dutifully, with hymns and canticles and spiritual songs, in the basilica of his episcopate, where, and elsewhere, by his merits and prayers our Lord Jesus grants benefits to those who believe in him. But how his most holy body, with God's assent, was translated to Benevento, must be set forth forthwith.
His body is carried to Benevento. Lesson IX. When the body of the most blessed Castus had lain hidden in the city of Trivento through the course of many years, a certain noble man of Benevento, Madius by name, surnamed Cariosus, having heard the report of the virtues and wonders of the most blessed Castus, touched tacto codex by divine inspiration, began to think anxiously how he could translate that most sacred body to Benevento. But because in those days the prince of Benevento, Arichis by name, ruled the aforesaid city, he could not obtain what he wished. At length, having taken excellent counsel, he humbly asked the aforesaid prince to favour his petition and desire. And when the prince learned his desire and the devotion which he had toward the most holy man Castus, he permitted him to do what he had requested of him. And they, having soon gathered a multitude of priests, clerics and religious men, came to the place where the sacred body was laid. Carrying it away from there with hymns and praises they translated it to Benevento and laid it up in the altar where there was the oratory of Saint Andrew next to the church of blessed Peter the apostle, on the very property of the aforesaid Madius Cariosus; where many benefits are granted by the Lord through the merits of blessed Castus to this very day.