ON SAINT MAXIMIANUS, BISHOP OF SYRACUSE IN SICILY.
YEAR DXCIV.
LITTLE PREFACE.
About his cult in S. Gregory's Epistles founded. Life recently written.
Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse in Sicily (S.)
G. H.
The tables of the Roman Martyrology celebrate, on this day ninth of June, the memory of S. Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse, Memorial in the Fasti of whom S. Gregory the Pope often mentions. There went before Francis Maurolycus, Abbot of Messina in Sicily; Constantius Felicius, John Molanus, & Peter Galesinius, & the most ancient of all Peter of Naples: who book 5 Catalogue ch. 100, some his elogium from S. Gregory related. Have followed very many, & especially Martyrologists monastic, Arnoldus Wion, also among the Benedictines, on this day & 15 March. Benedict Dorganius, Hugo Menardus, Gabriel Bucelinus, & John Mabillon volume one of the Acts of the Saints of the Order of S. Benedict; on this account that, with attesting S. Gregory Homily 34 on the Gospels near the end, the man venerable Maximianus, Father of monastery his & Presbyter, then Bishop of Syracuse was; & so, as S. Gregory, was a Monk; &, as they themselves contend, of the Order of S. Benedict. About the Monachism of S. Gregory some things we said §. 3 before his Life on day XII March: the rest to the disputation of others we have left; & we wish with another singing, the virtues of those rather to imitate, & in eternal beatitude of their society to rejoice. I say meanwhile that we have some Calendar Benedictine, not very ancient, where the same is referred to XV March, as among the Passed-Over then said. Ghinius in the Natals of Holy Canonical Saints, as commonly other Bishops, to them the same ascribed: Ferrarius some elogium exhibits in the Catalogue of Saints of Italy. More prolix also, & almost from the words of S. Gregory, Rochus Pirrus in the Notice of the Syracusan Church, where also Albert Piccolus of Messina refutes, who Maximianus feigns of Sicily Metropolitan: which right to no Bishop in Sicily to belong he contends, & badly inferred from the Holy See's Vicariate, on Maximianus conferred. Life by Cajetanus of Syracuse collected. Octavius Cajetanus of Syracuse, of the Society of Jesus, in the Idea of the work in year MDCXVII printed, mentions the same; & also in the Martyrology his Sicilian, & in the Index on all Lives of the Saints of Sicily, where is noted the Life of S. Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse, from Monuments of Divine Gregory the Great by Octavius Cajetanus collected, which Life afterwards appeared in Volume one on the Lives of the Saints Sicilian, in year MDCLVII printed, with long near the end of the Volume Animadversions: with which omitted, we give the Life by Cajetanus himself of Syracuse collected, with some our Notes.
LIFE
By the Author Octavius Cajetanus of Syracuse of the Society of Jesus.
Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse in Sicily (S.)
A. OCT. CAIET.
[1] Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse, is doubted, whether at Syracuse he was born; By nation Sicilian, but Sicilian by family, certainly was a. Unknown to me is, whether he put on the monastic habit in Sicily, or at Rome, where for a long time he lived. But hither I would incline, the foundations of more severe life in his native soil to have laid, on account of distinguished indeed disposition, & morals pious to Gregory the Great known & beloved, when he monasteries six in Sicily from patrimony built his; Rome having gone forth, then by the same's work to Rome to greater things called. But of more holy life institutes embracing, great in it progress he made: for of his virtues by steps to the Gregorian monastery's prefecture in the City second he ascended; & of great Gregory educator, & in divine philosophy master was b. He indeed is Maximianus, presided over the monastery of S. Gregory, by whom after Valentio as instructor S. Gregory, of the Church afterwards Pontiff Maximus, of the monastery discipline learned; when the Prefecture's City's trabea with great spirit cast off, Christ he put on. When therefore the monastery, which to D. Andrew sacred Gregory at Rome built at the Hill of Scaurus, plainly before c the year of Christ DLXXX, to the top was led; with Valentio's Abbot inhabited first by auspices began. With Valentio extinct, Maximianus in that office was substituted, which several years with praise he exercised.
[2] That indeed prefecture before the year DLXXXIII he had entered; in which year d Constantinople he sought, of Gregory to be seen by desire, then Constantinople he approaches: who then of Pope Pelagius Legate with the Emperor Tiberius was acting. In that city while delays he draws, Pelagius Gregory through letters warns, that Maximianus's return to the City he should hasten; because of his ministry, & for the work to which he had set, plainly altogether necessary he was. Unknown to me what of work he undertook: but thence I understand, in what place with the Pontiffs two, Pelagius & Gregory, Maximianus was, of whose work & studies they used to the Church to govern.
[3] To one returning from Constantinople Maximianus e a fierce tempest exercised in the Hadriatic sea; & permitted by God was, that the angry seas to his sanctity testimony might give. Indeed he with unusual miracle, returning, the sea, winds, & sky of sanctity testimonies say. in himself & the rest who in the ship were carried, God's wrath & benevolence equally experienced. With adverse indeed Divinity, & on the passengers' crimes raging, at the same time into their destruction the winds, the sea, all things yielded. By force of whirlwinds is snatched from the ship the rudder; & with the mast cut off, are thrown into the waves the sails: by the impulse of the waves shaken the hull, almost was dissolved; with the gaping indeed cracks bursting in waves, even to the upper planks, the ship had filled; nor was the ship to be in the sea, but the sea so within the ship seemed. Now the sailors & passengers, with sight of death terrified, with peace given, the most holy Body & Blood of the Lord had taken; God praying, that merciful their souls He would receive, whose bodies to so dreadful death He had destined. But God, who minds of all with wondrous terrified manners, life wondrously preserved. Eight already days the ship of waters full, journey yet had completed her own; on the ninth to the port f of Crotona landed. After all, who with the venerable man Maximianus had sailed, unharmed descended; he himself of all last went out, & at the same time is submerged in the port the ship: that hence might show God, that the loaded ship by Maximianus's merits, as with hand He had refused; which lifted of burden of men, above waves to stand in no way could.
[4] Afterwards indeed when Gregory to Rome returned, & with deceased by pestilence Pelagius g by the Clergy's suffrages, & by the Roman people's vows, by S. Gregory among the first into the sacred Palace is chosen, Pontiff was elected; from the monastery torn away, the monastery with himself into the palace he transported. For, as he was of exceptional piety, & of similar to him company used; with laic ministers from chamber his removed, Clerics & Monks he chose into the inner palace cohort, whom he had known in prudence of things & in life's integrity to surpass; that with their counsels & work helped, the rudder, at which he sat, against the storms of times straight he might hold. From the Clerics h Peter the Deacon, by the Gregorian Dialogue noble; from the Monks, i Maximianus as familiars he chose; who to Gregory several before years familiarly known, & dear equally was: since from his fountains already from beginning of his apprenticeship an illustrious certain piety he had drawn, & well he had known, in what virtue stood out Maximianus. Therefore into the first orders Palatine chosen, from the beginnings of Gregorian Pontificate to the time even in which at Syracuse Bishop was given, by day & night in the sacred palace he acted; at home indeed to Gregory, over the flock vigilant, to serve by counsel; to adhere to one leaving the house, & to adorn the Pontiff's company, not with secular pomp, but with mind's modesty & chaste morals.
[5] To the Syracusan Church Pontiff is set: Scarcely a year in the palace Maximianus with Gregory was: in the very among beginnings of the Pontificate, with Agatho Bishop of Syracuse from life departed, when in his place Gregory k Maximianus subrogated: nor indeed for long to lie hidden the light could, which had kindled God, that from a more lofty from place to more should shine. And so the man most holy from the monastery to the palace was led out, from the palace to the Episcopate; that who had been of the monastery Father, Companion of the sacred palace, of the Church Master should be. Great indeed was the necessity, which l Gregory compelled, that of Maximianus he should deprive himself, a man most joined, both by old usage, & by agreement of morals, with his counsels to the Republic's times most useful assessor: but because of great it concerned, to a man whole & strenuous the Syracusan Church to commit, the Shepherd best willingly to be deprived of him himself & his palace allowed, that Syracuse he might adorn, & the flourishing province of Sicily, which with wondrous love he followed: its indeed administration most to the republic's preservation to look, he understood.
[6] But how greatly Gregory Maximianus would value, how much to his integrity, vigilance, & industry would trust, over all Sicily in place of the Roman Pontiff presides: with what soul's counsel to the illustrious Syracuse See he raised, sufficiently he opened, when into that Province going, of all of Sicily Churches of his own accord he committed. But indeed m letters to him Gregory gave, with of modesty his full, & with faith in Legate his; in which he asserted, the entrusted by God office more alertly to be executed, if into part of cares capable he called, & worthy with whom his labors he might communicate; accordingly of the Apostolic See vices to him by his decree in Sicily to delegate, that for causes, which by his judgment could be ended, to the provincials seas to cross necessary it would not be: of which indeed arbiter to be himself he would not, to the Pontiff to refer: but that power by no means to be given by him to a place, but to a person: by experience he had learned from his past life, what to the consequent should be entrusted. From which plainly is known, how much Gregory to Maximianus deferred & honored, who the law every three years to come to Rome on account of distinguished his virtues, through long life's use to him examined. When indeed those letters were given in the month of December, Indict. X at the end of the year DXCII, sufficiently they show, Maximianus some months before consecrated was Bishop, & to the Syracusan Church to be governed in the Province sent; in the very beginning of the tenth Indiction, or at the end of the ninth Indiction; for in the same year, the one in the month of August had flowed away, the other indeed in September had begun.
[7] to the fifth he transfers: To Maximianus therefore, a most grave & most excellent man, into Sicily delegated; immediately Gregory of the Bishops of that Province to the City convention, which every three years to be made by custom was wont, into the fifth year deferred, & by law sanctioned. What Gregory then decreed, that the Bishops of Sicily by that would be relieved of burden; for whose causes most was provided, when to Maximianus vices in the Province his he committed: but it was given most to Maximianus's industry, & faith. Plainly in the extreme Indiction eleventh, which on the year DXCV falls, to Rome to Gregory to go forth he meditated. The cause not easily I would assert, without the light of writings. Whether that Gregory he might see, with most intimate to himself charity bound, of whom so to see by zeal Constantinople he had betaken himself? or that of the Province, which he sustained, of the most difficult matters in person with the Pontiff he would treat? or that the sacred thresholds by the custom of ancestors he might kiss, every three years a second now entering? For Gregory, meanwhile Maximianus Gregory although with antiquated the law of three years, of sacred thresholds five years had sanctioned; to have defined yet seems for the Bishops a time, which to them to pass it would not be lawful, to perform at Rome assemblies: but if to whom on this side it to approach pleased, he did not prohibit. And so Maximianus, what by law he did not owe, from his soul's pious sense to do could.
[8] in writing the Dialogues helps through letters: Furthermore this journey to the City either to have prepared Maximianus, or in mind to have destined Gregory teaches; who when the Dialogues he meditated, about of holy men's matters in Italy distinguishedly performed, to Maximianus he wrote, that what once about Nonnosus he had related, or if anything other worth writing he knew, unless to come to him he hastened, into memory through a letter he should call back. To have executed this Maximianus seems, with letters to Gregory rendered. He indeed what about Nonnosus mentions in the Dialogues, from Maximianus the Bishop & Laurio the Monk to have received he professes. Book 1 ch. 7 Which is for an argument, that prohibited was Maximianus from the journey, which to Gregory he was preparing: & perhaps the Province committed to himself, & of Sicily all the administration, on account of the difficulties of things to desert it was not allowed, or departure into the following year he deferred.
[9] But otherwise it seemed to God. For nor to Maximianus to the City, but the journey to heaven was. Who, who him in turn mourns from life departed. when with burden of business, & with grievous & severe life's reason weakened & broken, with greatest of public matter detriment, with good however called of his, to the Blessed's seats happily flew off, to Gregory the alumnus once his mourning, to Syracuse & even more to all Sicily great desire of him leaving. Now indeed of Maximianus's death, & of the man's loss of the Church most necessary, the most holy Pontiff how vehemently groaned & deplored. Hence Cyprian the Deacon's letters, by which the news about Maximianus's death to him was brought, most bitter he calls, on account of the highest soul's grief which when read he received. What indeed more bitter to happen to Gregory could, than a man, with old to himself familiarity bound, with integrity of life & with morals' sanctity most dear, in administering public matter industrious & strenuous helper, from him taken away, & with so great Church's detriment in most difficult times extinguished? Book 5 ep. 19 Which two matters to move men are wont, of public, of private good reason, those both the best Pontiff vehemently increased. Therefore with Maximianus's known death, Gregory to Cyprian, of the Patrimony in Sicily Rector, letters gave, indices of bitterness his: & of solicitude, on account of bereft of Syracusans Church; at the same time the man warned, that him a successor to be chosen he should take care, who Maximianus's place & rule would deserve.
[10] Is praised that one by the Syracusans: But recreated the Pontiff of the Nobles Syracusan letters, which to Gregory they wrote, of Maximianus's praises full, the new Pastor's election to his most weighty arbitration referring. L. 4 ep. 47 Each to Gregory was grateful, both of the Nobles Syracusan pious toward defunct Father office, & full of benevolence recollection, which loving sons befitted; & that singular for new Pastor to be chosen modesty. For which cause Gregory that letter, testimony of praise of Syracusan Nobility calls. But indeed he wrote back to the Nobles Syracusan, praising, that they that burden of choosing a Bishop wisely had declined; & to the Pontiff had referred n, a Bishop demanding who Maximianus would reflect, with honorable testification of virtues his, which, with detracting others after the death of the parent, with so much greater of them praise good sons would not be silent. But, he says, Great virtues never outside envy have been, nor ever sanctity, that it might be confirmed & shine more, of a detractor his who would exercise was free. What however in Maximianus were criminated detractors of virtue, I do not find; to have had what they could criminate, not I believe. He was indeed of every of praise kind most excellent; & among those, who in his age stood out, in all the West conspicuous: when sole virtue first to the Gregorian monastery's top, soon to the Syracusan See mitre raised: to us indeed sufficiently & beyond are for Maximianus's sanctity, illustrious indeed testimonies of the most holy Pontiff Gregory the Great.
[11] At the beginning how much is that, that Gregory vices his in all Sicily to Maximianus delegated, still living with wondrous Gregory with elogia adorns: with distinguished his of integrity & constant virtue elogium: Which vices not to place, but to person we give: because from past in you so, he says, we have learned, what even about your subsequent conduct we presume. Maximianus's indeed sanctity so eminent was, that of Gregory by judgment, most grave & most upright, equal to him was not, who to the Syracusan Church would be set over. And so in the letter to the Nobles Syracusan; This, he says, let know greatness yours, that to this city , whom to give we can, to Maximianus most reverend similar we have not. And in the same letter, Maximianus's successor, of his virtues imitator he hopes for: Of our desire is, saying, such there with Christ's grace to be ordained Pontiff, who of the goods of the above-said Bishop, of whom you by actions testimony bear, in all things should, with God as helper, imitator exist. L. 4 ep. 47. Nor ever in praising Maximianus Gregory to himself to satisfy seemed ; with so much him, as often as discourse fell, with honor he names, whether living whether from life departed. He calls o the man venerable, most reverend, most reverend, of venerable memory Bishop, of holy memory, of God servant most holy, worthy & solicitous of his Church Father. Which praises since with praised man Gregory, & with that most upright & Roman Pontiff most holy, proceed, how much those are to be esteemed?
[12] Moreover in the solicitude, which Paul the Apostle from of the Churches Presiding & of souls Pastors demands, Maximianus exceptional was, & faith to his office of Great Gregory by brilliant testimony preserved. The same in clergy & people, rightly to be informed & to be purged, in to be searched out & insectated crimes ardor of soul, in pastoral care vigilance & solicitude, Gregory often praises. In a letter to Maximianus himself; We admonish, he says, that this so great wickedness under that vivacity, which you in causes pious to have most certainly we know, you require. as one who rightly the Pastor's office performed. A letter to Cyprian the Deacon; A man, he says, most holy Maximianus our Bishop, the church of God of depraved men to purge desiring, laudably toward of Ecclesiastics' life, as you know, solicitous was: who while of their acts vigilantly with care pastoral he intended &c. Finally on account of our sins from us taken away he testifies. That with few many I may embrace, Among heavenly is ascribed. living Maximianus Gregory loved as a friend, as father he venerated, venerated as a man holy: dead in number of blessed he ascribed by his letter, in which about Maximianus, he wrote; He indeed to the desired rewards has arrived. Died the man most holy on V Ides of June, in year of Christ DXCIV, when almost three years the Syracusan Church he had ruled, on which day him mentions the Roman Martyrology.