December VI

St. Nicholas, Confessor

archbishop of myra

The acts of St. Nicholas, published about the year 912 by Metaphrastes, are extant, translated by Lipoman, Surius, &c. Others much shorter, but imperfect, compiled by Methodius, patriarch of Constantinople, about the year 840, are published by Mombritius Falconius, &c. Another life of St. Nicholas was wrote by John, deacon of Naples, anno 860, from Methodius and others. (See Murat. Ital. scriptor. t. J part 2, p. 287, and Jos. Assemani, t. 5, p. 417.) Mention is made of a vision of St. Nicholas in the second council of Nice: also by Suidas, (on whose testimony see Putignani, Diatr. 1, p. 66,) &c. See several acts of his life, published by Falconius, archbishop of San-Severino, at Naples, In 1751, together with those of St. Nicholas of Pinara, with whom this author confounds him; which hypothesis Is confuted by Nicholas Putignani, a canon of Bari, author of Vindici Vit S. Nicolai, at Naples, an. 1753, and more fully by Jos. Assemani in Cal. Univ. t. 5, ad 6 Dec. p. 415, et t. 6, ad 4 Apr. p. 226, et ad 9 Maij, p. 822. See also Tillemont, t. 6; Vie de S. Nicholas, et Note 1, 2; Fleury, t. 13, p. 446.

a. d. 342.

The great veneration with which this saint has been honored, both in the Greek and Latin churches for many ages, and the great number of altars and churches which have been everywhere erected in his memory, are proofs of his extraordinary sanctity, and of the glory which he enjoys with God. The emperor Justinian built a church in his honor at Constantinople, in the quarter called Blaquern, about the year 430,¹ and he was titular saint of four churches in Constantinople.² All accounts agree that he was a native of Patara, in Lycia. We are told that in his infancy he observed the fasts of Wednesdays and Fridays, refusing to suck the breasts on those days, which were consecrated to fasting by the law of the church, as St. Clement of Alexandria mentions,³ and as bishop Potter proves, in his note upon that passage from the Apostolic Constitutions,⁴ and the canonical epistle of St. Peter, bishop of Alexandria, and martyr. Also St. Epiphanius⁵ and others testify the same. Happy are they who, from their infancy and innocent age, are inured to the exercises of devotion, penance, and perfect obedience. St. Nicholas increased his fervor in these and all other virtues with his years, especially when he had devoted himself to a religious life in the monastery of holy Sion, near Myra, of which house he was made abbot, by the archbishop, its founder. Charity in comforting and relieving the distressed, seemed his characteristical virtue. Among many other instances, it is related, that when three young virgins were exposed through distress to the danger of falling into vicious courses, he, for three successive nights, conveyed to them through the window a competent sum of money for a fortune for one of them, so that they were all portioned, and afterwards happily married. Lycia was a large ancient province of Asia, in which St. Paul had planted the faith. Myra, the capital, three miles from Patara, and from the sea, was an archiepiscopal see, founded by St. Nicander, of so great dignity, that, in later ages, thirty-six suffragan bishoprics were subject to it This metropolitan church falling vacant, the holy abbot Nicholas was chosen archbishop, and in that exalted station became famous by his extraordinary piety and zeal, and an incredible number of stupendous miracles. The Greek histories of his life agree, that he suffered imprisonment for the faith, and made a glorious confession in the latter part of the persecution raised by Dioclesian; and that he was present at the great council of Nice, and there condemned Arianism. The silence of other authors make many justly suspect these circumstances. The history of the translation of his relics places his death in 342. He died at Myra, and was buried in his own cathedral^* Several churches were built in his honor, even in the West, long before the translation of his relics to Bari; and the manner in which Usuard mentions him in his Martyrology, almost three ages before, shows in how great veneration his name then was in the West. The history of the translation of his relics to Bari assures us, that no saint was more universally honored in all Christian nations than St. Nicholas. The Muscovites, who received their account of him from the Greeks, seem to pay a greater veneration to his memory than to that of any other saint who lived since the times of the apostles. The relics of St. Nicholas were kept with great honor at Myra till they were translated into Italy. Certain merchants of Bari, a seaport in the kingdom of Naples, situate on the Adriatic Gulf, sailed in three ships to the coast of Lycia; and watching an opportunity when no Mahometans were near the place, went to the church in which the relics of St. Nicholas were kept, which stood in a desert place, three miles from the sea, and was guarded by a small community of monks. They broke open the marble coffin in which the sacred bones lay, and carried them off to their ships; the inhabitants, upon the alarm given, pursued them to the shore with horrible outcries, but the Europeans were got safe on board. They landed at Bari on the 9th of May, 1087, and the sacred treasure was deposited by the archbishop in the church of St. Stephen. On the first day, thirty persons were cured of various distempers, imploring the intercession of St. Nicholas, and from that time the tomb of St. Nicholas of Bari has been famous for pilgrimages. The authentic history of this translation, written by John, at that time archdeacon of Bari, by order of the archbishop, is extant in Surius. The same account is confirmed by another history of this translation, drawn up at the same time by Nicephorus of Bari, also an eye-witness, commissioned by the magistrates of the city, quoted in manuscript by Baronius, and published by Falconius.⁶ By this history of Nicephorus, it appears that the Venetians having formed a design of carrying off the relics of St. Nicholas, certain merchants from Bari, who happened then to be at Antioch, prevented them.^† This enterprise could only be justified by the laws of a just war, joined with the apprehension of the sacrilegious impiety of the Mahometans. Mention is made in a novella of the emperor Emmanuel, recorded by Balsamon, and all modern writers, of a fragrant unctuous matter which issues from the relics of St. Nicholas in his shrine at Bari, a large quantity of which was found in his sepulchre near Myra in Lycia, when his relics were brought thence.

St. Nicholas is esteemed a patron of children, because he was from his infancy a model of innocence and virtue, and to form that tender age to sincere piety was always his first care and delight.^* To impress on the minds of children perfect sentiments of devotion, religion, and all virtues, with an earnestness in all duties, is a task often as delicate as it is important. Instructions must be made sensible, and adapted by similes, parables, and examples, to the weakness of their capacities. Above all, they are to be enforced by the conduct of those with whom children converse. They learn their maxims, imbibe their spirit, and are moulded upon their example. A child which sees those who are about him love their own ease, and ever seek what best pleases their senses; still more if he observes them to be choleric, peevish, vain, slothful, or impatient, will naturally cherish these passions, and yield up the government of himself to them, instead of learning by tractableness, humility, meekness, and self-denial, to subdue and govern them. And so in all other points. Precepts and exhortations lose their force when contradicted by example; and while the infant sees every one study to please himself in every thing, in flat opposition to the rules of the gospel which he hears preached from their mouths, he seems tacitly persuaded that such a conduct is reconcileable with those very maxims which condemn it.

SS. dionysia, dativa, milianus, boniface, leontia, tertius, and majoricus, mm., under the arians in africa

In the year 484, king Huneric banished the Catholic bishops; and soon after commanded those who refused to comply with certain impious orders which he published, to be tormented and put to death. Dionysia, a lady remarkable for her great beauty, but much more so for her holy zeal and piety, was so long scourged in the most conspicuous place of the forum, till every part of her body was covered with wounds and blood. Seeing Majoricus, her only son, tremble at the sight of her torments, she said to him: “Son, remember that we have been baptized in the name of the holy Trinity, in the Catholic church, our mother. Let us not lose the clothing of our salvation, lest the master of the feast, finding us without the nuptial garment, command his servants to cast us into outer darkness The young man being strengthened by her words, suffered a most cruel martyrdom with constancy. The courageous mother embracing his body, gave hanks to God with a loud voice, and buried him in her own house, that she might frequently pray upon his tomb. Dativa, sister to Dionysia, milianus a physician, who was her cousin, Leontia, Tertius, and Boniface, suffered with great constancy horrible torments for the faith. A nobleman of Suburbia, named Servus, was tortured by the persecutors with the utmost fury. Alter his body was bruised with clubs, he was hoisted in the air by pulley and then let down again that he might fall with all his weight on the payment; and this was repeated several times. After this, he was dragged along the streets, and torn with flint-stones and pebbles, insomuch that his flesh and skin hung down in many places from his sides, back, and belly, and his ribs appeared bare. At Cucusa there was an infinite number of martyrs and confessors. Among these a courageous lady, named Victoria, was suspended in the air while a fire was kindled under her. All this while her husband, who had apostatized from the Catholic faith, talked to her in the most moving and passionate manner, conjuring her at least to have pity on him and her innocent babes, and save herself by obeying the king. The martyr stopped her ears not to hear his seducing words, and turned her eyes from her children, that she might more perfectly raise her heart to heaven The executioners seeing her shoulders dislocated, and several of her bones broken, and not perceiving her to breathe, thought she was dead, and took her down. But she came to herself, and afterwards related that a virgin had appeared to her, who touching every part of her body, immediately healed it. See St. Victor, Vitens. De Persec. Vandal l. 5; Baron ad an. 484, and the Roman Martyrology on this day.

St. peter paschal, B. M.

This saint was a native of Valencia, in Spain, and descended of the ancient family of the Paschals, which had edified the church by the triumphs of five glorious martyrs, which it produced under the Moors. Peter’s parents were virtuous and exceeding charitable; and St. Peter Nolasco often lodged with them in his travels. The birth of our saint was ascribed by them to his prayers and blessing, and the child received from him an early tincture of sincere piety. Peter Paschal performed his studies under domestic tutors, and, having received the tonsure, was made canon at Valencia soon after the king of Aragon had won that city from the Moors. His preceptor was a priest of Narbonne, a doctor of divinity, of the faculty of Paris, whom our saint’s parents had ransomed from the Moors, who had made him a captive. St. Peter Paschal went with him to Paris, and having studied, preached, and taught with great reputation, proceeded doctor then returned to Valencia, and, after employing a year in preparing himself, took the habit of the order of our Lady for the redemption of captives, in 1251. St. Peter Nolasco was his spiritual director at Barcelona, and by the instruction of that experienced master, our saint made great progress in the exercises of an interior life. James 1, king of Aragon, chose him preceptor to his son Sanchez, who embraced an ecclesiastical state, afterwards entered himself in this order, and was soon after made archbishop of Toledo, in 1262. The prince being at that time too young to receive the episcopal consecration, St. Peter Paschal was appointed his suffragan to govern his diocese, and was ordained titular bishop of Granada: which city was at that time in the hands of the Mahometans. The prince archbishop died a martyr, of the wounds he received by the Moors, who had invaded the territory of his diocese, making great havoc in his flock, in 1275. St. Peter Paschal was by this accident restored to his convent, but joined the functions of the ministry with those of a contemplative and penitential life. He founded several new convents of his order at Toledo Baza, Xerez, and particularly at Jan, twenty-two miles from Granada endeavoring by this last to procure the means of affording some spiritual succors to the afflicted church of Granada, which he regarded as his own peculiar charge, though he was not suffered to serve it. The martyrdom of B. Peter of Chemin, a religious man of the same order which our saint professed, and who was put to death at Tunis in 1284, kindled in his breast an ardent desire of martyrdom. Being made bishop of Jan in 1696, fearless of all dangers, he went often to Granada, and there not only ransomed the captives, and instructed and comforted the Christians, but also preached to the infidels, and reconciled to the church several apostates, renegadoes, and others. On this account he was at length shut up in a dark dungeon, with a severe prohibition that no one should be allowed to speak to him Yet he found means there to write an excellent treatise against Mahometanism, by which several were converted. Hereat some of the infidels took great offence, and complained to the king, who gave them authority to put him to death in whatever manner they should think fit. While he was at his prayers, after having said mass in his dungeon, he was murdered, receiving two stabs in his body: after which his head was struck off. His martyrdom happened on the 6th of December, in the year of Christ 1300, of his age seventy-two. The Christians procured his chalice, sacred ornaments, and discipline, and secretly buried his body in a grot, in a mountain near Mazzomores. Not long after, it was translated to Baza, where it still remains. His name occurs in the Roman Martyrology on the 6th of December, and on the 23d of October. See the memorials drawn up for his canonization, and Hist, des Ord. Relig.

St. Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, C.

The memory of this illustrious bishop, and learned father of the second century, has always been dear to the church, and his writings were highly valued by Eusebius and St. Jerom for elegance of style, variety of erudition, and a discreet and warm spirit of piety and religion. St. Theophilus was born of Gentile parents, who trained him up in idolatry, and gave him a liberal education. While he was yet young, he was well versed in the works of the greatest masters of ancient philosophy, and by his judgment, and the acuteness of his wit, gained much esteem among the learned men of that age. By his impartial and free search into nature and the state of things, he found the religion in which he was engaged to be not only altogether unsatisfactory, but also absurd and ridiculous, and he had too honest a heart to take up with falsehood and impiety because it was fashionable. In the works of the creation and providence, he discerned plain notices of the divine Being and perfections. In his diligent inquiry after truth, he fell upon the books of the prophets and gospels, and was much delighted with the sublime verities which they contain, and the certain prediction of future events which he discovered in them. The doctrine of the resurrection was for some time a great stumbling-block to him. Indeed, there was scarce any article of faith which met with so much opposition as this from the heathen philosophers. So full were their heads of the axiom, that from a privation of form to the repossession of it there can be no return, that they understood it, not only of the order of things, in the ordinary course of nature, but as if it implied a contradiction. Though certainly in the supernatural order of things, it is equally easy to Omnipotence to restore our scattered parts, and combine them again into the same mass, as it was at first to create them out of nothing. Theophilus at length conquered this difficulty, by reading the sacred oracles of truth, and by frequent reflection upon the many shadows of a resurrection which God hath impresed upon many parts of the creation in the common course of nature. This is the account of the manner of his conversion, which he intimates to his friend Autolychus,¹ whom he directs to the same method of conviction Theophilus greatly rejoiced that he had attained: to the name of a Christian, a name which he styles, “Dear to God, however despised by ignorant and vicious men.” But knowing that the bare name would only serve to his greater condemnation, he strenuously endeavored to reap the fruits of this religion by holiness of life. Eros, bishop of Antioch, dying in the year 168, the eighth of Marcus Aurelius. he was chosen the sixth bishop of Autioch as Eusebius and St. Jerom reckon him, from Evodius though the latter sometimes calls him the seventh, including St. Peter.

Theophilus being fixed in his charge, set himself zealously to promote virtue and true religion, and to draw men from the wanderings of heresy and idolatry into the true path of eternal life. Heresies and schisms he compared to dangerous rocks, upon which whoever is cast runs the dread fill hazard of losing his immortal soul. “As pirates,” says he, “by striking on rocks dash in pieces their laden vessels, so whoever are drawn aside from the truth, shall be miserably overwhelmed in their error.”² The vigilance and vigor with which this holy pastor opposed the first advances of heresy, have raised a lasting monument to his glory, which will endure till time shall be no more. He wrote a confutation of the heresy of Marcion, a treatise against the heresy of Hermogenes, and catechetic discourses, of which, through the injuries of time, nothing has been transmitted down to us except some few quotations and the titles and reputation of those writings. His three books to Autolychus we have entire, which contain an apology for the Christian religion. They are filled with curious remarks on passages of ancient poets and philosophers, concerning their systems of idolatry: the style is lofty, smooth, and elegant; the turn of his thoughts lively and agreeable, and his allegories and similes natural and beautiful. As these books were drawn up for the conviction of a pagan, and to obviate the calumnies and reproaches which were cast upon the Christian religion by its enemies; they must not be expected to contain nice disquisitions upon the truths of Christianity. It was our author’s part rather to make use of such arguments as would confirm the faith and convict an idolater, than to explain its doctrine. Yet it evidently appears, from several passages, that he was well acquainted with the hidden mysteries of the gospel. Petavius and Scultet fancied they discovered some __EXPRESSION__s favorable to Arianism; but are clearly confuted by Bull,³ Dom. Le Nourry,⁴ Dom. Maran, and others. St. Theophilus manifestly teaches that God the Son, or the Divine Wisdom, is coeval with the Father, and his generation eternal.⁵ What he says of his second generation, when he made himself manifest in the creation of the world,⁶ and of his third when he was born a man, cannot prejudice his divinity or consubstantiality with his Father. St. Theophilus gives the name of Trinity to the three Divine Persons in one nature,⁷ and he is the first whose writings are extant in winch that word is employed to express this mystery. This father says, that Adam’s disobedience entailed miseries on us; nevertheless, God took occasion from his fall to confer on us the greatest benefit, and the sin being expiated, has restored us to paradise.⁸ He doubts not of Adam’s salvation⁹ which Tatian the heresiarch^* set himself to deny about that time.¹⁰

Autolychus was a man of great learning and eloquence, who spent whole nights in conversing with libraries, but was excessively zealous for idolatry, and equally prejudiced against the Christian religion, which he counted mere madness, and loaded with the most odious calumnies which all the wit and malice of those times could invent, and he quarrelled with his friend Theophilus for defending it. Our saint boldly undertook to show him his errors. Treating him with the ingenuity of a philosopher, and the freedom of a friend, without flattery or disguise; and probing to the bottom of his sore, in order radically to cure him, he tells him that it is in vain for him to make any inquiry after truth, unless he reform his heart, and proceed with views perfectly pure: for the passions raise clouds which blind reason. “All men have eyes,” says he, “yet the sun is veiled from the sight of some. It, however, ceases not to emit a flood of day, though those whose eyes are blinded, see not its radiant light But this defect is to be laid to their charge, nor can the sun be complained of on account of their blindness. Thus, my friend, it is sin that darkens your mind, and blunts the edge of your understanding. As the glass represents not the image if it be soiled, so the mind receives not the impression of God, if it lies immersed in sin. This is a humor which greatly obstructs the sight, and prevents the eye from beholding the sun. Thus, my friend, your impiety diffuses a cloud over the faculties of your soul, and renders you incapable of receiving the glorious light.” In this manner he exhorted him to seek the truth with his whole heart, and purely with a view to discover it, looking upon this only as his happiness. He then proceeds in his first book to prove that God is infinite, and incomprehensible in all his perfections, and elegantly sets forth his sovereign wisdom, power, goodness, and other attributes; which he illustrates from the frame of the universe.

A monstrous portraiture is then drawn by him of the pagan theology in their adoration of impious dead men, inanimate statues, beasts, birds, vermin, leeks, and onions. The Egyptian superstition he describes almost in the words of Juvenal.^* He concludes this book by an elegant illustration of the resurrection of the dead from similes found in nature.^† Autolychus received favorably this first discourse, and expressed his satisfaction to Theophilus, who thereupon, in his second book, laid down a confutation of the opinions that were maintained by the heathens concerning their gods. He showed the contradictions of their poets and philosophers upon this subject, and explained the creation and history of the world from Moses. It is a just and true remark, that all nations distinguished the seventh day, though only the Jews observed it in a religious manner, and knew the original. In contemplating the universe he expresses his astonishment as follows: “So adorably amazing is the greatness and goodness of God in the creation, that no one could be able to describe the order and disposition of it; though he were enriched with the flowing eloquence of a thousand tongues, and though a man’s life was to be extended to a thousand years.” The world he calls a sea impetuously raging with impiety and enormous wickedness; but says, the law and the prophets springing up, as a fountain of fresh water, have refreshed it with the salutary streams of mercy and justice, and the sacred commands of a gracious God. “And as in the sea there are islands which are fruitful and furnish good harbors for the shelter of mariners who fly to them, and are there secured from the tossings of the tempests; so hath God given to the world holy churches, into whose safe havens the lovers of truth fly, and all those who desire to be saved, and to escape the dreadful wrath of God. And there are other islands which want water, and are filled with barren rocks, and, being uninhabitable, are destructive to sailors, and in which ships are dashed to pieces, or are unfortunately detained: so likewise are there erroneous doctrines and heresies which destroy those who are seduced and drawn aside by them.” Theophilus, in his third book, proves that the writings of the wisest heathens are full of many principles contrary to humanity, right reason, and sound morality; and he sets off the holiness of the doctrine and lives of the Christians, especially their meekness and love of their enemies; for even while they are ready to sink under the weight of oppression, they earnestly wish well to their persecutors, who rage against them in all the variety of cruelty. We have no certain account of the issue of this conference: but Dr. Cave observes, that if strength of reason, eloquence, and the prudent management of the cause of truth could prevail, we must conclude that Autolychus was reclaimed from his error: especially as we find him after the first discourse desirous of further instruction. St. Theophilus wrote many other works for the edification of the church, which have not reached us The short commentary on the gospels, which bears his name in the second tome of the Library of the Fathers, is certainly the production of a Latin writer, and of a later age, as appears by quotations from St. Jerom, St. Ambrose, &c., and the mention of monks. St. Theophilus sat twenty-two years in his bishopric, and died about the year 190, the tenth of Commodus. His name occurs in the Roman Martyrology on the 13th of October. The most correct editions of his books to Autolychus are, that published by Bishop Fell at Oxford, in 1684; that given by John Christopher Wolf at Hamburg, in 1724; and lastly, that of the Benedictins, with St. Justin’s works. See the testimonies of Lactantius, Eusebius, St. Jerom &c., on St. Theophilus, collected by Bishop Fell in his preface Grabe Spicil. Patr. Sæc. 2, p. 118; Cave, Tillemont, t. 3, p. 88, Coillier, t. 2, p 103.