Anastasius
Acta Sanctorum, May 20
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-20/anastasius.html
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ON ST. ANASTASIUS,

BISHOP OF BRESCIA IN ITALY.

ABOUT THE YEAR DCIX.

HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.

On his cult, translation, age, journey into Africa, whether also into Spain?

Anastasius, Bishop of Brescia in Italy (St.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

[1] The feast of its holy Bishop Anastasius celebrates
on this XX of May the Church of Brescia, and there is
to him a country church dedicated in the village of Isorella
on the Navilio river, where on his feast-day
frequent peoples gather. The sacred memory of the same on the same XX of May is inscribed in the sacred tablets
of the present Roman Martyrology, [Sacred cult] related also by Peter Galesinius
in his Martyrology, and Philip Ferrarius in the Catalogue
of the Saints of Italy. Rampertus Bishop of Brescia
in the year DCCCXIV created in the treatise on the Translation of St. Philastrius
on July XVIII to be illustrated, recounts the order of his predecessors
after St. Philastrius the Bishops, where are named
successively SS. Dominator, Paul II, Paterius, Anastasius,
Dominicus: Of whom (as has the of John Francis
de Florentinis Presbyter of Brescia Catalogue MS.
of the Bishops, by Bernardine Fayno, of the Martyrology of Brescia
author, communicated to us) of SS. Dominator, Paul,
Anastasius, and Dominicus the bodies, which first in
the church of St. Andrew had lain, [This one's and SS. Dominator, Paul, Dominicus the Bishops' bodies] from the church of St. Stephen in
the citadel, because there without congruous honors and cult
they were held, nor to pious men on account of the narrow custody of the place
was there access for veneration, where in a marble
shrine, in the nave on the Northern part which there
still is extant, by Bernard the Bishop once restored,
St. Charles Borromeo the Apostolic Visitor in the year
MDLXXXI, on the Kal. of November with the consent of the most Serene
Dominion given to the Rectors of the City, with a solemn
supplication caused to be translated, into of the greatest temple
that part, which to St. Peter was dedicated, the Lord reserving
to the most Holy Prelate a work of exceptional piety,
which that it might be done, before more than a hundred two
and twenty years, the City to James Third its Orator
to Venice commanded, that with the Republic he should treat.

[2] He had ordered before in the year MDLXXX, on the XVI of March
the shrine to be opened, with John Delphino assisting there
the Bishop, and John Antony Seneca, and Ludovico
Monata his familiars, besides the Archpriest
and Provost of the greater Church, and the greatest multitude
of People. But the following year, with most ample apparatus
and most religious cult, and of the whole Clergy and People exultation,
the Translation was made; not in some triumphal
chariot, [translated by St. Charles Borromeo in the year 1581] but (which exceeds all amplitude of pomp)
on the sacred shoulders of the Pastors. For St.
Charles and John Delphino our Bishop
subjected themselves to the sacred burden, and exulting to
the prescribed place carried it, a Mass there
being sung, and a sermon held by St. Charles, the Bishop being present.
But it happened, not without great gladness of the pious and even
admiration, that whereas the sky had been cloudy many
days, nor without great showers,
the sacred bier being raised outside the gate of the citadel, serene
at once it became, and with clear light shone. Which
not once in supplications of this kind, at Milan
by St. Charles held, is established to have happened, in his Life
by the Bishop of Novara written books 3 and 4. There were three heads
entire only: no title in the shrine; only
report, and Annals. There is seen in the shrine still a bronze tablet,
with characters of this kind sculptured. The sacred Relics
of SS. Dominator, Paul, Anastasius, and Dominicus, Bishops
and Confessors, by Charles Cardinal of St.
Praxedis, Borromeo called, Archbishop
of Milan, Apostolic Visitor, and John
Delphino Bishop of Brescia hither from the citadel translated:
Gregory XIII Sovereign Pontiff in the year from Christ born
MDLXXXI. [and again in the year 1604.] Which same Bodies from the same temple,
which was to be destroyed, into the Altar of St. Justina of the Cathedral
Round were translated, in the year MDCIV: above
which altar the holy Eucharist is kept, and is eminent the image
of Christ scourged.

[3] Worthy further it was, that this Cycnean hill
four Saints' bodies should furnish, on which the godhead of Bargimus
ancient impiety celebrated, and from which
into the City flowed errors: as testifies
the following Inscription, from the trench of the shrine drawn out MDCLXI,
into the Northern wall of the church closing the Atrium inserted,
the most illustrious D. Francis Contarini permitting me
L. VIBIUS VISGIL NIMPIODOTUS
TO BERGIMUS A VOW
C. ASINIUS GALLUS, C. MARTIUS CENSOR.
CONSULS.
L. SALVIUS APER, C. POSTUMATIUS COSTA
II. MEN QUINQUENNIAL.
But in the year MDCXXXIII John Mary Fenarolus
the Archpriest the aforesaid heads from the shrine drew out, and for
the use of the church in noble silver coffins laid up.
Similar things, but much more briefly, in the Notes to his Martyrology
on November 1 has the aforepraised Faynus; [The earlier translation is commemorated November 4.] and says,
that of the earlier translation a public document is extant with
the Society of the Body of the Lord: at whose namely altar on
the south of the choir of the Cathedral of St. Mary the Round the later
translation had been made, present the Lord Marino
George the Bishop, the Lord Rectors of the city
and the deputed Decurions, the Lord Canons and
a most frequent people, on the day XVI of February: which elsewhere
Faynus teaches us, and says it is plain from the Instrument of D. Ludovico
Calini Chancellor of the city. Further that of the first
Translation the anniversary memory outside the Octave of All
Saints, on the X day of the month of November, by the whole Church
of Brescia should be celebrated; the same Holy Visitor established,
witness in the Notes the aforesaid Faynus.

[4] All the aforesaid confirm of these Bishops the Sacred veneration.
Of SS. Paul II and Paterius we treated
on February VII and XXI, of SS. Dominator and Dominicus
to be treated it will be on November V and December XX.
But because we judged probable on the Life of St. Paterius,
that he the exposition of Scripture from the books of St. Gregory the Great
excerpted, [St. Anastasius sat about the year 604.] he himself approving and to this animating him Gregory,
necessarily it would follow that Paterius's successor St. Anastasius,
about the death of St. Gregory, or a little later, was promoted
to the See of the Church of Brescia; to whom then St. Dominicus
succeeded, to Queen Theodelinda uniquely dear. Certainly that this one was over it
from the year DCVII, until the year DCXII hands down
Ughelli in the Bishops of Brescia: which in its own time
more accurately is to be discussed.

[5] Few things of the deeds done by St. Anastasius survive, of
which in the MS. Martyrology of Brescia (which by the gift of Ferdinand
Ughelli we have) these to this XX of May are related:
At Brescia of St. Anastasius the Bishop and Confessor. He
a man of the highest religion, [at some time having set out into Africa,] kindled with the zeal of propagating
the Gospel, both his fellow-citizens in the discipline of Christ instructed,
and Africa being traversed the words of salvation both by sermons
and by deeds divinely done everywhere disseminated. Thus far that.
Similar things have, and especially of his preaching in Africa
Elias Capreolus, book 4 of the Brescian History page 65, Ascanius
Martinengus on the Brescian Saints, John Francis
the Florentine Presbyter of Brescia on the Brescian Prelates,
likewise the before-mentioned Galesinius, Ferrarius, Ughelli,
Faynus, who also some things from the MS. History of John Baptist
Nasarius transmitted, where it is said he disseminated the word of God in
the Neapolitan kingdom, and thence set out into Africa to have been. But
all these will, that he Africa being traversed to his Church
returned, and with many merits heaped from this life
migrated.

[6] Those who lately a Chronicle under Marcus Maximus Bishop of Saragossa's
name thrust forth, the occasion seized of the journey
into Africa, [whether also into Spain?] translated also St. Anastasius to their
Spain, with Canons added besides at the end, where these things
are read: Wonderfully flourished the memory of St. Anastasius
the Pontiff of Brescia, who against the Arians preached in
Italy, and in Africa, and in Spain, especially in the cities
of Celtiberia. At Valeria preaches St. Anastasius, at Libana,
at Villa-excussa, at Saragossa, at Valencia, at Salamanca,
and in other cities of Spain. Thus far that, which
into Francis Bivar's Commentary is knit, and by Tamayo
Salazar into the Spanish Martyrology on this XX of May
were translated. But we in the silence of others judge,
such things with the rest of the Maximus Chronicle to be not worthy to
be read. There can be noted meanwhile an error of Tamayo, Brescia,
a city of the Cisalpine Cenomani, in the Notes placing at
the roots of the Rhaetian Alps; where deceiving memory
made him confound Brescia with Brixen, a Subalpine
city.
