Peter Chrysologus, bishop of Ravenna, preaches a sermon (Sermon 154) for the feast of *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030). Delivered in Latin in Ravenna (northern Italy), c. 450.
Evidence ID
E02982
Type of Evidence
Literary - Sermons/Homilies
Major author/Major anonymous work
Peter Chrysologus
Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 154, De natale sancti Stephani (‘On the feast of saint Stephen’)
The sermon starts by noting that the names of the saints are indications of their merits and deeds. After discussing the cases of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah (their new names showing their numerous offspring) and the unhoped for birth of Isaac (meaning laughter), and Jacob (meaning the Supplanter, overthrowing his brother), Peter discusses Stephen’s case. He received this name [from the Greek stephanos, a crown] because he was the first to be crowned in martyrdom. While Peter is the first among the Apostles, Stephen is the first among the martyrs.
Text: Olivar 1982, 958-960.
Summary: M. Pignot.
Liturgical Activities
Sermon/homily
FestivalsSaint’s feast
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - bishops
Theorising on SanctityConsiderations about the hierarchy of saints
Source
Peter Chrysologus was bishop of Ravenna in the second quarter of the 5th century. The chronology of his life remains uncertain: he is attested as bishop in 448/449 and he died before 458 when there is evidence of his successor Neo receiving a letter from pope Leo the Great: see PCBE 2, 'Petrus Chrysologus 9', pp. 1728-9. While most of Peter's sermons were transmitted in a collection put together by bishop Felix of Ravenna in the 8th century, the current body of sermons attributed to him has been established and critically edited by Olivar, who rejected a number of sermons from Felix's collection as spurious and added 15 sermons not transmitted in the collection but which he considered authentic. All the sermons were preached in Ravenna, generally on specific topics or liturgical feasts that can be identified. Most, however, do not bear indications of their date, although Olivar has attempted to find chronological units within Felix' collection.For an overview of these sermons and hypotheses on their chronology, see A. Olivar, Los sermones de San Pedro Crisologo: estudio critico (Montserrat, 1962); F. Sottocornola, L’anno liturgico nei sermoni di Pietro Crisologo (Cesena, 1973); V. Zangara, “I silenzi nella predicazione di Pietro Crisologo”, Rivista di storia e letteratura religiosa 32 (1996), 225-265, and further bibliography in W.B. Palardy, Peter Chrysologus: Selected Sermons, vol. 2, (Fathers of the Church 109; Washington DC, 2004), xiii-xvi.
This sermon was transmitted outside Felix' collection.
Discussion
This sermon offers evidence for the celebration of Stephen’s feast in Ravenna.Bibliography
Edition:Olivar, A., Petrus Chrysologus, Sermones (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina 24B; Turnhout, 1982), 958-960.
Translation:
Ganss, G.E., Saint Peter Chrysologus, Selected Sermons, and Saint Valerian, Homilies (Fathers of the Church 17; New York, 1953), 259-261.
Record Created By
Matthieu Pignot
Date of Entry
14/6/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00030 | Stephen, the First Martyr | Stephanus | Certain |
|---|
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