Chromatius of Aquileia preaches a sermon (Sermon 7) on the feast day of *Felix and Fortunatus (brothers, martyrs of Aquileia and Vicenza, S01164). Delivered in Latin in Aquileia (northern Italy), 388/407.
Evidence ID
E05299
Type of Evidence
Literary - Sermons/Homilies
Major author/Major anonymous work
Chromatius of Aquileia
Chromatius of Aquileia, Sermon 7
(fragment)
Natale est hodie sanctorum martyrum Felicis et Fortunati, qui civitatem nostrum glorioso martyrio decorarunt ...
‘Today is the feast day of the holy martyrs Felix and Fortunatus, who, through their glorious martyrdom, adorn our city ...’
Text: Lemarié 1969.
Translation: Frances Trzeciak.
Liturgical Activities
Sermon/homily
FestivalsSaint’s feast
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - bishops
Source
A sermon of Chromatius, the bishop of Aquileia between 388 and 407. This sermon only survives as a fragment, the entirety of which is given here. Chromatius’ sermons were unknown for centuries after his death and were only rediscovered in the mid-twentieth century by Joseph Lemarié and Raymond Étaix. This sermon was preached to Chromatius’ congregation at some point during his episcopate.Before he was bishop, Chromatius took an active role in the 381 Council of Aquileia. This was one of the councils which condemned Arius' teachings as heretical. Chromatius was also a correspondent of several prominent figures in the late fourth-century church, including Jerome, Rufinus of Aquileia and Ambrose of Milan. In the late fourth century, Aquileia was a lively and diverse port town at a crossroads of the empire. It had strong links to the east and prominent Jewish and pagan communities. Chromatius’ sermons provide a view of the Nicene community of Aquileia in this dynamic time.
Discussion
Chromatius uses similar phrasing when praising the glory of martyrs in general. In Sermon 9.2, he describes how ‘the death of the martyrs is an ornament of the church and a crown of virtue’ (... mors martyrum decor Ecclesiae est et corona virtutis).Bibliography
Text, French translation and commentary:Lemarié, J. (ed.), and Tardif, H. (trans.), Chromace d’Aquilée, Sermons. 2 vols. (Sources Chrétiennes 154, 164; Paris: Cerf, 1969-71).
Further Reading:
Beatrice, P.F. (ed.), Chromatius of Aquileia and His Age: Proceedings of the International Conference Held in Aquileia, 22-24 May 2008 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2011).
Lizzi, R., "Ambrose’s Contemporaries and the Christianization of Northern Italy," Journal of Roman Studies 80 (1990) 156-173.
McEachnie, R., Chromatius of Aquileia and the Making of a Christian City (London: Routledge, 2017).
Truzzi, C., Zeno, Gaudenzio e Cromazio. Testi e contenuti della predicaione Cristiana per le chiese di Verona, Brescia e Aquileia (360 – 410 ca.) (Brescia: Paideia, 1985).
Record Created By
Frances Trzeciak
Date of Entry
09/04/2018
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S01164 | Felix and Fortunatus, brothers, martyrs of Aquileia and Vicenza | Felix, Fortunatus | Certain |
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