The Presbyters Project

During the reign of the emperor Claudius, saint Peter goes from Antioch to Rome. He has a disciple Apollinaris whom he sends to the bishopric in Ravenna. He heals a wife of the tribune in Ravenna and converts his family.

7. Habitavit interea in domo tribuni intra urbem Ravennam beatus Apollinaris, et cottidie ad eum veniebant multi ex populo, et docebat eos secrete, dicens: Credite in Jesum; quoniam ipse est Deus coeli et terrae. Et credentes baptizabantur. Multi vero nobiles dabant filios suos beato Apollinari, ut ab eodem sacris litteris erudirentur. His vero qui jam Christo credebant, missas ejus, et baptismata in domo tribuni beatus Apollinaris agebat cum discipulis suis. Itaque intra duodecim annos, duos presbyteros Adheretum et Calocerum ordinavit; Marcianum vero nobilissimum virum et Leocadium philosophum diaconos fecit. Sex enim clericos statuit, cum quibus die noctuque psalmos Domino canebat.

(Acta Sanctorum, Julii 5, 344-345)

7. Blessed Apollinaris lived in the house of the tribune in the city of Ravenna and many people came to him every day. He taught them in secret saying: Believe in Jesus because He is God of heaven and earth. And he baptized the believers. Many nobles were giving his sons to blessed Apollinaris to be instructed in the Holy Scripture. With those of his disciples who already believed in Christ he celebrated masses and baptized in the house of the tribune. And within twelve years he ordained two presbyters, Adheretus and Calocerus. The most noble man Marcianus and the philosopher Leocadius he made deacons. He also ordained six clerics with whom he chanted day and night the psalms to the Lord.

(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

Place of event:

Region

Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia

City

Ravenna

About the source:

Title: Martyrdom of Apollinaris, Martyrdom of saint Apollinaris, Passio Apollinaris, Passio s. Apollinaris, Passio sancti Apollinaris episcopi et martyris
Origin: Ravenna (Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

The Martyrdom was certainly written before the 7th/8th c. because it was used by Bede`s martyrology but the historical features of the presented universe suggest a late antique dating. The text was then probably composed at some moment between the 5th and 7th c. (although it was not known by Peter Chrysologus who preached on Apollinaris in the 5th c.). For the various propositions of more precise datings see Pignot 2017 (with further references). The author was familiar with the city of Ravenna and the cult of Apollinaris, well documented also in the other sources, thus, he was probably based in Ravenna too.

The early modern editions by Mombritius and in the Acta Sanctorum do not include readings from the earliest manuscript, the 8th-century codex from the National Library of Russia in St Petersburg, V.I.12 (f. 47v-62r). These readings were, however, collated by Everett 2016.

For a detailed discussion of the Martyrdom and the cult of Apollinaris see Pignot 2017.

Edition:

Mombritius (1910), I, 117-122

Acta Sanctorum, Jul. V, 344-350

Bibliography:

Matthieu Pignot, Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity, E02088, 2017

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Ritual activity - Baptism and instructing catechumens

Ritual activity - Eucharist

Ritual activity - Divine office/Liturgy of the hours

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1835, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1835