The Presbyters Project

Letter 32 to Sulpicius Severus

After commenting on the two basilicas and a baptistery founded by Sulpicius Severus in Primuliacum (see [2108], [2019], and [2022]), Paulinus reports on the churches he calls basilicae nostrae: "our [meaning: my] basilicas". All of them were recently founded, it seems, by Paulinus himself. There are five new basilicas at Nola and one at Fundi, where Paulinus owned property before he disposed of all his wealth. Paulinus describes them in some detail, including the inscriptions which embellish their walls. Interestingly, the inscription which mentions bishop Paul of Nola, does not say a word about Paulinus, who served at that time as a presbyter in this city

(ed. de Hartel 1894: 282)

Discussion:

This letter was written shortly before the dedication of Sulpicius' basilica, in 403 or, even more probably, in 404.

Place of event:

Region

Italy south of Rome and Sicily
Gaul
Italy south of Rome and Sicily

City

Nola
Primuliacum
Fundi

About the source:

Author: Paulinus of Nola
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Nola (Italy south of Rome and Sicily)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Paulinus of Nola (Pontius Metropius Paulinus) was born into a very affluent family ca 335. Although most of his estates were located near Bordeaux in Gaul, he was appointed the governor of Campania in his early twenties. He then returned to Gaul. In 389, after being baptized, Paulinus and his wife moved to Spain. They both started to follow a semi-monastic way of life. Following the death of his newborn son, Paulinus was ordered a presbyter at Christmas 394. In 395, Paulinus established a monastery in Nola in Campania. He served as a bishop of that city from 409 till his death in 431. Paulinus corresponded with many principal Christian intellectuals of the era, including Sulpicius Severus, Jerome, Ambrose of Milan, and Augustine of Hippo. Of this rich epistolographic corpus, however, only fifty-one letters survived. For the list of all letters Paulinus sent as a presbyter, and their addressees, see [2059].

Edition:

G. de Hartel ed., S. Pontii Meropii Paulini Nolani opera, vol. 1 Epistulae, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 29, Prague-Wien-Leipzig 1894.

Translation:

Letters of St. Paulinus of Nola, trans. P.G. Walsh, Ancient Christian Writers 35, New York 1966.

Categories:

Writing activity - Correspondence

PR269.

Ecclesiastical administration - Construction/Renovation

PR269.

Economic status and activity - Indication of wealth

PR269.

Relation with - Another presbyter

PR269.

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

PR269.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER2125, https://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2125