Saint of the day July 30: Saint Peter Chrysologus. Catholic Saints

Every July 30, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Peter Chrysologus, Father and Doctor of the Church, who occupied the archiepiscopal see of Ravenna (Italy) between the years 433 and 450.

He is called “chrysologist” (golden word) in recognition of his great eloquence, expressed in numerous and beautiful sermons.

Saint Peter Chrysologus was a tireless preacher, very given to encouraging the faithful in the exercise of virtue, the love of Christ and the desire for holiness. It is enough to show a fragment of his sermons for this to be evident:

“Let us bear the image of our Creator in its entirety and with full resemblance: not by imitating him in his sovereignty, which corresponds only to him, but by being his image through our innocence, simplicity, meekness, patience, humility, mercy and concord.”

“He said to him, ‘Feed my sheep’” (Jn 21, 15)

Saint Peter Chrysologus was born in Imola (Italy), around the year 400, although the exact date of his birth has not been established with precision.

He studied sacred Theology and was trained by Cornelius, Bishop of Imola, who helped him understand that true greatness lies in the control of oneself and one’s own passions. In that effort, done in conjunction with the Grace of God, the beginning of all good, we become capable of embracing Christ. Cornelius himself ordained him deacon at the end of his preparation.

According to a very ancient tradition, upon the death of the Archbishop of Ravenna, the local clergy and the people set about choosing his successor. Once the candidate was chosen, they asked Bishop Cornelius to lead the delegation that would present the name of the chosen one to Pope Saint Sixtus III, in the city of Rome, while waiting for him to confirm the successor.

Pedro – who was not the chosen candidate – was part of the delegation.

The night before the meeting, the Pontiff had a vision in his dreams in which Saint Peter the Apostle and Saint Apollinaris, the first bishop of Ravenna, appeared. Both asked him not to confirm the candidate proposed by the committee.

Target of the rejection of his own

Accepting the message, the Pope did not accept the proposed candidate, and instead pointed out none other than one of the members of the group that had arrived from Ravenna: Peter, the deacon who already stood out for his spiritual disposition and eloquence.

Immediately afterwards, the Pope ordered the pertinent arrangements for his consecration. Once consecrated bishop, Peter Chrysologus moved back to Ravenna, where he would be received coldly.

God’s designs are perfect

However, over time, the faithful began to see Peter as a magnificent shepherd. His simplicity, closeness and clarity in his speech earned him the respect of many of those who had turned their backs on him.

Furthermore, his successes in the fight against the forms of paganism present in his flock and his authority to correct abuses or deviations from doctrine earned him the affection of the community. He faced the heresies of Arianism, Monophysitism and Pelagianism; although he always balanced his apologetic task with work towards the moral improvement of the faithful.

The man of golden words

Saint Peter was one of those who knew how to listen with equal attention and charity to the humble and the powerful; and he always had a precise word for all his spiritual children.

None of this was an easy task, but the saint knew how to hold on to the Eucharist and encourage the people to draw closer to God in prayer and the sacraments – among other teachings and good examples, reflected in his sermons. The archbishop had become the “man of golden words.”

At the end of his days, Saint Peter Chrysologue returned to Imola, where he died on July 31, 451 (other versions indicate the date of his transit as December 3, 450). He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1729 by Pope Benedict XIII.

In it Roman Martyrology

The Roman Martyrology says: «Saint Peter, “Chrysologist” by nickname, bishop of Ravenna and doctor of the Church, who, having received the name of the holy apostle, performed his office so perfectly that he managed to capture multitudes in the net of his heavenly doctrine, satisfying them with the sweetness of his word. His transition took place on the thirty-first day of this month in Imola, in the region of Emilia Romagna (c. 450).

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If you want to know more about Saint Peter Chrysologus, you can read the following article from the Catholic Encyclopedia’: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/San_Pedro_Crisologist.

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