E02596: Augustine of Hippo preaches in Latin a sermon on the feast of the Apostles *Peter (S00036) and *Paul (S00008), addressing the question of why the memorial shrines (memoriae) of these apostles, of *Laurence (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037), and of other martyrs did not save Rome from being captured by its enemies in 410. Sermon 296, preached most probably in Carthage (North Africa) in 411.

Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 296

[In natali apostolorum Petri et Pauli

'On the birthday (natalis) of the apostles Peter and Paul']


Augustine refers to the reading which preceded the sermon and other New Testament passages about Peter.

6. Iacet Petri corpus Romae, dicunt homines, iacet Pauli corpus Romae, Laurentii corpus Romae, aliorum martyrum sanctorum corpora iacent Romae: et misera est Roma, et uastatur Roma: affligitur, conteritur, incenditur; tot strages mortis fiunt, per famem, per pestem, per gladium. Ubi sunt memoriae apostolorum? quid dicis? ecce hoc dixi: tanta mala roma patitur: ubi sunt memoriae apostolorum? Ibi sunt, ibi sunt, sed in te non sunt. Utinam in te essent, quisquis ista loqueris, quisquis ista desipis, quisquis uocatus in spiritu carnem sapis, quisquis talis es: utinam in te essent memoriae apostolorum, utinam tu cogitares apostolos. Videres utrumnam eis terrena felicitas promissa fuerit, an aeterna.
 
6. '"Peter's body lies in Rome", people are saying, "Paul's body lies in Rome, Laurence's body lies in Rome, the bodies of other holy martyrs lie in Rome; and Rome is grief-stricken, and Rome is being devastated, afflicted, crushed, burnt; death stalking the streets in so many ways, by hunger, by pestilence, by the sword. Where are the memorial shrines (memoriae) of the apostles?
     What's this you're saying?
     "Here's what I'm saying; Rome is suffering such enormous evils; where are the memorial shrines of the apostles?"
     They are there, they are there, but they are not in you. If only they were in you, whoever you are that are saying these things, whoever you are, foolish enough to think these things, whoever you are, called in the spirit and savouring the flesh, whoever you may be of that sort! If only the memorial shrines of the apostles were in you, if only you really gave a thought to the apostles! Then you would see whether they promised an earthly felicity or eternal.

In what follows, Augustine explains that the promises of the apostles concerned the life to come, and not security in this world. He also discusses the issue of the reintegration of the Donatists within the Catholic communities.

Text: Morin 1930, 404-405. Translation: Hill 1994, 206. Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.