E03239: The Life of *Eusebius (bishop of Vercelli, ob. 371, S01219) is written in Latin at an uncertain date between the late 6th and early 9th c. Setting the narrative in the history of the period and notably the Arian controversy, it narrates Eusebius’ youth and career, the miracles he performed, his exile to Scythopolis and return to Vercelli, where he is martyred and buried in a basilica that he had built next to the body of *Theognistus (martyr of Vercelli, E02469), where many miracles occur.

Life of Eusebius (BHL 2748)

Summary:

§ 1: Prologue

§§ 2-12: Account setting Eusebius’ youth and career within the religious history of the period, notably the Arian controversy. Eusebius is born of Christian parents from Sardinia, he goes to Rome after the death of his father and is baptised by the bishop Eusebius just before the latter dies in persecutions. He then serves the bishop Melchiades (311-314) and is ordained a reader (lector) under Sylvester (314-335) and a priest under Mark (336) at the age of fifty, then appointed under Julius (337-352) as bishop of Vercelli, where he fight against Arians, ordains clerics, and faces the wrath of emperor Constantius, who convenes a council in Milan to condemn him and Athanasius of Alexandria.

§§ 12-18: Description and praise of Eusebius’ miracles. Angels lift him from the font at baptism; angels protect him from a lustful woman; Eusebius reveals the bad intentions of a monk and exorcises him; angels join him when he celebrates the Eucharist; the blind are healed with the water used to wash his hands at mass; wounded and lepers are also healed. In Vercelli, Eusebius fights against Arians, who prevent his congregation from entering the church dedicated to Mary. He is expelled from the city and stays in the fortress of Credonium near Vercelli for three months, where he builds an oratory in honour of the mother of God and writes a codex of the four Gospels. Anyone who swears a false oath on this codex is severely wounded or killed. After Auxentius, bishop of Milan is condemned at the council of Rimini, Eusebius returns to Vercelli and appoints Dionysius as bishop of Milan, who performs many miracles and fights the Arians.

§§ 19-37: Return to the main chronological narrative centred around the Arian controversy. Eusebius travels to attend the council of Milan (miraculously crossing a river) convened by Constantius; there, he overturns an Arian statement condemning Athanasius, which was signed by Dionysius and other Nicene bishops, and causes it to be burnt. He refuses to sign any other statement supporting the Arians, and as a result he is severely beaten and exiled, as he had predicted, together with Liberius of Rome, Hilary of Poitiers, Paulinus of Trier, Lucifer of Cagliari, Dionysius of Milan and other Nicene bishops who had gathered there. He is detained in a cage in Scythopolis, then in a small room, and left starving with very little food. He writes to the guard Patrophilus, denouncing his detention conditions. However he is soon imprisoned in an even smaller cell for a long time, enduring everything with the help of angels. He sends letters everywhere, especially to Vercelli and Milan, to exhort Nicenes not to yield. After Julian becomes emperor (361-363), Eusebius and the other exiled bishops are freed; he goes to Alexandria to convene a council with Athanasius, then to Antioch and the East, and finally to Italy and to Rome, preaching against Arianism, presiding over the restoration of the Nicene creed in the West. At the time of Jovian (363-364), he returns to Vercelli and comforts Nicenes in Milan and elsewhere.

§§ 38-42: Eusebius’ martyrdom, burial and cult. As he is travelling, Eusebius has a dream: he flies from the top of high mountains to a bright palace. He understands that he will soon be martyred and tells it to his congregation. A few days later, in Vercelli, Arians seize him and stone him to death, breaking his skull. His disciples collect the body and bury it in the basilica that he had built in honour of the martyr Theognistus. Miracles occur at the shrine up to this day. At the time of his death a violent storm killed all Arians of Vercelli. At his tomb, all illnesses are cured, demons expelled, angels appear. Psalms are sung day and night. At the time of his burial, his bleeding skull left a cloud of fragrance in the church, and this still happens. When he was alive he told his disciples to put all his clothes in his tomb and prohibited anyone from taking offerings of his hair or beard. This is why his relics are rare to find. His feast is celebrated on the Calends of August [= 1 August]. Eusebius also ordered with his final words that his written works be preserved and passed on to others.

Text: Ughelli 1719, 749-761. Summary: M. Pignot.