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E07235: In his Sermon 217, On the nativity of St. John the Baptist, Caesarius bishop of Arles (southern Gaul) celebrates the feast of the nativity of *John the Baptist (S00020). Written in Latin at Arles, 503/542.

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posted on 2018-12-30, 00:00 authored by kwojtalik

Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 217, In natale Sancti Iohannis Baptistae

1. Hodie, dilectissimi fratres, iohannis, qui domini praecucurrit adventum, natalem diem colimus, quod nulli sanctorum meminimus adtributum; hodie, inquam, eius natalem diem unica ac singulari celebritate veneramur.

'Today, dearly beloved, we are celebrating the birthday of John, who preceded the coming of our Lord. We do not recall that this has been granted to any [other] of the saints, and so I repeat that we are honouring his birthday with a unique and special celebration.'

John is praised, above all for his courage in denouncing the sins of Herod, which cost him his life. Caesarius enjoins his congregation to be charitable and humble.

Text: Morin, vol. 2, 861-4. Translation: Mueller, vol. 3, 120-4.

History

Evidence ID

E07235

Saint Name

John the Baptist : S00020

Saint Name in Source

Iohannes

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/John_the_Baptist/13729156

Type of Evidence

Literary - Sermons/Homilies

Language

Latin

Evidence not before

503

Evidence not after

543

Activity not before

503

Activity not after

543

Place of Evidence - Region

Gaul and Frankish kingdoms

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Arles

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Arles Tours Tours Toronica urbs Prisciniacensim vicus Pressigny Turonorum civitas Ceratensis vicus Céré

Major author/Major anonymous work

Caesarius of Arles

Cult activities - Festivals

Saint’s feast

Source

After an early career as an ascetic monk, first at the island monastery of Lérins, Caesarius became bishop of Arles in 503, and held this post, through many political vicissitudes, until his death in 542 (for his Life see E06283). Caesarius acquired a considerable reputation as a preacher, delivering sermons in a straightforward style and language, with limited use of rhetorical effects; most of his sermons address issues of Christian morality and practice, and the handful that he delivered on the feast days of saints are often concerned with proper behaviour at their festivals. His sermons were popular, and are widely attested in the manuscript tradition. Germain Morin, the most recent collector and editor of his sermons, attributed nearly 250, in whole or in part, to Caesarius; many, according to Morin, are reworkings of earlier sermons, with shorter or longer additions by Caesarius. Although Morin's attributions are not always certain, we have accepted them without question, since to look into this issue is beyond the scope of our project. Morin divided the sermons into five groups: sermons or admonitions on various topics (1-80), sermons on Scripture (81-186), seasonal sermons (187-213), sermons on the saints and feast days (214-232), and sermons to monks (233-238).

Bibliography

Edition: Morin, G., Sancti Caesarii Arelatensis sermones: nunc primum in unum collecti et ad leges artis criticae ex innumeris mss. recogniti (Corpus christianorum. Series Latina, 103-104; Turnholti: Brepols, 1953). Translations: Caesarius of Arles, Sermons, vol. 1-3, trans. M. Mueller (The Fathers of the Church, Volume 31, 47 and 66; Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2004). Césaire d’Arles, Sermons au peuple, vol. 1, ed. and transl. M.-J. Delage (Sources Chrétiennes, Volume 175; Paris: Éd. du Cerf, 1971), 13-216. Further reading: Klingshirn, W.E., Caesarius of Arles: the Making of a Christian Community in Late Antique Gaul (Cambridge, 1994).