Day 34 - Monday, 5th Week in Lent - San Crisogono in Trastevere

In the far northeast of what we now think of as Italy, there was a city in ancient Roman times named Aquileia. It is very small today, but it was not always so. It was situated just about six miles from the sea at the head of the Adriatic Sea, and in the 2nd century, it was one of the world's largest cities, with a population of 100,000. Important events took place in this city, critical to both Empire and Church. The city was ultimately destroyed in the 5th century by Attilla the Hun.

Here in 340, after the death of Constantine the Great, Emperor Constantine II was killed under its walls while attempting to take the city from his younger brother Constans.

Constantine II

"Solidus Constantine II-heraclea RIC vII 101" by Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solidus_Constantine_II-heraclea_RIC_vII_101.jpg#/

Constans

"146 Constans" by http://www.hjkrenzer.de/roemer/_Portraitgalerie.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:146_Constans.jpg#/

Gracian

"Gratian Solidus" by Rasiel Suarez - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gratian_Solidus.jpg#/

In 381, the Western Roman Emperor Gratian summoned a regional Council to address the Arian controversy in the West (remember Arius from Alexandria, Egypt who said Jesus was God's first and most important creation, but although he was "like" God, he was NOT God) It was organized by Bishop Ambrose of Milan, and presided over by Valerian, Bishop of Aquileia. Thirty-two Western bishops attended.

Two bishops defended the Arian position, but in the end, this position was anathematized (determined to be a heresy) by all the bishops except one. The council also proposed that the Eastern and Western Emperors convene a general council (ecumenical council) of both East and West in order to end the schism that had recently arisen in Antioch (Syria) as well as the lingering Arian controversy throughout the Empire. Later that same year, Emperor Theodosius I did convene the second ecumenical council, which became known as the First Council of Constantinople, where a definitive resolution to the Arian crisis was reached. It was not long before Theodosius I declared Christianity to be the official religion of the Roman Empire. (Remember that Constantine had declared Christianity to be legal and could no longer be persecuted back in 314 when he issued the Edict of Milan.)

Theodosius I

Only about eighty years prior to these events, another drama had played out in Aquileia, the martyrdom of St Chrysogonus during the Great Persecution of Diocletian.

St Chrysogonus - mosaic - Ravenna, Italy

"Chrysogonus" by Capella Arcivescovile (Archiepiscopal Chapel), Ravenna - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pelegrino/5779780256/. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chrysogonus.jpg#/

Chrysogonus was buried in Aqualeia, and publicly venerated by the faithful of that region. He was also the patron saint of Zadar on the Adriatic coast of Illyricum.

Above: St Chrysogonus

"Michele Giambono San Crisógono a caballo San Trovaso Venecia" by Michele Giambono - Web Gallery of Art: Image Info about artwork. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michele_Giambono_San_Cris%C3%B3gono_a_caballo_San_Trovaso_Venecia.jpg#/

St Chrysogonus was the Christian teacher and mentor of St Anastasia who we met on Day 7 of the pilgrimage. She was the daughter of the noble Roman Praetextatus. Anastasia was imprisioned during the Great Persecution of Diocletian, and suffered terribly. It appears that St Chrysogonus was her spiritual director, and comforted her during her ordeals by writing her letters.

Right: St Chrysogonus with St Anastasia - Icon

Within 80 years of his martyrdom, a wealthy patron of the same name established a titular church in Rome. It was recorded by the 499 Synod of Rome as being the Titulus Chrysogoni, but it is thought to date from the 4th century. Very early there was a transfer of the veneration of St Chrysogonus from Aquileia to this church where the head of the saint was eventually enshrined in a rich case (though his body is at Venice).

Façade of the Church of San Crisogono in Trastevere

"Trastevere - san Crisogono 01424" by Lalupa - Self-published work by Lalupa. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trastevere_-_san_Crisogono_01424.JPG#/

Bell Tower of San Crisogono

"Zichtbaar 1" by Dolfkalenders - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zichtbaar_1.jpg#/

Above: Ceiling - St Chrysogonus

"Trastevere - san Crisogono - soffitto a lacunari con stemma Borghese 01432" by Lalupa - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trastevere_-_san_Crisogono_-_soffitto_a_lacunari_con_stemma_Borghese_01432.JPG#/

Interior of the Basilica of St Chrysogonus

"Trastevere - san Crisogono 1000360 interno" by Lalupa - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trastevere_-_san_Crisogono_1000360_interno.JPG#/

High altar and Ciborium of the Basilica of St Chrysogonus

"Nef de la Basilique Saint-Chrysogone" by Mallowtek - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nef_de_la_Basilique_Saint-Chrysogone.JPG#/media/File:Nef_de_la_Basilique_Saint-Chrysogone.JPG

Altarpiece of the Basilica of San Crisogono - Mosaic of the Virgin and Child with St Chrysogonus(L) and St James the Greater - Church of San Crisogono

Source: http://www.aug.edu/augusta/iconography/sanCrisogono2007/madonnaChildCavalini.html (Wikimedia Commons) User: Adam sk.

Floor of the Basilica - cosmatesque

"Trastevere - san Crisogono 1000363 pavimento cosmatesco" by Lalupa - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trastevere_-_san_Crisogono_1000363_pavimento_cosmatesco.JPG#/

Left: Ceiling Fresco - Nave - The Glory of St Chrysogonus

by Gian Franscesco Barbieri 1622

The saint's boots and garb suggest a military officer. The angels with the flute and trumpet suggest the influence of Caravaggio.

Excavations of the 5th century church

Below: Chrysogonus, Rufinus, and Anastasia - fresco - Basilica of San Crisogono in Trastevere

"S Crisogono sub - VIII sec. affreschi cripta - Crisogono, Rufino e Anastasia 1120227" by Lalupa - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S_Crisogono_sub_-_VIII_sec._affreschi_cripta_-_Crisogono,_Rufino_e_Anastasia_1120227.JPG#/

Above: Ancient baptistery under the basilica

"S Crisogono sub - vasca del battistero 1120220" by Lalupa - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S_Crisogono_sub_-_vasca_del_battistero_1120220.JPG#/

Below: ancient 5th century pavement

"S Crisogono sub - VIII sec. pavimento 1120233" by Lalupa - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S_Crisogono_sub_-_VIII_sec._pavimento_1120233.JPG#/

Above: Fresco in the excavated fifth-century church under the medieval basilica of San Crisogono in Trastevere of a leper ("leprosus") being healed by Saint Benedict of Nursia.

"San Crisogono saint and leper" by Anthony M. from Rome, Italy - saint and leper, s. crisogono. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San_Crisogono_saint_and_leper.jpg#/media/File:San_Crisogono_saint_and_leper.jpg

Ancient crypt of San Crisogono in Trastevere

"S Crisogono sub - VIII sec. abside e e cripta 1120207" by Lalupa - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S_Crisogono_sub_-_VIII_sec._abside_e_e_cripta_1120207.JPG#/

Why does the Church canonize so many saints, when most of them, frankly, we have never even heard of, and know so little about? Perhaps all we know about them is the story of their heroic witness, and even then, the information is often minimal and sometimes unsatisfying. Saint John Paul II was actually criticized heavily by some, for canonizing too many saints. Yet there is "method in the madness."

1)Being a saint, in the lowest common denominator, simply means that one has "made it to heaven." There are probably 4 reasons that the Church puts these men and women before us for our veneration: Their sheer numbers inspire hope, they manifest the infinite variety of God’s goodness, they remind us that holiness is ultimately ordered to the glory of God, and individually, they can inspire us specifically, during particular trials and challenges.

The saints remind us of the effectiveness of God’s grace. None of the saints became holy simply by his own efforts. It was the grace of God that transformed them, fixing their broken nature so that they might become the images of God he created them to be, conformed fully to Christ. If God has worked such a transformation in so many men and women throughout history – those who were just as broken as we are – then we can trust that he can do the same for you and me. Truly, there is hope for us all.

2) God calls people from all cultures, times, and places, and from all walks of life. no state in life, no culture is beyond the transformative power of God’s holiness. The Church gives us saints from every age and from every region of the world to teach us that no situation is outside the infinite grace and mercy of God. The saints manifest the inexhaustible richness of God’s goodness.

3) The saints remind us that all our striving for holiness is ultimately for the glory of God and not for ourselves. There are so many saints on the Church’s calendar, and every day some are forgotten and neglected. They are not troubled by this! Holiness is not about attracting the praise of others for ourselves, but about drawing others to praise God, who is blessed in his saints.

Oh my goodness! In an age where everyone tends to be "canonized" immediately on arrival at the funeral home if not before, and certainly by the time of their funeral Mass, how can anyone complain that there are too many saints?!?!?!?!? Of course we hope that we and all of those we love will make it to heaven (at least after a little time in Purgatory), and the Church certainly holds out hope for everyone. It is actually the lives of the saints that give us this hope.

The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches the saints to sing, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord! My spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.” She teaches her song to us as well. In imitation of the Lord Jesus, who humbled himself through his Passion and death on the Cross, the saints also humble themselves for the glory of God. That is all they desire, the glory of God. He is their great reward. In their earthly day, they were witnesses — standing stones, lining the way to Heaven, which is also our Eternal Hope, ever pulling us onward. Dear St Chrysogonus, and all you named and unnamed saints, who daily intercede for us, facilitate our lives in the tasks we face, and love us unfailingly, even when we forget you and especially when we fail — pray for us.

Have you been keeping count of all the saints who now travel with us in our Cloud of Witnesses in this pilgrimage? That cloud is getting very large, and daily ever larger! Click on their names if you need a review of their stories - I promise they won't get their feelings hurt one bit ! ! !

Sabina & Serapia George & John Henry Cardinal NewmanJohn & PaulCosmas & DamianAugustine & MonicaJohn the BaptistJohn the EvangelistPeterMosesSebastianAnastasiaJeromeMother MaryLawrenceThe 12 ApostlesClementBalbinaCeceliaVitalisMarcellinus & PeterMarkPudenzianaSixtusCosmas and DamianSusannahSeverus, Severinus, Victorinus & Carpophorus (4 holy crowned ones)Pope Damasus IPaulSilvester & MartinEusebiusNicholasChrysogonusPlus, all the "minor" saints that we met at each of the stations!That's a LOT of saints! (You can click on their names in order to return to their churches and stories for review.)And don't forget that 240 pilgrims, 240 guardian angels, and 240 patron saints travel in our Cloud of Witnesses. We are all witnesses of the Love and the Redemption that are ours at the hand of Our Lord!

The Collect church for today was San Georgio in Velabro.

Tomorrow the Station for the day was originally San Ciriaco, but after it was destroyed by fire, the Station became Santa Maria in via Lata al Corso (St Mary on the Wide Street).

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