Epiphanius of Pavia
Epiphanius of Pavia | |
|---|---|
 Tympanon depicting Christ, Saint Godehard and Epiphanius, on the St. Godehard Basilica in Hildesheim, Germany. | |
| Born | 438 Pavia |
| Died | Error: Need valid birth date (second date): year, month, day |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodoxy |
| Feast | 21 January |
Epiphanius of Pavia (438–496), later known as Saint Epiphanius of Pavia, was Bishop of Pavia[1] from 466 until his death in 496. Epiphanius additionally held the offices of lector, subdeacon and deacon.[2]
Biography
During his lifetime, Epiphanius undertook several church-related missions and exploits. Some of the most significant of these was his expedition to Ravenna, where he confronted Theodoric the Great, shortly after his defeat of Odoacer, on the issue of civic rights, and where he pleaded for the restoration of these civic rights, as well as his journey, as an emissary for the emperor (Julius Nepos), to Euric at Toulouse.[3]
Epiphanius, however, also many a time represented his Christian Constituency to important figures of the period, such as the Arian kings, among others. These confrontations and speakings to high-ranking figures proved, most of the time, to be successful endeavors; religious dignitaries such as Epiphanius had wide-ranging influence on the rulers and aristocrats during this period.[4]
Such success is evidenced in Epiphanius' negotiations with Euric, Gundobad, Odoacer and Theoderic over the ransom of the Italian captives they each had taken, and in his further discussions with Odoacer and Theoderic about the lessening of Ligurian taxes.[4]
However, Epiphanius did not limit himself to dialogue with only aristocrats, emperors etc. of what was considered to be the "civilised" world; often he went to speak with barbarian rulers in times of trouble. An example of this is seen during a war between Anthemius and the barbarian leader Ricimer, when Epiphanius appealed to both sides for peace.[4]
Epiphanius died of unknown causes on 21 January, 496, at the age of fifty-eight. That particular year marked 30 years of his service to the church.[2]
Veneration
Sometime after Epiphanius' death, Ennodius of Arles (d.521) wrote a biography of Epiphanius, entitled Biography of Bishop Epiphanius of Pavia.[5] His relics were translated to Hildesheim in 963[6]
References
- ^ Gibbon, Edward (1862). The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire. E. Claxton & co. p. 291.
- ^ a b Gillett, Andrew (2003). Envoys and Political Communication in the Late Antique West, 411-533. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 285. ISBN 0-521-81349-2.
- ^ Ferreiro, Alberto (1999). The Visigoths: Studies in Culture and Society. Leiden: Brill. p. 29. ISBN 90-04-11206-5.
- ^ a b c Amory, Patrick (1997). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554. Cambridgee: Cambridge University Press. pp. 201–202. ISBN 0-521-52635-3.
- ^ von Albrecht, Michael (1997). A History of Roman Literature: From Livius Andronicus to Boethius. Leiden: E.J. Brill. p. 1287.
- ^ * Bernhard Gallistl, Epiphanius von Pavia, Schutzheiliger des Bistums Hildesheim, Hildesheim 2000 "saintpatrickdc.org". Retrieved 9 November 2007.