Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 10, September · The Exaltation of the Holy Cross ; a.d. 335 and 629.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross ; a.d. 335 and 629.

S Nothburga, V. at Eben in Tyrol ; a.d. 1313.

Catharine, IV. at Genoa; a.d. 1510.

S. CORNELIUS, POPE, M.

(a.d, 252.)

[Roman Martyrology, and all Latin Martyrologies, sometimes singly, sometimes along with other martyrs, Cerealis, Salustia, and others ; the observance of the festival in the Modern Roman Martyrology is translated to the i6th, so as not to interfere with the observance of the Exaltation of the Cross. York, Hereford, andSarum Kalendars on the 14th. Authorities: — The letters of S. Cyprian, Anastasius Bibliothecarius, Eusebius, &c. The Acts are late, by Hilduin, of S. Denys, in the 9th cent., and utterly unde- serving of confidence.]

[[ORNELIUS was elected Pope in the month ot June, a.d. 251, after that the Holy See had been vacant sixteen months. He was a man of virginal purity, of singular modesty, yet withal endowed with lofty courage. He had passed through all the degrees of ecclesiastical offices ; had not been seeking to advance his claims, and when offered the bishopric shrank from the burden, perhaps the dangers, it entailed. For the Edict of Decius was in force against bishops and priests. He was elected by sixteen bishops, then at Rome — amongst them were two from Africa — and many of the clergy testified to

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sept. i4.i S. Cornelius. 197

his merit. The bishops wrote to all the churches to an- nounce his election.

There was at this time at Rome a man called Novatian.

He had been a Stoic philosopher. His hard nature, in the agony of wrestling after truth, before he had found peace in Christianity, broke down both body and mind. His enemies afterwards declared that he had been possessed, and the demons only partially expelled by exorcism. Whilst yet a catechumen he had fallen dangerously ill, and had received clinical baptism — that is, baptism in his bed — but had never been confirmed. On his recovery he was ordained priest. The sayings of his exasperated enemies, statements which bear throughout the marks of passionate exaggeration, are entitled to little credit. If we endeavour to separate the real facts from the distorted and spiteful representations of Novatian's opponents, the following pre- sents itself as the probable state of the case : — Violent internal conflicts had affected to some extent the mind of Novatian, and he was attacked with brain fever. The prayer of an exorcist, happily timed with the turn of the malady, restored his mind to clearness ; but the exhaustion of fever was so great that it was thought he could not live, and he received baptism on his sick-bed. He found in Christianity peace, rest, and healing.

As he now distinguished himself by steadfastness in the faith, by clearness of Christian knowledge, by a happy facility in teaching, and by a zeal for holiness, Pope S. Fabian ordained him priest, disregarding the fact that he had received clinical baptism only, without confirmation.