Boniface IV

The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 05, May · S. Boniface IV., Pope of Rome, a.d. 615.

S. Boniface IV., Pope of Rome, a.d. 615.

S. Aldhelm, B. of Sherborne, in Dorsetshire , A.D. 709.

S. Gregory VII., Pope of Rome, a.d. 1085.

S. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi. O.M.C. at Florence , a.d. 1607. w

S. URBAN I., POPE,M.

(a.d. 230.)

[Roman Martyrology ; the sacramentary of S. Gregory the Great, Bede, Usuardus, Ado, Notker, &c. Authority : — The Acts in the catalogue of Roman Pontiffs, written by the Roman Church Notaries. This catalogue appears to have been drawn up by order of S. Anterius, pope (d. 235), and to have been continued by S. Damasus. Other Acts exist, but they are amplified with marvels which do not exist in the more authentic Acts written apparently at the time, or shortly after the time, of the martyrdom.]

AIN'T URBAN I. was a Roman by birth; he was chosen to fill the vacant see of S. Peter on the death of S. Calixtus I. in 223. Under the Emperor Alexander and his mother Mammsea, the Church had rest from general persecution; but the governors and magistrates were able to carry on the war against Christianity by means of indirect accusations. Under such an accusation S. Urban was drawn from the

1 See April 9th, Mary the wife of Cleopas.

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342 Lives of the Saints . [May 25.

catacomb in which he was hiding with two priests and three deacons, and was brought before the prefect of the city, named Turcius Almachius. He was accused of having stirred up sedition, and being the cause of the martyrdoms in the previous reign. “ Five thousand fell in that persecution, and thou, wretch, wast the cause of their destruction ! ” said Almachius. The charge showed in- genuity certainly. Another accusation brought against him was that he had received all the vast possessions of S. Cecilia, which had been confiscated to the State ; and he was ordered at once to deliver them up. “All has been distributed among the poor/' said Urban.

He was beaten and then cast into prison, where he » converted his jailor Anulinus (May iSth), and on May 25th, after Almachius had vainly endeavoured to extort the wealth of S. Cecilia from him, he was executed with the sword. His body was buried by a devout lady named Marmenia, according to the Acts. This was probably Armenia, a lady of the Armenian gens , from Comana in Cappadocia, settled in Rome. They were hereditary priests of Ma, or Bellona, whose licentious worship they introduced to Rome. Yet, wondrous efficacy of grace ! of this family names have been recovered from the Catacombs.

SS. PASICRATES AND VALENTIO, MM. (uncertain date.)

Biographical overview

Boniface IV (latin : Bonifatius IV ; vers 550 – 8 mai 615), moine bénédictin, né dans la région de Marsica, dans les Abruzzes, est évêque de Rome, 67e pape de l'Église catholique de 608 jusqu'à sa mort en 615. En tant que pape, il encourage le monachisme. Avec la permission de l'empereur byzantin, il transforme le Panthéon en église. En 610, il s'entretient avec l'évêque de Londres Mellitus concernant les besoins de l'Église anglaise. Il est vénéré comme saint dans l'Église catholique avec une fête universelle le 8 mai.