Petronius of Bologna
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Saint Petronius | |
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| Feast | 4 October |
| Attributes | Depicted as a bishop holding a model of Bologna in his hand |
| Patronage | Bologna |
Petronius (
Life
The only sources on Petronius are a letter written by Bishop Eucherius of Lyon (died 450–455) to Valerianus, and Gennadius' De viris illustribus.[1] Eucherius describes Petronius as renowned in Italy for his virtues. Gennadius writes that Petronius belonged to a noble family whose members occupied high positions at the imperial Court at Milan and in the provincial administrations at the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth centuries.[1]
His father (also named Petronius) was probably praefectus praetorio, since a Petronius filled this office in
Even in his youth Petronius devoted himself to the practices of asceticism, and seems to have visited Jerusalem, perhaps on a pilgrimage.[2]
About 432 he was elected and consecrated Bishop of Bologna, where he erected a church to
Some sources attribute a work on the life of the Egyptian monks (Vitæ patrum Ægypti monachorum) to Petronius; the Catholic Encyclopedia disagrees, attributing it to
According to Gennadius, Petronius died during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II and Valentinian III, i. e., before 450.
Veneration
In the twelfth century appeared a legendary life of Petronius, whose
The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Petronius on 4 October. In iconography, Petronius is depicted as a bishop holding a model of Bologna in his hand.
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Basilica of San Domenico, in Bologna, contains a statue of St Petronius by Michelangelo -
Statue of St Petronius in Piazza di Porta Ravegnana -
San Petronio Basilica -
Francesco del Cossa, St Petronius (detail) Pala dei Mercanti
References
- ^ a b c Kirsch, Johann Peter. "St. Petronius." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 18 November 2021
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b Butler. "Saint Petronius, Bishop of Bologna, Confessor". Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints 1866. CatholicSaints.Info. 13 August 2018 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Sources
- Ferguson, George (1961). Signs and Symbols in Christian Art New York: Oxford University Press, 1961, p. 139.
- Lanzoni, Francesco (1907). San Petronio vescovo di Bologna nella storia e nella leggenda (in Italian). Roma: Pustet.
- Filippini, F. (1948). S. Petronio vescovo di Bologna. Storia e leggenda. Bologna 1948. (in Italian)
- Lanzoni, Francesco (1832). ed. G. Cantagalli. Cronotassi dei vescovi di Bologna dai primordi alla fine del secolo XIII. Bologna 1932, pp. 30–33. (in Italian)
- Mathisen, Ralph W. (1981), "Petronius, Hilarius and Valerianus: Prosopographical Notes on the Conversion of the Roman Aristocracy," Historia. Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte Band 30 (1981), pp. 106–112.
- Paolini, Lorenzo (2015). "Petronio, santo". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Volume 82 (2015) (in Italian)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Petronius". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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