4th December, St Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church

St Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church

The name Chrysologus means "speech of gold" in Greek. As the collect reminds us, his promotion to the see of Ravenna, in AD 433, was miraculous, owing to an apparition of the apostle St Peter to Pope Sixtus III.

"You are the salt of the earth ... and the light of the world," says the Gospel. "Preach the word; be instant in season; out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke ... do the work of an evangelist," continues the Epistle. St Peter composed more than one hundred and sixty homilies, full of learning, which earned him the title of Doctor of the Church. It was he who wrote this well-known saying: "He who amuses himself with Satan cannot rejoice with Christ." He died at Imola in AD 450.

In medio Ecclesiae aperuit os ejus: et implevit eum Dominus spiritu sapientiae et intellectus: stolam gloriae induit eum. * Bonum est confiteri Domino: et psallere nomini tuo, Altissime.

In the midst of the Church the Lord opened his mouth: and He filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding: He clothed him with a robe of glory. * It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to Thy name, O most High.

(Ecclesiasticus 15:5 and Psalm 91:2 from the Introit of Mass)

Deus, qui beátum Petrum Chrysólogum Doctorem egrégium, divínitus praemonstrátum, ad regéndam et instruéndam Ecclésiam tuam éligi voluísti: praesta, quaesumus; ut, quem Doctórem vitae habúimus in terris, intercessórem habére mereámur in coelis.
O God, who didst elect the blessed and illustrious Doctor, Peter Chrysologus, by a divine direction, to govern and instruct Thy Church; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may deserve to have him for our intercessor in heaven, whom we have had as our teacher of the supernatural life on earth.
(Collect)

Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11762c.htm