Aquilinus of Milan
Encyclopedia
Saint Aquilinus of Milan (died 1015), also known as Aquilinus of Cologne , is venerated as a martyr
by the Catholic Church.
He should not be confused with another Aquilinus, who was killed during the reign of the Arian Vandal
king Hunneric in 484. This 5th century Aquilinus was killed with Eugene, Geminus, Marcian, Quintus, Theodotus, and Tryphon. Bede
writes about them. He should also not be confused with an early bishop of Cologne named Aquilinus.
to a noble family, he studied theology
in Cologne
, where he became a priest
. He was offered the bishopric of Cologne, but he refused, preferring to become a wandering preacher.
He traveled to Paris
, where he miraculously cured some people of the cholera
. As a result, he was offered the bishopric of Paris, but this he also refused. He traveled to Pavia
, where he preached against Cathars, Manichaeans, and Arians
there.
He then traveled to Milan
, where, according to local tradition, he was stabbed by a member of one of these sects, along with his companion Constantius (Costanzo). His body was thrown into a drain, near the Porta Ticinese
. His body was found and then buried in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Milan
. The Cappella di Sant'Aquilino is dedicated to him.
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
by the Catholic Church.
He should not be confused with another Aquilinus, who was killed during the reign of the Arian Vandal
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
king Hunneric in 484. This 5th century Aquilinus was killed with Eugene, Geminus, Marcian, Quintus, Theodotus, and Tryphon. Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
writes about them. He should also not be confused with an early bishop of Cologne named Aquilinus.
Biography
Born in WürzburgWürzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
to a noble family, he studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, where he became a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
. He was offered the bishopric of Cologne, but he refused, preferring to become a wandering preacher.
He traveled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he miraculously cured some people of the cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
. As a result, he was offered the bishopric of Paris, but this he also refused. He traveled to Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, where he preached against Cathars, Manichaeans, and Arians
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
there.
He then traveled to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, where, according to local tradition, he was stabbed by a member of one of these sects, along with his companion Constantius (Costanzo). His body was thrown into a drain, near the Porta Ticinese
Porta Ticinese
Porta Ticinese is a former city gate of Milan, Italy. The gate, facing south-west, was first created with the Spanish walls of the city, in the 16th century, but the original structure was later demolished and replaced in the early 19th century...
. His body was found and then buried in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Milan
Basilica of San Lorenzo, Milan
The Basilica of Saint Lawrence is a church in Milan, northern Italy, dedicated to the Christian martyr St. Lawrence.- History :Various suggestions of its origin have been made, including a foundation in c.370., the Basilica of San Lorenzo was renovated and redecorated in the 16th century...
. The Cappella di Sant'Aquilino is dedicated to him.