Benignus (bishop of Milan)
Encyclopedia
Benignus was Archbishop of Milan from 465 to 472. He is honoured as a Saint
in the Catholic Church and his feast day is September 20.
family of Milan
and he studied in Rome
. He was elected bishop of Milan
in 465, and he participated to a council which is identified by scholars as the Roman synod of November 19, 465, held in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
under the presidency of Pope Hilarius
.
In 466 Benignus probably consecrated the elected bishop Epiphanius of Pavia
, and he had a part in the attempts to settle the dispute between Anthemius
and the barbarian leader Ricimer
.
Benignus died in 472, but sources are not unanimous on the exact day, suggesting the 22 November or 27 November, or even June of the same year. His feast is celebrated the 20 November. Benignus was buried in the city’s Basilica of St. Simplician
. A late tradition, supported only by a signet presumably found in 1582 in the urn containing his remains, associates Benignus with the Milan's family of the Bossi.
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in the Catholic Church and his feast day is September 20.
Life
Almost nothing is known about the life and the episcopate of Benignus. He was probably born to a nobleNobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
family of 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 ,...
and he studied in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He was elected bishop of 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 ,...
in 465, and he participated to a council which is identified by scholars as the Roman synod of November 19, 465, held in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major , known also by other names, is the largest Roman Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy.There are other churches in Rome dedicated to Mary, such as Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, but the greater size of the...
under the presidency of Pope Hilarius
Pope Hilarius
Pope Saint Hilarius was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 461 to February 28, 468. He was canonized as a saint after his death....
.
In 466 Benignus probably consecrated the elected bishop Epiphanius of Pavia
Epiphanius of Pavia
Epiphanius of Pavia , later venerated as Saint Epiphanius of Pavia, was Bishop of Pavia from 466 until his death in 496. Epiphanius additionally held the offices of lector, subdeacon and deacon....
, and he had a part in the attempts to settle the dispute between Anthemius
Anthemius
Procopius Anthemius was Western Roman Emperor from 467 to 472. Perhaps the last capable Western Roman Emperor, Anthemius attempted to solve the two primary military challenges facing the remains of the Western Roman Empire: the resurgent Visigoths, under Euric, whose domain straddled the Pyrenees;...
and the barbarian leader Ricimer
Ricimer
Flavius Ricimer was a Germanic general who achieved effective control of the remaining parts of the Western Roman Empire, during the middle of the 5th century...
.
Benignus died in 472, but sources are not unanimous on the exact day, suggesting the 22 November or 27 November, or even June of the same year. His feast is celebrated the 20 November. Benignus was buried in the city’s Basilica of St. Simplician
Basilica of San Simpliciano
The Basilica of San Simpliciano is a church in the centre of Milan, northern Italy, the second oldest in the form of a Latin cross, first erected by Saint Ambrose. It is dedicated to Saint Simplician, bishop of Milan.-History:...
. A late tradition, supported only by a signet presumably found in 1582 in the urn containing his remains, associates Benignus with the Milan's family of the Bossi.