Ildephonsus of Toledo
Encyclopedia
Saint Ildefonsus or Ildephonsus (rarely Ildephoses; died 23 January 667) was the metropolitan bishop of Toledo from 657 until his death. He was a Visigoth
and his Gothic
name was Hildefuns, which evolved into the Castilian
name Alfonso. Ildefonsus, however, is known as San Ildefonso in Castilian and there are several places named after him
. He was canonised and his feast day is 23 January, the date of his death. His writings were less influential outside of Hispania
, but he remained a potent force in the peninsula for centuries. Like several of his seventh-century predecessors, Ildefonsus was a monk from Agali, and specifically abbot, before being raised to the metropolitan see of Carthaginiensis.
as sufficientem scientiam salutarem (sufficient knowledge for salvation) and as a foedus (compact) between believer and God. Like Isidore of Seville
before him, he regarded the creed as foming "two pacts" between God and believer: that renouncing the devil and the statement of belief itself. Ildefonsus encouraged frequent Communion, implying that normal practice was infrequent, and insisted upon preparation, which may have discouraged many.
In his De cognitione baptismi, Ildefonsus objected to the view of Isidore that Masses could be said efficaciously for the dead who had not had their last rites
. Julian of Toledo
in his Prognosticum follows Ildefonsus in this objection.
quotations, however. Ildefonsus' De viris is a continuation in thirteen parts of a work of Isidore bearing the same name. Among the illustrious personages included in Ildefonsus' expanded version is Isidore himself, though Ildefonsus' was apparently ignorant of the better treatment of Isidore by Braulio of Zaragoza. Nonetheless, Ildefonsus' continuation, with its Toledan emphasis, is an important source for that city in the sixth and seventh centuries.
Ildefonsus' most important work, however, is his De perpetua virginitate Mariae contra tres infideles, which imitated an earlier work of Jerome
's. In it he utilises the "synonymous method" of Isidore for theological purposes, introducing the so-called Synonyma Ciceronis, wherein he repeats every phrase several times in different, purportedly identical, ways. The identifications reveal the arguments in a rhetorically strong way. The synonyms Ildefonsus uses are of interest to lexicographers.
Ildefonsus is the probably author of the Visigothic
Mass of Ascension, in which he explains how the benefits received from Christ are richer than the wonders he performed, such as "ascending unaided to the clouds". Ildefonsus also wrote a Liber Prosopopoeia Imbecillitatis Propriae which has not survived. Such a treatise (on his own imbecility) was probably a confession
al monologue or dialogue and it may have served as the basis for Valerius of Bierzo's work. It is only recorded in the Elogium Ildefonsi of Julian of Toledo, along with a reference to another lost work, an opusculum de proprietate personarum Patris, et Filii et Spiritus Sanctus dealing with monothelitism
. Among his other works, Ildefonsus prepared an anthology
of Isidore's works, excluding the Epistula ad Leudefredum.
Ildefonsus himself was included in a continuation made to the De viris illustribus by his later successor, Julian. His immediate successor was Quiricus
, the dedicatee of Ildefonsus' De perpetua virginitate.
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
and his Gothic
Gothic language
Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. It is known primarily from the Codex Argenteus, a 6th-century copy of a 4th-century Bible translation, and is the only East Germanic language with a sizable Text corpus...
name was Hildefuns, which evolved into the Castilian
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
name Alfonso. Ildefonsus, however, is known as San Ildefonso in Castilian and there are several places named after him
San Ildefonso (disambiguation)
San Ildefonso or just Ildefonso, is a masculine name, originally from the Gothic language. It is taken from the name Hildefuns meaning "battle ready" . It is...
. He was canonised and his feast day is 23 January, the date of his death. His writings were less influential outside of Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
, but he remained a potent force in the peninsula for centuries. Like several of his seventh-century predecessors, Ildefonsus was a monk from Agali, and specifically abbot, before being raised to the metropolitan see of Carthaginiensis.
Theology
Theologically, Ildefonsus regarded the Nicene CreedNicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
as sufficientem scientiam salutarem (sufficient knowledge for salvation) and as a foedus (compact) between believer and God. Like Isidore of Seville
Isidore of Seville
Saint Isidore of Seville served as Archbishop of Seville for more than three decades and is considered, as the historian Montalembert put it in an oft-quoted phrase, "le dernier savant du monde ancien"...
before him, he regarded the creed as foming "two pacts" between God and believer: that renouncing the devil and the statement of belief itself. Ildefonsus encouraged frequent Communion, implying that normal practice was infrequent, and insisted upon preparation, which may have discouraged many.
In his De cognitione baptismi, Ildefonsus objected to the view of Isidore that Masses could be said efficaciously for the dead who had not had their last rites
Last Rites
The Last Rites are the very last prayers and ministrations given to many Christians before death. The last rites go by various names and include different practices in different Christian traditions...
. Julian of Toledo
Julian of Toledo
Julian of Toledo was born to Jewish parents in Toledo, Hispania, but raised Christian. He was well educated at the cathedral school, was a monk and later abbot at Agali, a spiritual student of Saint Eugene II, and archbishop of Toledo...
in his Prognosticum follows Ildefonsus in this objection.
Writings
Ildefonsus' De viris illustribus emphasises the monasticism of the earlier bishops of Toledo. Nonetheless, the "pastoral concern" and emphasis on praedicatio (preaching) is noted by modern editors. De viris contains no biblicalBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
quotations, however. Ildefonsus' De viris is a continuation in thirteen parts of a work of Isidore bearing the same name. Among the illustrious personages included in Ildefonsus' expanded version is Isidore himself, though Ildefonsus' was apparently ignorant of the better treatment of Isidore by Braulio of Zaragoza. Nonetheless, Ildefonsus' continuation, with its Toledan emphasis, is an important source for that city in the sixth and seventh centuries.
Ildefonsus' most important work, however, is his De perpetua virginitate Mariae contra tres infideles, which imitated an earlier work of Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
's. In it he utilises the "synonymous method" of Isidore for theological purposes, introducing the so-called Synonyma Ciceronis, wherein he repeats every phrase several times in different, purportedly identical, ways. The identifications reveal the arguments in a rhetorically strong way. The synonyms Ildefonsus uses are of interest to lexicographers.
Ildefonsus is the probably author of the Visigothic
Mozarabic Rite
The Mozarabic, Visigothic, or Hispanic Rite is a form of Catholic worship within the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, and in the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church . Its beginning dates to the 7th century, and is localized in the Iberian Peninsula...
Mass of Ascension, in which he explains how the benefits received from Christ are richer than the wonders he performed, such as "ascending unaided to the clouds". Ildefonsus also wrote a Liber Prosopopoeia Imbecillitatis Propriae which has not survived. Such a treatise (on his own imbecility) was probably a confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
al monologue or dialogue and it may have served as the basis for Valerius of Bierzo's work. It is only recorded in the Elogium Ildefonsi of Julian of Toledo, along with a reference to another lost work, an opusculum de proprietate personarum Patris, et Filii et Spiritus Sanctus dealing with monothelitism
Monothelitism
Monothelitism is a particular teaching about how the divine and human relate in the person of Jesus, known as a Christological doctrine, that formally emerged in Armenia and Syria in 629. Specifically, monothelitism teaches that Jesus Christ had two natures but only one will...
. Among his other works, Ildefonsus prepared an anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of Isidore's works, excluding the Epistula ad Leudefredum.
Ildefonsus himself was included in a continuation made to the De viris illustribus by his later successor, Julian. His immediate successor was Quiricus
Quiricus, Bishop of Toledo
Quiricus was Bishop of Barcelona from 648 until 667 and Bishop of Toledo thereafter until his death.While bishop of Barcelona, Quiricus wrote a hymn in honour of Saint Eulalia. The hymn Barchinon laete Cucufate vernans, in honour of Saint Cucuphas , was probably also composed by Quiricus at...
, the dedicatee of Ildefonsus' De perpetua virginitate.
Sources
- Collins, Roger. Visigothic Spain, 409–711. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. ISBN 0 631 18185 7.
- Collins, Roger. "The 'Autobiographical' Works of Valerius of Bierzo: their Structure and Purpose." Los Visigodos: Historia y Civilización. ed. A. González Blanco. Murcia: Universidad de Murcia, 1986. Reprinted in Law, Culture and Regionalism in Early Medieval Spain. Variorum, 1992. ISBN 0 86078 308 1.
- Collins, Roger. "Julian of Toledo and the Education of Kings in Late Seventh-Century Spain." Law, Culture and Regionalism in Early Medieval Spain. Variorum, 1992. ISBN 0 86078 308 1. Revised version of "Julian of Toledo and the Royal Succession in Late Seventh Century Spain," Early Medieval Kingship, edd. P. H. Sawyer and I. N. Wood. Leeds: School of History, University of Leeds, 1977.
- James, EdwardEdward James (historian)Edward James is Professor of Medieval History at University College, Dublin. He received a BA 1968; DPhil in 1975. He was a Lecturer, then College Lecturer, at the Department of Medieval History, University College Dublin from 1970-1978...
(ed). Visigothic Spain: New Approaches. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. ISBN 0 19 922543 1. - Ildefonsus. De viris illustribus, ed. and trans. by C. Codoñer Merino in Acta Salmanticensia, Filosofía y Letras, 65. Salamanca, 1972.