Saint Placidus
Encyclopedia
Saint Placidus was a disciple
of Saint Benedict
. He was the son of the patrician Tertullus, was brought as a child to St. Benedict at Sublaqueum (Subiaco
) and dedicated to God
as provided for in chapter 69 of the Rule of St. Benedict.
Here too occurred the incident related by St. Gregory the Great (Dialogues, II, vii) of his rescue from drowning
when his fellow monk, Saint Maurus
, at Saint Benedict's order ran across the surface of the lake
below the monastery and drew Placidus safely to shore. It appears certain that he accompanied Saint Benedict when, about 529, he removed to Monte Cassino
, which was said to have been made over to him by the father of Placidus.
Of his later life nothing is known, but in an ancient psalterium at Vallombrosa
his name is found in the Litany of the Saints
placed among the confessors immediately after those of Saint Benedict and Saint Maurus; the same occurs in Codex
CLV at Subiaco, attributed to the ninth century.
He is venerated together with Saint Maurus on 5 October. He is the co-patron of Messina along with the Madonna of the Letter, and is the official patron of Biancavilla
, Castel di Lucio
, Montecarotto
, and Poggio Imperiale
. Because a large portion of Easton, Pennsylvania
's Italian
community originally came from Castel di Lucio, Saint Placidus is given particular veneration with an annual parade through South Side on the Sunday before Labor Day
. The Sunday after is the Feast of the Holy Cross, celebrated by immigrants from the neighboring town of Santo Stefano di Camastra
.
, a monk
of Monte Cassino in the twelfth century (see Hippolyte Delehaye
, op. cit. infra).
The writer seems to have begun by confusing Saint Placidus with the earlier Placitus or Placidus, who, with Euticius and thirty companions, was martyred in Sicily
under Diocletian
, their feast occurring in the earlier martyrologies on 5 October. Having thus made Saint Placidus a martyr
, he proceeds to account for this by attributing his martyrdom to Saracen
invaders from Spain - an utter anachronism in the sixth century but quite a possible blunder if the Acta were composed after the Moslem invasions of Sicily. The whole question is discussed by the Bollandists.
The study that accompanied the revision in 1969 of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints
states: "Saint Placidus, the disciple of Saint Benedict, is now universally distinguished from Saint Placidus, the unknown martyr in Sicily".
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
of Saint Benedict
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
. He was the son of the patrician Tertullus, was brought as a child to St. Benedict at Sublaqueum (Subiaco
Subiaco, Italy
Subiaco is a town and comune in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. It is mainly renowned as a tourist and religious resort for its sacred grotto , in the St. Benedict's Abbey, and the other Abbey of St. Scholastica...
) and dedicated to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
as provided for in chapter 69 of the Rule of St. Benedict.
Here too occurred the incident related by St. Gregory the Great (Dialogues, II, vii) of his rescue from drowning
Drowning
Drowning is death from asphyxia due to suffocation caused by water entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia....
when his fellow monk, Saint Maurus
Saint Maurus
Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia . He is mentioned in St. Gregory the Great's biography of the latter as the first oblate; offered to the monastery by his noble Roman parents as a young boy to be brought up in the monastic life. Four stories involving Maurus recounted...
, at Saint Benedict's order ran across the surface of the lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
below the monastery and drew Placidus safely to shore. It appears certain that he accompanied Saint Benedict when, about 529, he removed to Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
, which was said to have been made over to him by the father of Placidus.
Of his later life nothing is known, but in an ancient psalterium at Vallombrosa
Vallombrosa
Vallombrosa is a Benedictine abbey in the comune of Reggello , c. 30 km south-east of Florence, in the Apennines, surrounded by forests of beech and firs. It was founded by Giovanni Gualberto, a Florentine noble, in 1038 and became the mother house of the Vallumbrosan Order.It was extended...
his name is found in the Litany of the Saints
Litany of the Saints
The Litany of the Saints is a sacred prayer of the Roman Catholic Church, the Western Rites of the Orthodox Church, and some Anglican Churches. It is a prayer of invocation to the Triune God, and prayers for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Angels and all the martyrs and saints...
placed among the confessors immediately after those of Saint Benedict and Saint Maurus; the same occurs in Codex
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
CLV at Subiaco, attributed to the ninth century.
He is venerated together with Saint Maurus on 5 October. He is the co-patron of Messina along with the Madonna of the Letter, and is the official patron of Biancavilla
Biancavilla
Biancavilla is a town and comune in the Province of Catania, Sicily, southern Italy. It is located between the towns of Adrano and S. Maria di Licodia, 32 kilometers northwest of Catania.The town was founded on 8 January 1488 by Albanian refugees...
, Castel di Lucio
Castel di Lucio
Castel di Lucio is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 90 km southeast of Palermo and about 110 km southwest of Messina...
, Montecarotto
Montecarotto
Montecarotto is a comune in the Province of Ancona in the Italian region Marche, located about 40 km west of Ancona. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,163 and an area of 24.1 km²....
, and Poggio Imperiale
Poggio Imperiale
Poggio Imperiale is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....
. Because a large portion of Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
's Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
community originally came from Castel di Lucio, Saint Placidus is given particular veneration with an annual parade through South Side on the Sunday before Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
. The Sunday after is the Feast of the Holy Cross, celebrated by immigrants from the neighboring town of Santo Stefano di Camastra
Santo Stefano di Camastra
Santo Stefano di Camastra is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 100 km east of Palermo and about 135 km west of Messina...
.
Confusion with another Placidus
There seems now to be no doubt that the Passio S. Placidi, purporting to be written by one Gordianus, a servant of the saint, on the strength of which he is usually described as abbot and martyr, is really the work of Peter the DeaconPeter the Deacon
Peter the Deacon was the librarian of the abbey of Montecassino and continuator of the Chronicon Monasterii Casinensis, usually called the Montecassino Chronicle in English. The chronicle was originally written by Leo of Ostia...
, a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
of Monte Cassino in the twelfth century (see Hippolyte Delehaye
Hippolyte Delehaye
Hippolyte Delehaye was a Belgian Jesuit who was a hagiographic scholar and an outstanding member of the Bollandists, who established critical editions of texts relating to the Christian saints and martyrs that were based on applying the critical method of sound archaeological and documentary...
, op. cit. infra).
The writer seems to have begun by confusing Saint Placidus with the earlier Placitus or Placidus, who, with Euticius and thirty companions, was martyred in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
under Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
, their feast occurring in the earlier martyrologies on 5 October. Having thus made Saint Placidus a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, he proceeds to account for this by attributing his martyrdom to Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
invaders from Spain - an utter anachronism in the sixth century but quite a possible blunder if the Acta were composed after the Moslem invasions of Sicily. The whole question is discussed by the Bollandists.
The study that accompanied the revision in 1969 of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints
Roman Catholic calendar of saints
The General Roman Calendar indicates the days of the year to which are assigned the liturgical celebrations of saints and of the mysteries of the Lord that are to be observed wherever the Roman Rite is used...
states: "Saint Placidus, the disciple of Saint Benedict, is now universally distinguished from Saint Placidus, the unknown martyr in Sicily".
External links
- Placidus at the Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
- St. Benedict's Abbey - Benedictine Brothers and Fathers in America's Heartland
- The Holy Rule of St. Benedict - Online translation by Rev. Boniface Verheyen, OSB, of St. Benedict's Abbey
- Benedictine College - Dynamically Catholic, Benedictine, Liberal Arts, and Residential