Gaudentius of Brescia

Gaudentius of Brescia ( † after 406; German: " the Happy " ) is a saint of the Catholic Church and was bishop of Brescia ( Brixia ) to succeed Filastrius of Brescia since about 387. His feast day is October 25.

Gaudentius was often shown on altarpieces of the major Brescian Renaissance painter Alessandro Moretto, Giovanni Girolamo Girolamo Savoldo and Roma Nino.

Vita

At the time of his appointment as bishop, he was just on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which he brought with him numerous relics. They included alongside those of John the Baptist and the Apostles, especially those of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. He received the latter in Caesarea in Cappadocia of the nieces of Basil the Great. These and other relics he brought in a basilica, which he called Concilium sanctorum ( assembly of the saints ).

He initially refused to accept the office, but finally gave up the desire of the population and the persuasion of his friend Ambrose of Milan, who was also present at his episcopal ordination. 404/ 05 posted Emperor Honorius and Pope Innocent I had already taken a delegation to Constantinople Opel, which was to obtain the revocation of the exile of John Chrysostom the Gaudentius personally in Antioch. Together with two other bishops, he undertook the journey, but met with bitter resistance of the Eastern Roman authorities and was able to escape only slightly harsher reprisals.

In the sources is partially dependent mention that Emperor Arcadius dismissed the delegation harshly. More likely, however, that the religious, but weak emperor was manipulated by his court. John Chrysostom wrote Gaudentius gratitude for his commitment several letters.

He was buried in the church of San Giovanni Battista in Brescia, which emerged from the Concilium sanctorum.

Work

He is the author of 21 sermons, including 10 Easter sermons ( PL 20, 827 ff; PG 52, 715 ff.) These were written on behalf of the Brescian patrician Benivolus because he was hard of hearing. In her foreword Gaudentius warns of unauthorized copies of his sermons, a sign of his good knowledge of the late antique forger being. His formally simple, high-quality content texts testify to a good education.