medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (15. August) is the feast day of:
Simplicianus of Milan (d. 400 or 401). S. was a priest of Milan,
learned in the writings of the Greek fathers and of Platonist
philosophers. In Rome he had effected the conversion of the rhetor and
philosopher Marius Victorinus and in Milan, in 374, he baptized St.
Ambrose and instructed him in Christian theology. Together with
Ambrose, he played an important role in the conversion of St. Augustine,
who later dedicated to him his _De diversis questionibus_. In 397 the
dying Ambrose named him to be his successor in the see of Milan. In
that office he consecrated St. Gaudentius as the first bishop of Novara
and received from St. Vigilius of Trent a still extant report on the
recent slayings of the martyrs of the Val di Non. Augustine's
fourteenth-century tomb in Pavia's Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro
contains a panel showing the young saint receiving instruction from S.
(expandable image):
http://www.cassiciaco.it/ita/001ago/cicli/pavia_sim.htm
And here's an expandable view of a late fifteenth-century illumination
from a French-language translation of the _City of God_ showing
Augustine (already in episcopal attire) discoursing with S. about the
Trinity:
http://collecties.meermanno.nl/handschriften/showillu?id=11162
S., whose cult seems to have been virtually immediate, was laid to rest
in the Milanese church later dedicated to him and variously said to
have been begun either by Ambrose or by S. himself. In its present form
this building incorporates late antique and Lombard-period elements but
is essentially of the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries. Its
octagonal tiburio has been dated to 1170 and its facade was reworked
during a "restoration" in 1870. Views of San Simpliciano's exterior are
here.
http://www.pubbliaerfoto.it/vis_foto.php3?id=36227&lingua=eng
http://tinyurl.com/ago9n
http://tinyurl.com/fjxan
http://tinyurl.com/eswz7
http://tinyurl.com/jbn4a
The main portal is worth a closer look:
http://tinyurl.com/gad7l
http://tinyurl.com/jusxm
http://tinyurl.com/nbu5u
http://tinyurl.com/poaua
One of the flanking portals of the facade:
http://tinyurl.com/p99ea
Capital of one of its pilasters:
http://tinyurl.com/nsaqc
And here's a view of the interior:
http://members.aol.com/widephoto/milan.htm
Plan:
http://www.liceoberchet.it/netday/luoghi/simpliciano.htm
In Milanese legend, the three martyrs of the Val di Non (relics of whom
have long been housed in San Simpliciano) are said to have flown in the
form of doves from this church to Legnano just before the battle there
between troops of the Lombard League and those of Frederick Barbarossa
on 29. May 1176 and to have perched on the city's great battle wagon
("carroccio") throughout the entire affray, guaranteeing victory to the
Milanese and to their league-fellows. There have been annual
commemorations at San Simpliciano since at least 1393. Legnano's
medievalizing, reenactment-rich "Sagra del Carroccio" is much more recent.
Best wishes for a happy feast of the Assumption of the BVM (or of her
Dormition, if that's what you celebrate today).
John Dillon
(last year's post, revised)
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