Juvenal of Narni
Encyclopedia
Saint Juvenal is venerated as the first Bishop of Narni in Umbria
. Historical details regarding Juvenal’s life are limited. A biography of Juvenal of little historical value was written after the seventh century; it states that Juvenal was born in Africa
and was ordained by Pope Damasus I
and was the first bishop of Narni and was buried in the Porta Superiore on the Via Flaminia
on August 7, though his feast day was celebrated on May 3.
This Vita does not call him a martyr
but calls him a confessor
.
The martyrologies of Florus of Lyon and Ado
describe Juvenal as a bishop and confessor rather than as a martyr.
Saint Gregory the Great in his Dialogues (IV, 12) and in his Homiliae in Evangelium speaks of a bishop of Narni named Juvenal, and describes him as a martyr. However, sometimes the title of martyr was given to bishops who did not necessarily die for their faith. Gregory also mentions a sepulcher associated with Juvenal at Narni
.
records his name under May 3 with those of three martyrs of the Via Nomentana
: Eventius, Alexander I
, and Theodulus
.
Saint Juvenal appears, not as a martyr, but as a bishop and confessor, in the Tridentine Calendar
, which allots him a commemoration
, shared with these three martyrs, within the feast of the Finding of the Cross
on 3 May. When this feast was abolished in 1960, the four saints continued to be merely commemorated jointly within the celebration of the weekday
. The same day continues to be Saint Juvenal's feast day, as indicated in the Roman Martyrology
, but since 1969 he is no longer included in the General Roman Calendar.
His legend suggests that he saved Narni from both Ligurian
and Sarmatian
invaders by calling down a divine thunderstorm.
The construction of Juvenal's sepulcher in Narni is attributed to his alleged successor St. Maximus (d. 416 AD).
The author of the Life of Pope Vigilius
(6th century) in the Liber Pontificalis states that a monastery founded by Belisarius
near Orte
was dedicated to Juvenal.
In 878, Juvenal’s relics were taken to the Basilica di San Frediano
in Lucca
with those of Saints Cassius
and Cassius' wife Fausta by Adalbert
, Margrave of Tuscany, but all of the relics were returned to Narni two years later. The relics of Saint Cassius were built in a restored shrine later known as the Sacello di San Cassio. Juvenal’s relics are said to have been hidden.
Fossano
claims Juvenal as a patron, and also claims to hold some of his relics, though these may belong to another saint of the same name.
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
. Historical details regarding Juvenal’s life are limited. A biography of Juvenal of little historical value was written after the seventh century; it states that Juvenal was born in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and was ordained by Pope Damasus I
Pope Damasus I
Pope Saint Damasus I was the bishop of Rome from 366 to 384.He was born around 305, probably near the city of Idanha-a-Velha , in what is present-day Portugal, then part of the Western Roman Empire...
and was the first bishop of Narni and was buried in the Porta Superiore on the Via Flaminia
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to Ariminum on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had for travel between Etruria, Latium and Campania and the Po Valley...
on August 7, though his feast day was celebrated on May 3.
This Vita does not call him 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:...
but calls him a confessor
Confessor
-Confessor of the Faith:Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death. The term is still used in this way in the East. In Latin Christianity it has come to signify any saint, as well as those who have been declared...
.
The martyrologies of Florus of Lyon and Ado
Ado (archbishop)
Ado , archbishop of Vienne in Lotharingia, belonged to a famous Frankish house, and spent much of his middle life in Italy. He held his archiepiscopal seat from 850 till his death on the 16 December 874. Several of his letters are extant and reveal their writer as an energetic man of wide...
describe Juvenal as a bishop and confessor rather than as a martyr.
Saint Gregory the Great in his Dialogues (IV, 12) and in his Homiliae in Evangelium speaks of a bishop of Narni named Juvenal, and describes him as a martyr. However, sometimes the title of martyr was given to bishops who did not necessarily die for their faith. Gregory also mentions a sepulcher associated with Juvenal at Narni
Narni
Narni is an ancient hilltown and comune of Umbria, in central Italy, with 20,100 inhabitants, according to the 2003 census. At an altitude of 240 m , it overhangs a narrow gorge of the Nera River in the province of Terni. It is very close to the Geographic center of Italy...
.
Veneration
In the Gelasian Sacramentary there is a prayer in honor of the saint under May 3. The Codex Bernense of the Martyrologium HieronymianumMartyrologium Hieronymianum
The Martyrologium Hieronymianum was a medieval list of martyrs, one of the most used and influential of the Middle Ages...
records his name under May 3 with those of three martyrs of the Via Nomentana
Via Nomentana
Via Nomentana is an ancient road of Italy, leading North-East from Rome to Nomentum , a distance of . It originally bore the name Via Ficulnensis, from the old Latin village of Ficulnea, about from Rome. It was subsequently prolonged to Nomentum, but never became an important high road, and merged...
: Eventius, Alexander I
Pope Alexander I
Pope Saint Alexander I was Bishop of Rome from about 106 to 115. The Holy See's Annuario Pontificio identifies him as a Roman who reigned from 108 or 109 to 116 or 119...
, and Theodulus
Theodulus
-People:*Theodulus, a saint martyred with Leontius and Hypatius*Theodulus, a Christian saint and son of Nilus of Sinai*Theodulus, a Christian saint martyred with Victor, Dorotheus and Agrippa at Synnada....
.
Saint Juvenal appears, not as a martyr, but as a bishop and confessor, in the Tridentine Calendar
Tridentine Calendar
The Tridentine Calendar is the calendar of saints to be honoured in the course of the liturgical year in the official liturgy of the Roman Rite as reformed by Pope Pius V, implementing a decision of the Council of Trent, which entrusted the task to the Pope....
, which allots him a commemoration
Commemoration (prayer)
In the Roman Rite, when a higher-ranked liturgical celebration impedes the celebration of a lesser one that, either permanently or by coincidence, falls on the same day, the prayer of the lower-ranked celebration is usually added to that of the higher...
, shared with these three martyrs, within the feast of the Finding of the Cross
Feast of the Cross
In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus....
on 3 May. When this feast was abolished in 1960, the four saints continued to be merely commemorated jointly within the celebration of the weekday
Feria
A feria was a day on which the people, especially the slaves, were not obliged to work, and on which there were no court sessions...
. The same day continues to be Saint Juvenal's feast day, as indicated in the Roman Martyrology
Roman Martyrology
The Roman Martyrology is the official martyrology of the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Church.-History:...
, but since 1969 he is no longer included in the General Roman Calendar.
His legend suggests that he saved Narni from both Ligurian
Ligures
The Ligures were an ancient people who gave their name to Liguria, a region of north-western Italy.-Classical sources:...
and Sarmatian
Sarmatians
The Iron Age Sarmatians were an Iranian people in Classical Antiquity, flourishing from about the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD....
invaders by calling down a divine thunderstorm.
The construction of Juvenal's sepulcher in Narni is attributed to his alleged successor St. Maximus (d. 416 AD).
The author of the Life of Pope Vigilius
Pope Vigilius
Pope Vigilius reigned as pope from 537 to 555, is considered the first pope of the Byzantine Papacy.-Early life:He belonged to a aristocratic Roman family; his father Johannes is identified as a consul in the Liber pontificalis, having received that title from the emperor...
(6th century) in the Liber Pontificalis states that a monastery founded by Belisarius
Belisarius
Flavius Belisarius was a general of the Byzantine Empire. He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian's ambitious project of reconquering much of the Mediterranean territory of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost less than a century previously....
near Orte
Orte
Orte is a comune in the province of Viterbo, in the Italian region Latium Lazio, located about 60 km north of Rome and about 24 km east of Viterbo. As of 31 December 2006, Orte had a population of 8,364....
was dedicated to Juvenal.
In 878, Juvenal’s relics were taken to the Basilica di San Frediano
Basilica di San Frediano
The Basilica of San Frediano is a Romanesque church in Lucca, Italy, situated on the Piazza San Frediano.Fridianus was an Irish bishop of Lucca in the first half of the 6th century. He had a church built on this spot, dedicated to St. Vincent, a martyr from Zaragoza, Spain. When Fridianus was...
in Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
with those of Saints Cassius
Cassius of Narni
Saint Cassius is venerated as a saint. He was a bishop of Narni in Umbria from 537 to 558, the date of his death. He was praised by St. Gregory the Great, and was noted for his charity. Cassius died at Rome after going on pilgrimage there. Cassius was married; his wife's name was Fausta...
and Cassius' wife Fausta by Adalbert
Adalbert I of Tuscany
Adalbert I was the margrave of Tuscany from about 847.He was the son of Margrave Boniface II, who had been despoiled of his fiefs by the Emperor Lothair I, and successor of his elder brother Aganus...
, Margrave of Tuscany, but all of the relics were returned to Narni two years later. The relics of Saint Cassius were built in a restored shrine later known as the Sacello di San Cassio. Juvenal’s relics are said to have been hidden.
Fossano
Fossano
Fossano is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is the fourth largest town of the Province of Cuneo, after Cuneo, Alba and Bra....
claims Juvenal as a patron, and also claims to hold some of his relics, though these may belong to another saint of the same name.