Maximianus of Ravenna
Encyclopedia
Maximianus of Ravenna, or Maximian (499 - February 22, 556; feast day formerly February 21) was bishop of Ravenna
.
Born in the Istrian city of Pula
(Croatia
), Maximianus was consecrated bishop of Ravenna in 546 by Pope Vigilius
in Patras
, Greece. Maximianus was a forty-eight year old deacon from Pola when he became the twenty-sixth bishop of Ravenna. According to the ninth-century Ravennate priest Andreas Agnellus
, Maximianus' flock initially refused his leadership, because he was selected by the emperor Justinian and was not their initial candidate. He completed the basilica of San Vitale
in Ravenna, and also built Sant'Apollinare in Classe and several other churches.
Maximianus devoted himself to the revision of liturgical book
s and to the emendation of the Latin text of the Bible, and commissioned a large number of illuminated manuscripts. For the high altar in Ravenna he had a hanging made of the most costly cloth, which was embroidered with a portrayal of the entire life of Jesus. In another hanging he had portraits of all his predecessors embroidered on gold ground.
Maximian's most remarkable episcopal furnishing is the Throne of Maximian, the cathedra of the bishop which was constructed entirely of ivory panels. It was probably carved in Constantinople
and shipped to Ravenna. It consists of decorative floral panels framing various figured panels, including one with the complex monogram of the bishop.
In a 6th-century mosaic at Ravenna, Saint Maximianus (named above the figure) is shown leading a procession with Emperor Justinian. The saint holds a cross and wears a chasuble and stole.
Bishop of Ravenna
This page is a list of Roman Catholic bishops and archbishops of Ravenna, and of the Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia. The earlier ones were frequently tied to the Exarchate of Ravenna. -Diocese of Ravenna :*St. Apollinare, legendarily to 79, historically in the era of Septimius Severus*St...
.
Born in the Istrian city of Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
(Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
), Maximianus was consecrated bishop of Ravenna in 546 by 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...
in Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
, Greece. Maximianus was a forty-eight year old deacon from Pola when he became the twenty-sixth bishop of Ravenna. According to the ninth-century Ravennate priest Andreas Agnellus
Andreas Agnellus
Andreas Agnellus of Ravenna was a historian of the bishops in his city. The date of his death is not recorded, although his history mentions the death of archbishop George of Ravenna in 846; Oswald Holder-Egger cites a papyrus charter dated to either 854 or 869 that contains the name of a priest...
, Maximianus' flock initially refused his leadership, because he was selected by the emperor Justinian and was not their initial candidate. He completed the basilica of San Vitale
Basilica of San Vitale
The Church of San Vitale — styled an "ecclesiastical basilica" in the Roman Catholic Church, though it is not of architectural basilica form — is a church in Ravenna, Italy, one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine Art and architecture in western Europe...
in Ravenna, and also built Sant'Apollinare in Classe and several other churches.
Maximianus devoted himself to the revision of liturgical book
Liturgical book
A liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a church, that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official religious services.-Roman Catholic:...
s and to the emendation of the Latin text of the Bible, and commissioned a large number of illuminated manuscripts. For the high altar in Ravenna he had a hanging made of the most costly cloth, which was embroidered with a portrayal of the entire life of Jesus. In another hanging he had portraits of all his predecessors embroidered on gold ground.
Maximian's most remarkable episcopal furnishing is the Throne of Maximian, the cathedra of the bishop which was constructed entirely of ivory panels. It was probably carved in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and shipped to Ravenna. It consists of decorative floral panels framing various figured panels, including one with the complex monogram of the bishop.
In a 6th-century mosaic at Ravenna, Saint Maximianus (named above the figure) is shown leading a procession with Emperor Justinian. The saint holds a cross and wears a chasuble and stole.