Audience of 17 October 2007
Cari fratelli e sorelle, questa mattina vi invito a riflettere su sant’Eusebio di Vercelli, il primo Vescovo dell’Italia settentrionale di cui abbiamo notizie sicure. Nato in Sardegna all’inizio del IV secolo, ancora in tenera età si trasferì a Roma con la sua famiglia. Più tardi venne istituito lettore: entrò così a far parte del clero dell’Urbe, in un tempo in cui la Chiesa era gravemente provata dall’eresia ariana. La grande stima che crebbe attorno a Eusebio spiega la sua elezione nel 345 alla cattedra episcopale di Vercelli. Il nuovo Vescovo iniziò subito un’intensa opera di evangelizzazione in un territorio ancora in gran parte pagano, specialmente nelle zone rurali. Ispirato da sant’Atanasio - Who wrote the Life of Saint Anthony, founder of monasticism in the East - founded in Vercelli, a priestly community, similar to a monastic community. This monastery gave to the clergy of northern Italy a significant stamp of apostolic sanctity, and caused major figures of bishops, as Limena and Onorato, the successors of Eusebius of Vercelli, Novara Gaudenzio, Esuperanzio in Tortona, Eustathius in Aosta, Eulogio Ivrea, Massimo in Turin, all venerated by the Church as santi.Solidamente formed in the Nicene faith, Eusebius defended with all his strength the full divinity of Jesus Christ, as defined by the Nicene Creed "one in being" the Father. To this end he allied himself with the great Fathers of the fourth century - especially with St. Athanasius, bishop of Nicene orthodoxy - filoariana policy against the Emperor. For the emperor the simpler Arian faith seemed more useful politically as an ideology of empire. For him the truth did not matter, but the political opportunity: he wanted to exploit religion as a bond of unity of the empire. But these great fathers resisted defending the truth against the domination of politics. For this reason, Eusebius was condemned to exile like so many other Bishops of the East and West: the same as Athanasius, Hilary of Poitiers as - we spoke last time - as Osio de Córdoba. A Scythopolis in Palestine, where he was confined between 355 and 360, Eusebius wrote a wonderful page of his life. Here, too, founded a monastery with a small group of disciples, and from there took care of the correspondence with his followers in Piedmont, as shown above the second of three letters Eusebian recognized as authentic. Then, after the 360, was exiled to Cappadocia and in the Thebaid where he underwent severe physical abuse. In 361, Constantius II died, succeeded by the Emperor Julian, called the Apostate, who was not interested in Christianity as the religion of the empire, but simply wanted to restore paganism. He ended the exile of bishops and allowed these so also Eusebius to repossess his home. In 362 he was invited to participate by Anastasius the Council of Alexandria, who decided to pardon Arian bishops provided they returned to the lay state. Eusebius was able to exercise for another ten years until his death, the episcopal ministry, realizing with his city an exemplary relationship, he never failed to inspire the pastoral service of other bishops of northern Italy, which we will in the next catechesis, as St. Ambrose of Milan and St. Maximus of Torino.Il relationship between the Bishop of Vercelli and his city is lit primarily from two witnesses letters. The first is in the letter cited above, that Eusebius wrote from exile in Scythopolis "dear brothers and priests to long for, and the holy people in the faith of Vercelli, Novara, Ivrea and Tortona" (Ep. secunda, CCL 9, p. 104). These initial expressions which indicate that the emotion of the Good Shepherd in front of his flock, are widely reflected at the end of the letter in his father's warmest greetings to each and every one of his sons in Vercelli, overflowing with expressions of affection and amore.E 'to note first of all express the relationship that binds to the Bishop sanctae plebes not only Vercellae / Vercelli - the first and, for some years, the only diocese in the Piedmont - but also of Novara / Novara, Eporedia / Ivrea Dertona / Tortona that is, those Christian communities within the same diocese had reached a certain consistency and autonomy. Another interesting element is provided by the parting which concludes the letter: Eusebius asks his sons and his daughters to say goodbye "even those who are outside the Church, and deign to entertain feelings of love for us: etiam hos here Foris dignantur diligere sunt et nos. " A clear sign that the relationship between the Bishop and his city was not limited to the Christian population, but also extended to those who - outside the Church - I somehow recognized the spiritual authority and loved this man second esemplare.La testimony to the unique relationship the Bishop with his city comes from the letter that St. Ambrose of Milan wrote to Vercellesi around 394, more than twenty years after the death of Eusebius (Ep. extra collectionem 14: Maur. 63). The Church of Vercelli was going through a difficult time: it was divided and without a shepherd. Ambrose said frankly to hesitate to recognize in those Vercellesi "the descent of the holy fathers, who approved of Eusebius as soon as they saw, without having met him before then, forgetting even their fellow citizens." In the same letter, the bishop of Milan as clearly attests to his esteem of Eusebius: "Such a great man," he writes in a peremptory manner, "well deserved to be elected by the whole Church. "Ambrose's admiration for Eusebius was based on the fact that the Bishop of Vercelli ruled the diocese with the testimony of his life:" With the austerity of fasting ruled his Church. "In fact, even Ambrose was fascinated - as he himself admits - by the monastic contemplation of God, which Eusebius had pursued the footsteps of the prophet Elijah. First - notes Ambrose - Bishop of Vercelli gathered his clergy communis in life and raised him to the ' observance of monastic rules, despite living in the middle of the city. "The bishop and his clergy had to share the problems of citizens, and they did so at the same time cultivating their own credibility una cittadinanza diversa, quella del Cielo (cfr Eb 13,14). E così hanno realmente costruito una vera cittadinanza, una vera solidarietà comune tra i cittadini di Vercelli.Così Eusebio, mentre faceva sua la causa della sancta plebs di Vercelli, viveva in mezzo alla città come un monaco, aprendo la città verso Dio. Questo tratto, quindi, nulla tolse al suo esemplare dinamismo pastorale. Sembra fra l'altro che egli abbia istituito a Vercelli le pievi per un servizio ecclesiale ordinato e stabile, e che abbia promosso i santuari mariani per la conversione delle popolazioni rurali pagane. Piuttosto, questo "tratto monastico" conferiva una dimensione peculiare al rapporto del Vescovo con la sua città. Come già gli apostoli, per i quali Gesù pregava nella sua Ultima Cena, i Pastori e i fedeli della Chiesa "sono nel mondo" (Gv 17,11), ma non sono "del mondo". Perciò i pastori - ricordava Eusebio - devono esortare i fedeli a non considerare le città del mondo come la loro dimora stabile, ma a cercare la Città futura, la definitiva Gerusalemme del cielo. Questa "riserva escatologica" consente ai pastori e ai fedeli di salvare la scala giusta dei valori, senza mai piegarsi alle mode del momento e alle pretese ingiuste del potere politico in carica. La scala autentica dei valori – sembra dire la vita intera di Eusebio – non viene dagli imperatori di ieri e di oggi, ma viene da Gesù Cristo, l’Uomo perfetto, uguale al Padre nella divinità, yet a man like us. Referring to this scale of values, Eusebius never tires to "recommend strongly" on his followers to "keep the faith with care, to maintain harmony, to be assiduous in prayer" (Ep. secunda, cited).. Dear Friends, I urge you with all my heart these perennial values, and I greet and bless you with the same words with which the holy Bishop Eusebius concluded his second letter: "I address you, my holy brothers and sisters , sons and daughters, faithful of both sexes and all ages, and I urge ... to bring our greetings also to those who are outside the Church, and deign to entertain feelings of love for us "(ibid.).
[01438-01.01] [Original text: Italian] I extend a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. In particular, I greet the members of the Militia of the Immaculate Conception founded ninety years ago by St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, and encourage them to continue with renewed apostolic zeal in their service to the Gospel and the Church. I greet the delegates to the Chapter of the Roman Union of the Order of St. Ursula and assure you of my prayer so that the whole institute is increasingly motivated by the love of God according to the charism of their founder St. Angela Merici. Next I greet the women religious who take part in the International Seminar sponsored USMI on the theme of "Human Trafficking", and I hope that this meeting rafforzi in tutti la coscienza del valore sacro della vita umana. Saluto con affetto i fedeli, accompagnati dall’Arcivescovo di Lecce Mons. Francesco Ruppi e da altri Presuli, che prendono parte al pellegrinaggio promosso dalle Suore Salesiane dei Sacri Cuori ad un anno dalla canonizzazione di san Filippo Smaldone, apostolo dei sordomuti. Cari amici, vi invito tutti, clero, religiose e fedeli laici a imitare la sua esemplare testimonianza e a seguire fedelmente lo spirito di carità verso i più bisognosi.Rivolgo, infine, il mio pensiero ai malati, agli sposi novelli e ai giovani, specialmente ai ragazzi del dopo-Cresima della Diocesi di Faenza-Modigliana e agli alunni della Fondazione Sacro Cuore di Cesena. Cari amici, il mese di ottobre ci invita a rinnovare our active cooperation in the mission of the Church. Therefore put at the service of the Gospel, you young people the fresh energies of youth, you sick the power of prayer and suffering, you newlyweds the potential of marriage to offer concrete support to the missionaries who bear the Christian message in the frontiers of evangelization . [01448-01.01] [Original text: Italian] CALL OF THE HOLY FATHER Today we celebrate the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty, recognized by the United Nations under the title of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. How many people still live in abject poverty! The disparity between rich and poor has become more evident and disturbing, even within the most economically advanced nations. This situation is worrying the conscience of humanity, since the conditions in which a great number of people are likely to offend the dignity of human beings and to compromise, therefore, the authentic and harmonious progress of the world community. Therefore encourage you to redouble efforts to eliminate the causes of poverty and the tragic consequences. [01449-01.01] [Original text: Italian] www.vatican.va
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