Giacomo da Varazze (Jacobus a Varagine), Blessed. — Born in Varazze around 1230, he entered the Dominican order in 1244; he taught theology and preached in Genoa, Viterbo, and other Italian cities from 1252 to 1267, the most fruitful years of his intellectual output; he served as Provincial of Lombardy from 1267 to 1286, except for the period 1278–81, during which, as a simple friar, he was able to resume his beloved life of prayer and study, to which he returned again between 1286 and 1288. In 1288 he refused the archbishopric of Genoa, but was compelled to accept it in 1292 by command of Nicholas IV, and governed it for six years with prudence, self-denial, and courage. In 1295 he secured peace between the "mascherati" and the "rampini" (the Guelphs and Ghibellines of Genoa), though only briefly. The first disturbances flared up again, even provoking a fire in the Cathedral. In 1296 he brought relics of saints from the East to Genoa. He died on the night of July 13–14, 1298, after settling his episcopal administration through notarial acts. An artist and mystic, he heroically disciplined himself to the duties of militant apostolate. His cult was confirmed by Pius VII in 1816; his feast is celebrated on July 13.
Between 1253 and 1270 he composed the *Legenda sanctorum* or *Legenda aurea*, which is more than a chronological hagiographical collection. Giacomo displayed the genius to set forth plainly, in a vernacular Latin, the cycle of the temporal and sanctoral year, explaining the meaning of liturgical seasons and ecclesiastical customs (vigils, octaves, fasts, *tempora*), and, as an enchanting storyteller, narrating the lives of Jesus Christ and the saints according to their feast days, commenting on them and drawing moral lessons. The *Legenda aurea* could serve as meditation for feast days, as daily edifying and engaging reading on account of the marvelous adventures of Christ’s heroes, which he recounts with naive but not childish faith. Indeed, he adhered to Latin sources, excluding the romantic episodes added by minstrels, and focused more on the miraculous than the adventurous, doubting anachronistic dates and implausible events. The *Legenda* immediately enjoyed immense diffusion; it became the breviary of the laity of moderate culture, the source of preaching and hagiographic art from the 13th to the 15th century, and was interpolated with other "Lives" so that the 182 chapters of the oldest manuscript (1288, Einsiedeln) rose to 440 by the 15th century. The first modern edition of the *Vite* is considered to be the one edited by Graesse, Regensburg 1890. The first vernacular edition appeared in Venice in 1474, based on the poor translation by N. Manerbi, which was reprinted until the 17th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, partial editions of 14th-century versions appeared; finally, a complete and good 14th-century translation was published by A. Levasti, Florence 1924. Giacomo also composed the *Sermones de sanctis* and *Sermones dominicales* (1277–81), *Sermones quadragesimales* (1285–92), and the *Liber Marialis* (1295). These are sermon outlines collected at the request of his brethren, revealing his wit, culture, psychological insight, and holiness. They were published under the title: *Sermones super Evangelia dominicarum, festa sanctorum totius anni per quadragesimam integram cum sermonibus de planctu B. M. V. et Mariae aureum*, divided into 160 sermons (1st ed., Brescia 1483, then Venice 1497 and 1545). His love for his flock led him to find time to write a chronicle of Genoa from its origins to 1297, based on documents and especially local traditions; the part concerning his own times is particularly important (1st partial ed.: *Chronicon Ianuense*, in RIS, IX, Venice 1726; 2nd complete ed.: G. da V., *Ragione e la sua Cronaca di Genova dalle origini al 1297. Studio introduttivo e testo critico commentato di G. Montelone* [Ponti per la storia d'Italia], Rome 1941).
