Enciclopedia Cattolica

MATERNO, SANTO

Maternus, Saint

Volume VIII · p. 255 · 1952

English translation · Testo originale italiano

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

MATERNUS, Saint. — He was already Bishop of Cologne in 313, when Constantine invited him to take part in the Roman Synod to settle the Donatist controversy; in 314 he was again at the Council of Arles for the same reason. He was already dead by 344, for in that year the see of Cologne was governed by his successor Eufratius. Towards the 9th century a very legendary biography of Maternus was written, which made him a disciple of St Peter who had sent him directly to Cologne. He is commemorated on 14 September.

Bibl.: Eusebius, Hist. eccl., X, 5; S. Optatus, De schismate Donatistarum, 1; Tillemont, VI, pp. 26, 701 sq.; Acta SS. Septembris, IV, Paris 1868, pp. 354-400; Martyrologium Romanum, p. 396.

Agostino Amore

Article illustration
(4a M. Pitteluga, Filippo Lippi. Firenze 1713, 89. (13)
Spiritual Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Madonna of Mercy. Panel painted for the Trinity altar of Pistoia cathedral. Workshop of Filippo Lippi (1466-67) – Berlin, State Museum.