Milan, Saint Simplician, Bishop of

MILAN, Saint Simplician, Bishop of. - Probably of Milanese origin, a presbyter in Milan and from 397 the successor of St. Ambrose in the episcopal see, d. 15 July 400. He baptized St. Ambrose (Augustine, Conf., VIII, 2, 3) and assisted him.

Epistles (Epp. 37, 38, 65, 67) of Ambrose to S. have been preserved, while those of S. to Ambrose have been lost, as have those he wrote to St. Augustine, still a presbyter, in which he exhorted him: «agitare ingenium et expositioni scripturarum vacare» (Gennadius, De viris illustr., 36 [37]). Of Augustine an epistle to S. is preserved (Ep., 37); moreover St. Augustine dedicated to him the work De diversis quaestionibus ad Simplicianum libri, which he wrote in 396. S. was in the 4th century a personality of the first rank, not only because of his relations with St. Augustine, but because he had taken part also in the conversion of the latter and of C. M. Victorinus (v.) cf. Augustine, Conf., VIII, 11, 3). S., who had traveled a great deal, was a learned theologian, also acquainted with Neoplatonic philosophy. Pope Anastasius I (Ep. ad Simplician.: PL 20, 74), wished to induce him to take measures against the followers of Origen, but S. died before having decided (400 or 401). Probably his decision would not have been very different from that of his successor Venerius who, condemning the errors of Origen, refused to condemn Rufinus as well. There exist an epistle of Vigilius of Trent (v.) In laudem martyrum, that is, of the martyrs of Trent, Sisinnius and companions (PL 20, 74), addressed to S., and synodal writings of Carthage (a. 397; cf. Manai, III, 891) and of Toledo (a. 400; ibid., 945, 1007). The tomb of S. is in the Basilica built by him for the relics of St. Sisinnius and companions. Feast on 16 Aug.

Erik Peterson