Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 1427
Two presbyters are abbots of the monastery in Iunci (North Africa), 5th/6th c. Account of Pseudo-Ferrandus, "Life of Fulgentius", after AD 534.
Chapter 12
 
29. Est in medio uadosi maris sinu monasterium, Iuncensi litori proximum, Bennefensi autem maxima ex parte contiguum, ubi neque hortos colere paruissimi scopuli limes sinit angustes, neque ligni uel potabilis aquae consolatio saltem ministratur exigua, sed rei utriusque per breuissimas nauiculas cotidie sufficientia praeparatur. In hoc monasterio rigidi propositi disciplina antiqua seruatur, ab infantia sua plurimis usque ad decrepitam senectutem sanctissime ibi uiuentibus sanctaeque professioni congrua opera laudabiliter exercentibus, ubi tunc duo presbyteri peculiares et merito mirabiles et immaculatae senectutis honore uenerabiles abbatis officio fungebantur, numquam de coenobio recedentes, sed ecclesiasticae dignitati multos uiros idoneos nutrientes.
 
(ed. Isola 2016: 186)
Chapter 12
 
29. There is a monastery in the middle of the bay of the shallow sea, near the coast of Iunci, mostly bordering upon Bennefa, where neither the small size of the rocky island permits cultivating gardens, nor is there even a minimum  provision of timber and drinkable water, but everything must be delivered daily on small boats. The old and rigid discipline is maintained in that monastery. Those who live there follow in a manner worthy of praise the deeds of their holy profession, many of them from their infancy up to feeble old age. There were two presbyters there, of particular virtue and merit, respected for the dignity of their immaculate old age, who exercised the office of abbots. They never left the coenobium, but they nourished many men suitable for the ecclesiastical office.
 
(trans. S. Adamiak)

Discussion:

Fulgentius of Ruspe spent some time in the monastery in Iunci between his return to Africa in ca AD 500 and his episcopal ordination in AD 508.

Place of event:

Region
  • Latin North Africa
City
  • Iunci

About the source:

Author: Ferrandus
Title: Vita Fulgentii, Life of Fulgentius
Origin: Carthage (Latin North Africa)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
None of the manuscripts transmitting the "Life of Fulgentius" provides the name of its author. It was firstly attributed to the deacon Ferrandus by Chifflet in 1649. This theory was largely accepted, by, among others, G.G. Lapeyre, who offered a critical edition of the "Life" in 1929. It was, however rejected by A. Isola in his 2016 edition for Corpus Christianorum, who retains it an anonymous work. It is dedicated to Felicianus, the successor of Fulgentius on the see of Ruspe, so it must have been written in a reasonable span of time after the death of Fulgentius in AD 533.
Edition:
A. Isola ed., Vita S. Fulgentii episcopi, Corpus Christianorum Series Latina 91F, Turnhout 2016.

Categories:

Functions within the Church - Monastic presbyter
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Monastic or common life - Cenobitic monk
Monastic or common life - Monastic superior (abbot/prior)
Pastoral activity - Teaching
Pastoral activity - Spiritual direction
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1427, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1427