The Presbyters Project

Sermo 66

DE SANCTA QVADRAGESIMA

1. Ante dies deuotionem sanctae quadragesimae praedicantes sacrarum litterarum exempla protulimus, quibus adprobaremus hunc quadragenarium numerum non esse ab hominibus constitutum sed diuinitus consecratum, nec terrena cogitatione initum sed caelesti maiestate praeceptum. Atque ideo qui constitutum numerum una die manducando praeterit, non ut unius diei uiolator accusatur, sed ut totius quadragesimae transgressor arguitur. Vnde bonum est homini, ut ad diem sine labore ieiunet, et totius quadragensimae consequatur pariter sanctitatem. Haec autem non tam sacerdotum praecepta quam dei sunt. Atque ideo qui spernit non sacerdotem spernit sed Christum, qui in suo loquitur sacerdote.

(ed. Mutzenbecher 1962: 276)

Sermon 66

On Holy Quadragesima

1. A few days ago, while preaching on the observance of holy Quadragesima, we produced examples from the sacred writings in order to prove that this number 40 was not of human origin but divinely consecrated, not initiated by earthly deliberation but commanded by the heavenly majesty. And therefore a person who fails to observe the established number by eating on one day is not accused of being the violator of one day but is charged with having transgressed the whole of Quadragesima. Hence it is good for a person to strive after the holiness of all of Quadragesima to an equal degree in order to fast without difficulty on a particular day. These are not so much the commands of priests, however, as they are of God, and consequently the one who disdains them disdains not a priest but Christ, who speaks in His priest.

(trans. B. Ramsey 1989: 161)

Place of event:

Region

Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia

City

Turin

About the source:

Author: Maximus of Turin
Title: Sermons, Sermones, Collectio sermonum, Sermo 66
Origin: Turin (Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Maximus is the first known bishop of Turin. He held this see already in May 397 because he mentions the martyrdom of three clerics in Anaunia as the event from his episcopacy (Sermons 105–6). According to Gennadius of Marseille, Maximus died during the reign of Honorius and Theodosius II, that is between 408 and 423. He should not be confused with another Maximus of Turin attested in the middle of the fifth century (PCBE, Italie, v. 1, Maximus 10 and Maximus 14).

The collection of the sermons of Maximus of Turin were first edited by Bruno Bruni in 1784 (included in Patrologia Latina 57). Now, however, many sermons attributed by Bruni to Maximus are considered dubious or spurious. Most recent editor, Almut Mutzenbecher, decided to include in her edition 121 sermons. According to Mutzenbecher, 89 of those constituted the collection ascribed to Maximus already in the fifth century, though seven of those are spurious. Of the remaining sermons which are "out of order" (sermones extravagantes) she considers 30 to be genuine (Mutzenbecher 1962: xv–xxxvi).

Sermon 48 is genuine (Mutzenbecher 1961: 217–19; 1962: 186).

Edition:

Mutzenbecher Almut ed., Maximi Taurinensis Collectio sermonum antiqua nonnullis sermonibus extrauagantibus adiectis, Corpus Christianorum Series Latina 23, Turnhout 1962

Translation:

Boniface Ramsey trans., Sermons of Maximus of Turin, Ancient Christian Writers 50, New York 1989

Bibliography:

A. Mutzenbecher, "Bestimmung der echten Sermones des Maximus Taurinensis", Sacris Erudiri 12 (1961), 197-293.

Categories:

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

Theoretical considerations - On priesthood

Devotion - Fasting

Pastoral activity - Preaching

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1511, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1511