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ID
ER 889
Augustine, the bishop of Hippo Regius (North Africa), describes how, during his absence, one of his presbyters liberated by the Eucharist and prayers the household of Hesperius from demonic attacks. "The City of God", Book 22, AD 417/427.
Book 22
 
8. [...] Vir tribunicius Hesperius apud nos est; habet in territorio Fussalensi fundum, Zubedi appellatur; ubi cum adflictione animalium et seruorum suorum domum suam spirituum malignorum uim noxiam perpeti comperisset, rogauit nostros me absente presbyteros, ut aliquis eorum illo pergeret, cuius orationibus cederent. Perrexit unus, obtulit ibi sacrificium corporis Christi, orans quantum potuit, ut cessaret illa uexatio: Deo protinus miserante cessauit.
 
(ed. Dombart - Kalb 1955, 820)
Book 22
 
8. [...] There is a former tribune named Hesperius who lives among us. He has an estate called Zubedi in the district of Fussala. From the afflictions experienced by his animals and his slaves he discovered that his household was suffering from the harmful attacks of malevolent spirits, and in my absence he asked our presbyters that one of them go back with him to drive away the spirits with his prayers. One went; he offered the sacrifice of Christ's body there, praying as hard as he could that this vexation might end, and by God's mercy it stopped at once.
 
(trans. W. Babcock, slightly altered)

Place of event:

Region
  • Latin North Africa
City
  • Fussala

About the source:

Author: Augustine of Hippo
Title: The City of God, De civitate Dei, On The City of God
Origin: Hippo Regius (Latin North Africa)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
“The City of God” was meant by Augustine to provide the Christians with the arguments against the accusations, raised especially after the sack of Rome in 410 AD, that their religion was inferior to the pagan cults that protected the Roman state in a better way. The first ten books of the “City of God” are a critique of the Roman religion and philosophy. The next twelve discuss the relation between the eternal City of God and the Earthly City.
Augustine probably started writing this work in 412 AD. The books appeared gradually. Book 10 was finished by 417 AD, and the whole work by 426/427.
The last book deals with the eternal happiness of the saints and explains the resurrection of the body, hence numerous miracle stories are contained here.
Edition:
B. Dombart, A. Kalb edd., Sancti Aurelii Augustini De Civitate Dei libri XI-XXII, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 48, Turnhout 1955.
 
Translation:
 
Saint Augustine, The City of God XI-XXII, trans. W. Babcock, New York 2013.

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
    Ritual activity - Eucharist
      Ritual activity - Private mass
        Ritual activity - Presiding at prayer
          Ritual activity - Exorcism
            Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
              Relation with - Noble
                Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER889, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=889
                Record by: Stanisław Adamiak
                last edited: 2017-05-26 09:29:16
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