|
Reliquary
of St. Caesarius of Arles, Bishop
Feast: Aug. 27
As Bishop of Arles in Gaul,
which is near the monastery of St. John Cassian at Marseilles, St.
Caesarius spent 40 years of apostolic labours. He drew up a famed
collection of canons, was famous as a preacher, wrote commentaries on
the psalms, wrote one rule for monks and one rule for nuns (he was
precisely contemporaneous with St. Benedict of Nursia), In his rule for
nuns he relied heavily on the teachings of St. John Cassian. He erected
a convent in which his sister Caesaria was first to take the veil, and
at his repose this community numbered 200 nuns and was the marvel of
the region. St. Caesarius added the Hours of Terce, Sext, and None to
the public worship of the cathedral, which had not been done
previously, and wrote Hymns to enrich the Hours of the Divine Office.
Holy Father Caesarius, pray to God for us!
Iconic illustration: St.
Caesarius giving his Rule to women monastics.
Next Illustration: A smaller,
colour version of the same.
Reliquary in the great church
at Arles, France.
|
