Peter Chrysologus

Lore & Background

Peter was born in Imola, where the local bishop Cornelius baptized him, educated him, and ordained him a deacon. He was made an archdeacon through the influence of Emperor Valentinian III. Pope Sixtus III appointed Peter as Bishop of Ravenna circa 433, apparently rejecting the candidate whom the people of the city of Ravenna elected. The traditional account, as recorded in the Roman Breviary, is that Sixtus had a vision of Pope Peter the Apostle and Apollinaris of Ravenna, the first bishop of that see, who showed Peter, a young man, the next Bishop of Ravenna. When a group from Ravenna arrived, including Cornelius and his archdeacon Peter from Imola, Sixtus recognized Peter as the young man in his vision and consecrated him as a bishop. People knew Peter Chrysologus for his very simple and short but inspired sermons, for he was afraid of fatiguing the attention of his hearers. After hearing oratory of his first homily as bishop, Roman Empress Galla Placidia supposedly gave him the surname Chrysologus, meaning "golden-worded." His sermons are historically significant in that they reveal Christian life in fifth-century Ravenna. He condemned Arianism and Monophysitism as heresies and explained the Apostles' Creed, the mystery of the Incarnation, and other topics in simple and clear language. He dedicated a series of homilies to John the Baptist and Mary, mother of Jesus. Peter advocated daily reception of Eucharist. He shared the confidence of Pope Leo I the Great (440-461), another Doctor of the Church. A synod held in Constantinople in 448 condemned Eutyches for Monophysitism; Eutyches then appealed to Peter Chrysologus but failed in his endeavour to win the support of the Bishop. The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon (451) preserves the text of letter of Peter Chrysologus in response to Eutyches; Peter admonishes Eutyches to accept the ruling of the synod and to give obedience to the Bishop of Rome as the successor of Peter the Apostle.

Reader's Guide

Peter Chrysologus's significance lies in his role as a bridge between the imperial capital of Ravenna and the papacy, and in his enduring legacy as a preacher. His homilies, 176 of which were collected and preserved by Archbishop Felix of Ravenna in the early eighth century, provide a window into Christian life and doctrine in fifth-century Italy. His concise style made complex theological topics accessible to his congregation, and his condemnation of Arianism and Monophysitism helped define orthodox belief during a period of Christological controversy. His letter to Eutyches, preserved in the Acts of the Council of Chalcedon (451), underscores his support for papal authority. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1729, his feast day has been observed on various dates: 30 July (main commemoration), 2 December (death anniversary, older tradition), 3 December (Orthodox commemoration), and 4 December (traditional Catholic commemoration). A contemporary portrait of Peter Chrysologus, found in the mosaics of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna, depicts him among the members of the eastern and western imperial family, showing his extraordinary influence. His works continue to be studied and translated, with modern editions from the Catholic University of America Press (three volumes of selected sermons, including all genuine sermons) and a 2020 volume from Routledge translated by David Vincent Meconi Jr.

Did You Know?

• Peter Chrysologus was given the surname 'Chrysologus,' meaning 'golden-worded,' by Roman Empress Galla Placidia after hearing his first homily as bishop.
• A synod in Constantinople in 448 condemned Eutyches for Monophysitism; Eutyches appealed to Peter Chrysologus, who admonished him to accept the ruling and obey the Bishop of Rome.
• Archbishop Felix of Ravenna collected and preserved 176 of Peter Chrysologus's homilies in the early eighth century.
• A contemporary portrait of Peter Chrysologus appears in the mosaics of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna, depicting him among the eastern and western imperial family.
• Peter Chrysologus was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII in 1729.