Saint Victorinus of Pettau (also Ptuj or Poetovio; died 303 or 304) was an Early Christian ecclesiastical writer who flourished about 270, and who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. A Bishop of Poetovio (modern Ptuj in Slovenia; German: Pettau) in Pannonia, Victorinus is also known as Victorinus Petavionensis or Poetovionensis.[1] Victorinus composed commentaries on various texts within the Christians' Holy Scriptures.
Born probably in Byzantine Greece on the confines of the Eastern and Western Empires or in Poetovio with rather mixed population, due to its military character, Victorinus spoke Greek better than Latin, which explains why, in St. Jerome's opinion, his works written in the latter tongue were more remarkable for their matter than for their style.[2] Bishop of the City of Pettau, he was the first theologian to use Latin for his exegesis.
Victorinus was much influenced by Origen.[5]St. Jerome gives him an honourable place in his catalogue of ecclesiastical writers. Jerome occasionally cites the opinion of Victorinus (in Eccles. iv. 13; in Ezech. xxvi. and elsewhere), but considered him to have been affected by the opinions of the Chiliasts or Millenarians.[6] According to Jerome, Victorinus died a martyr in 304.[7]
By contrast to Jerome's positive reception in the late fourth and early fifth century, Victorinus's works were condemned and listed as apocrypha according to the Gelasian Decree, a 6th century work. The decree was attributed to the fifth century Pope Gelasius I; it includes a list of works compiled by heretics or used by schismatics to be rejected and avoided, and lists Victorinus's work there.[8]
Victorinus wrote a commentary on the Book of Revelation that was later republished in a redacted form by Jerome in the 5th century AD. An original unredacted manuscript was found in 1918, however. The commentary was composed not long after the Valerian Persecution, about 260. According to Claudio Moreschini, "The interpretation is primarily allegorical, with a marked interest in arithmology."[9] Johannes Quasten writes that "It seems that he did not give a running commentary on the entire text but contented himself with a paraphrase of selected passages."[10]
The book is interesting to modern scholars as an example of how people in antiquity interpreted the book of Revelation. Victorinus sees the four animals singing praise to God as the Gospels, and the 24 elders seated on thrones in Revelation 4 are the 12 patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles. He also agrees with views that the Whore of Babylon "drunk with the blood of martyrs and saints" represents the City of Rome and its persecutions of Christians, and that The Beast described in chapter 13 represents Emperor Nero. As Nero was already dead during Victorinus's time, he believed that the later passages referred to Nero Redivivus, a monstrous revived Nero who would attack from the East with the aid of the Jews.[11]
^Erroneously, based on some bad manuscripts, also as Victorinus Pictaviensis. He was long thought to have belonged to the Diocese of Poitiers (France).
^Clugnet, Léon. "St. Victorinus." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 10 August 2018
^ ab"CHURCH FATHERS: Commentary on the Apocalypse (Victorinus)".
^ ab"CHURCH FATHERS: On the Creation of the World (Victorinus)".
^Bardenhewer, Otto. Patrology: The Lives and Works of the Fathers of the Church, B. Herder, 1908, p. 227
^Wilson, H.A., "Victorinus", Dictionary of Christian Biography, (Henry Wace, ed.), John Murray, London, 1911
^Butler, Alban. "St. Victorinus, Bishop Martyr", The Lives of the Saints, 1866
^. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2006.
^Moreschini, Claudio and Norelli, Enrico. Early Christian Greek and Latin Literature, Vol. 1, Baker Academic, 2005, ISBN978-0801047190, p. 397
^Quasten, Johannes. Patrology, Vol. 2, Thomas More Pr; (1986), ISBN978-0870611414, p. 413
^Ehrman, Bart (12 October 2021). "Who Knew? Our Oldest Commentary on the Book of Revelation". The Bart Ehrman Blog: The History & Literature of Early Christianity. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Victorinus". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
External links
Wikisource has original works by or about: Victorinus of Pettau
November 2 Feasts at OrthodoxWiki.org
Works of Victorinus
Victorinus at Catholic.org
Victorinus at EarlyChurch.org.uk
Victorinus at SaintPatrickDC.org 1 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine
Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
Works by Victorinus of Pettau at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
May 18, 2023
victorinus, pettau, saint, also, ptuj, poetovio, died, early, christian, ecclesiastical, writer, flourished, about, martyred, during, persecutions, emperor, diocletian, bishop, poetovio, modern, ptuj, slovenia, german, pettau, pannonia, victorinus, also, known. Saint Victorinus of Pettau also Ptuj or Poetovio died 303 or 304 was an Early Christian ecclesiastical writer who flourished about 270 and who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian A Bishop of Poetovio modern Ptuj in Slovenia German Pettau in Pannonia Victorinus is also known as Victorinus Petavionensis or Poetovionensis 1 Victorinus composed commentaries on various texts within the Christians Holy Scriptures SaintVictorinus of PettauVictorinus on a fresco in the parish church of Nova Cerkev Slovenia Bishop of Poetovio and MartyrBornLikely in Byzantine GreeceDied303 or 304 ADPtuj Pettau or Poetovio Venerated inCatholic ChurchEastern Orthodox ChurchFeast2 NovemberAttributesPalm pontifical vestments Contents 1 Life 2 Commentary on the Apocalypse 3 Works 4 See also 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksLife EditBorn probably in Byzantine Greece on the confines of the Eastern and Western Empires or in Poetovio with rather mixed population due to its military character Victorinus spoke Greek better than Latin which explains why in St Jerome s opinion his works written in the latter tongue were more remarkable for their matter than for their style 2 Bishop of the City of Pettau he was the first theologian to use Latin for his exegesis His works are mainly exegetical Victorinus composed commentaries on various books of Holy Scripture such as Genesis Exodus Leviticus Isaiah Ezekiel Habakkuk Ecclesiastes the Canticle of Canticles St Matthew and the Apocalypse besides treatises against the heresies of his time All that have survived are his Commentary on Apocalypse 3 and the short tract On the construction of the world De fabrica mundi 4 Victorinus was much influenced by Origen 5 St Jerome gives him an honourable place in his catalogue of ecclesiastical writers Jerome occasionally cites the opinion of Victorinus in Eccles iv 13 in Ezech xxvi and elsewhere but considered him to have been affected by the opinions of the Chiliasts or Millenarians 6 According to Jerome Victorinus died a martyr in 304 7 By contrast to Jerome s positive reception in the late fourth and early fifth century Victorinus s works were condemned and listed as apocrypha according to the Gelasian Decree a 6th century work The decree was attributed to the fifth century Pope Gelasius I it includes a list of works compiled by heretics or used by schismatics to be rejected and avoided and lists Victorinus s work there 8 Victorinus is commemorated in both the Latin Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church on 2 November Until the 17th century he was sometimes confused with the Latin rhetorician Victorinus Afer Commentary on the Apocalypse EditVictorinus wrote a commentary on the Book of Revelation that was later republished in a redacted form by Jerome in the 5th century AD An original unredacted manuscript was found in 1918 however The commentary was composed not long after the Valerian Persecution about 260 According to Claudio Moreschini The interpretation is primarily allegorical with a marked interest in arithmology 9 Johannes Quasten writes that It seems that he did not give a running commentary on the entire text but contented himself with a paraphrase of selected passages 10 The book is interesting to modern scholars as an example of how people in antiquity interpreted the book of Revelation Victorinus sees the four animals singing praise to God as the Gospels and the 24 elders seated on thrones in Revelation 4 are the 12 patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles He also agrees with views that the Whore of Babylon drunk with the blood of martyrs and saints represents the City of Rome and its persecutions of Christians and that The Beast described in chapter 13 represents Emperor Nero As Nero was already dead during Victorinus s time he believed that the later passages referred to Nero Redivivus a monstrous revived Nero who would attack from the East with the aid of the Jews 11 Works EditOn the Creation of the World 4 Commentary on the Apocalypse 3 See also EditSaint Victorinus of Pettau patron saint archiveFootnotes Edit Erroneously based on some bad manuscripts also as Victorinus Pictaviensis He was long thought to have belonged to the Diocese of Poitiers France Clugnet Leon St Victorinus The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 15 New York Robert Appleton Company 1912 10 August 2018 a b CHURCH FATHERS Commentary on the Apocalypse Victorinus a b CHURCH FATHERS On the Creation of the World Victorinus Bardenhewer Otto Patrology The Lives and Works of the Fathers of the Church B Herder 1908 p 227 Wilson H A Victorinus Dictionary of Christian Biography Henry Wace ed John Murray London 1911 Butler Alban St Victorinus Bishop Martyr The Lives of the Saints 1866 The Development of the Canon of the New Testament The Decretum Gelasianum Archived from the original on 14 May 2011 Retrieved 8 November 2006 Moreschini Claudio and Norelli Enrico Early Christian Greek and Latin Literature Vol 1 Baker Academic 2005 ISBN 978 0801047190 p 397 Quasten Johannes Patrology Vol 2 Thomas More Pr 1986 ISBN 978 0870611414 p 413 Ehrman Bart 12 October 2021 Who Knew Our Oldest Commentary on the Book of Revelation The Bart Ehrman Blog The History amp Literature of Early Christianity Retrieved 14 October 2021 References Edit This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 St Victorinus Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company External links Edit Wikisource has original works by or about Victorinus of Pettau November 2 Feasts at OrthodoxWiki org Works of Victorinus Victorinus at Catholic org Victorinus at EarlyChurch org uk Victorinus at SaintPatrickDC org Archived 1 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine Victorinus at Catholic Forum com Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes Works by Victorinus of Pettau at LibriVox public domain audiobooks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Victorinus of Pettau amp oldid 1152053051, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
