CrucisSt. Peter Chrysologus
St. Peter Chrysologus was born around 380 at Imola in northern Italy, and died there around 450. He was made archbishop of Ravenna, which in his day was the seat of the Western Roman emperors, and served the Church in that important city during the troubled twilight of the empire. He enjoyed the esteem of the imperial court and of Pope St. Leo the Great.
His surname 'Chrysologus' means 'golden-worded,' given for his preaching. Unlike many Fathers, his fame rests not on great theological treatises but on his sermons — short, clear, vivid, and pastoral — of which many survive, offering a window into the faith and life of his people. Notably, he counseled that disputes be settled by appeal to the See of Rome. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1729.
Selected quotes
“What greater honor can be shown to God than to find Him in the face of the poor? He does not come to us only in sacraments.”
“A Christian who neglects the poor has forgotten that Christ said He would be found there — and so Christ remains unfound.”
“Repentance is not defeat — it is the victory of the soul over pride, the first step back into the arms of the Father.”