Saint Paulinus of Nola
Saint Paulinus of Nola (born c. January 353 AD in Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France; died June 22, 431 AD in Nola, Campania, Italy) was a Roman aristocrat, poet, and bishop who gave away an enormous fortune, sold himself into slavery to ransom a widow's son, and became one of the finest Latin poets of Late Antiquity. He is also credited in some traditions with the invention of church bells. His feast day is June 22.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Paulinus of Nola
| Saint Paulinus of Nola | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | June 22 |
| Profession | Bishop of Nola; Roman aristocrat; Latin poet; ascetic; advocate for the poor |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Diocese of Nola; Late Roman Christianity; Latin poetry; asceticism; devotion to Saint Felix of Nola |
| Patronage | Nola; Campania; those who give up wealth for God; prisoners; hostages; the enslaved; church bell-makers (traditional); Catholic poets |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; bell (traditional attribution of church bell invention); chains or fetters (self-sale into slavery); poem scroll; Nola; the shrine of Felix of Nola |
| Birthplace | Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France |
| Death Place | Nola, Campania, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died June 22, 431 AD, in Nola, after serving as bishop for approximately 20 years; he died at Nola having distributed virtually everything he owned; his final years were marked by the Visigoth sack of Nola (410 AD) and by personal bereavement; he died as a bishop in the peace of the Church |
| Primary Shrine | Cathedral of Nola, Campania — his tomb and relics; the Cimitile basilica complex near Nola (rebuilt by him) preserves the ancient shrine of Saint Felix he adorned; both sites are visited by pilgrims in Campania |
| Liturgical Class | Memorial (Roman Rite); June 22 |
| Historic Class | Double (June 22) in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Paulinus was born c. January 353 in Bordeaux, son of a high Roman official in Aquitaine. He was educated as a lawyer and rhetor and held public office in Campania. He married Therasia, a Spanish woman of wealth, and lived the life of a Roman aristocrat.
Around 389 AD, influenced by Saint Ambrose of Milan and by the death of his infant son, he underwent a profound conversion to the ascetic life. He and Therasia gave away their vast properties in Gaul, Spain, and Italy and settled in poverty near the shrine of Saint Felix of Nola in Campania. He was ordained priest in Barcelona on Christmas Day, 394.
He settled permanently at Nola, rebuilt Felix's basilica at Cimitile, and wrote 24 annual birthday poems (Natalicia) in honor of Felix — among the finest sacred poetry in Latin. He became Bishop of Nola c. 409 AD.
After the Visigoth sack of Nola in 410 AD, he reportedly sold himself into slavery to ransom the son of a widow — and was recognized and released by the Visigoth chieftain.
He maintained friendships and correspondence with Augustine, Jerome, Ambrose, and Martin of Tours. He died on June 22, 431 AD.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France
Death location: Nola, Campania, Italy
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Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Paulinus of Nola have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| June 20 Saint Paulinus of Nola | Under 5 minutes | Breski1 |
| The Bishop Who Gave Everything: Saint Paulinus of Nola | Under 5 minutes | Leyendas De Santos |
| Saint Paulinus of Nola - June 22nd | Under 5 minutes | Saint of the Day |
| The Bishop Who Gave It All Away | St Paulinus of Nola #saintsstories #history #saintsations | Under 5 minutes | Saints Stories |
Shrines
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Known shrines
- Cathedral of Nola — his tomb; principal shrine in Campania.
- Cimitile Basilica complex, near Nola — the ancient shrine of Saint Felix he rebuilt; early Christian mosaics and inscriptions.
Feast day
June 22
Veneration
Saint Paulinus of Nola was a Roman aristocrat who gave away his fortune, sold himself into slavery for a widow's son, and became one of the finest Latin Christian poets. He is traditionally credited with the introduction of church bells (campana). His feast is June 22.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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