Feast of St. Albertus Magnus, OP

St. Albert the Great in a Fresco at Treviso, Italy dating to 1352 by Tommaso da Modena.

Today is the feast of St. Albert the Great (+1280), Dominican and Doctor of the Church.

St. Albert was a rather notable philosopher, scientist, and professor in his day, famously teaching St. Thomas Aquinas (+1274).  Born in Swabia, Albert began his studies at the University of Padua in Italy, where he came across the new Order of Preachers, the Dominicans.  In 1245, he was sent to the University of Paris to receive his doctorate.  It was there that he first came into contact with St. Thomas Aquinas, the two proceeding to the University of Cologne in 1248 where St. Albert became Studium Generale.  From 1254-1257 Albert served as Provincial of the Dominican Order in Germany.  He would end up coming to Rome during those years to defend the new mendicant orders.  St. Albert ended up as Bishop of Ratisbon, appointed to that see in 1260.  St. Albert remained a friend and ally of St. Thomas Aquinas, and after the younger man's death in 1274, St. Albert defended his memory from attacks of those suspicious of the Angelic Doctor.

Here is a link to the Church of Saint Andreas in Cologne, where the Universal Doctor is buried: Church of St. Andreas, Cologne

Although now overshadowed by his pupil, St. Thomas, St. Albert was a great scholar in his own right, penning treatises on a host of subjects.  His scientific experimentation is worthy of note.  He noted: "The aim of natural science is not simply to accept the statements [narrata] of others, but to investigate the causes that are at work in nature." (De Miner., lib. II, tr. ii, i).  Of St. Albert, it is written: "he was an authority on physics, geography, astronomy, mineralogy, chemistry (alchimia), zoölogy, physiology, and even phrenology. On all these subjects his erudition was vast, and many of his observations are of permanent value."  It is for this reason that he remain the patron saint of scientists.

Here are a couple of accounts of the rather remarkable life of Albertus Magnus:

Old Catholic Encyclopedia: Albertus Magnus

Catholic Saint Info: St. Albert the Great

Live well!

Pope St. Martin I & the Monothelite heresy

Today is traditionally the Feast of Pope St. Martin I, a great pontiff of the 7th century, and opponent of the Monothelite heresy.  His new calendar feast falls on 13 April, for reference.  So, what follows is an account I wrote of his rather interesting times:

Patriarch Sergius of Constantinople (610-638), trying to reconcile the Monophysites (an earlier heresy, centered in Egypt, that claimed Christ had one nature), came up with a new heresy that appears on the scene in 630.  He argued that Christ has only “one will,” and two natures: this is the Monothelite heresy.  The Armenians liked the idea, but the Patriarch of Alexandria objected.  Rome, under Pope Honorius I (625-638) responded with a vague letter that was taken as consent.  The Emperor Heraclius (610-641) threw his weight behind this idea in 638, and signed a Monothelite statement [Ecthesis] proposed by the Patriarch Sergius.

Here is an article with more detail on the Monothelite heresy: Old Catholic Encyclopedia: Monothelites

The next Emperor, Constans II (641-668) did, however, initially withdraw the Monothelite statement.  In 648, though, Constans II actually ended up sided with the Monothelite Patriarch of Constantinople, Paul II (641-654), by forbidding discussion of the issue [the document was called the “Type”].

Pope St. Martin I (649-655)

In 649 a new Pope took the Chair of Peter: St. Martin I (649-655).  He convened a synod in 649 at the Lateran, condemned the heresy, and excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople – for which he was arrested in that same Church in 653 by Byzantine troops (Pope St. Martin I would die in exile in the Crimea in 655).  This was a real persecution.

Here is a link with more information on Pope St. Martin I: Old Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope St. Martin I

Here is a second: Catholic Saints Info: Pope St. Martin I

Finally, a third: Butler's Lives of the Saints: Pope St. Martin I

In 663, Byzantine Emperor Constans II actually came to Rome; the first time an Emperor had been in the city in 200 years.  Constans II settled in Sicily, but was murdered in his bath in 668 -- beaten to death with a silver bath bucket -- and followed on the throne by his son, Constantine IV (668-685).  Constantine suggested to the Supreme Pontiff that the Monothelite matter be laid to rest.

Pope St. Agatho (678-681) responded with a letter that reaffirmed the teaching of the Popes, and a council – the 6^th Ecumenical Council, the Third Council of Constantinople, was opened in November 680.  It would meet until September 681.  The Emperor presided, and Papal legates led the theological discussions.  The Council not only condemned the heresy, but made a list of condemned heretics – a list that included Pope Honorius I!  Before he could approve the Council’s acts, though, Pope Agatho died.  The new pope elected in his place was Pope St. Leo II (681-683).  He was versed in Greek and looked through the documents.  He reworded the condemnation of Honorius, to merely condemn his lack of vigor in fighting the heresy, and then approved the council.  Indeed, the case of Pope Honorius is a good reminder of how popes may not officially promulgate heresy, but they can be negligent in teaching the truth with clarity.  If a pope fails to uphold and teach the truth of the Faith, and this clearly, he has much to answer for!

Remember, of course, that this is happening in the context of the lightening strikes of the Islamic Conquest, which began against the Byzantine Empire during the reign of the Emperor Heraclius and threatened Constantinople itself by the late 600s, having overwhelmed the Holy Land, Syria, Egypt, and much of North Africa.

Live well!