Severus of Naples

Saint Severus of Naples
Statues of Saint Severinus and Saint Severus (right), carried during a procession at San Severo.
Bishop
DiedApril 29, 409
Naples
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church,
Eastern Orthodox Church
FeastApril 29
PatronageSan Severo (Foggia)[1]

Saint Severus (Italian: San Severo di Napoli) (died 409) was a bishop of Naples during the 4th and 5th centuries. He is considered the eleventh legitimate Catholic bishop of Naples, and the twelfth overall, succeeding Maximus. His episcopate ran from February 363 to April 29, 409, the traditional date of his death.[1] Between the episcopates of Maximus and Severus, Zosimus, an Arian was established as Bishop, who was condemned as heretical by the Catholic Church.[1]

Severus was a friend of Saint Ambrose, whom he met at council at Capua in 392.[1]

To Severus is attributed the construction of the Battistero di San Giovanni in Fonte, associated with the basilica of Santa Restituta.[1]

Severus also built outside of the city walls the Basilica of San Fortunato, to which he translated the relics of his predecessor Maximus.[2]

To Severus is also attributed the first translation of the body of St. Januarius from Pozzuoli to Naples, which occurred in 367.[1] According to an early hagiography,[3] Januarius' relics were transferred by order of Severus to the Neapolitan catacombs extra moenia.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Public Domain Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Naples". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  2. ^ "San Severo di Napoli". Santi e Beati (in Italian). Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  3. ^ J. Carnandet, ed. (1867). Acta Sanctorum Sepotembris, Tomus Sextis (New ed.). Paris. pp. 761–892.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link),
  4. ^ Norman, Diana (1986). "The Succorpo in the Cathedral of Naples: 'Empress of All Chapels". Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte. 49 (3): 331. doi:10.2307/1482360. JSTOR 1482360.