Listed 18 sub titles with search on: Religious figures biography for wider area of: "SICILY Island ITALY" .
TAVROMENION (Ancient city) SICILY
Cerameus, Theophanes (Theophanes Kerameus), archbishop of Tauromenium in Sicily during the reign of Roger (A. D. 1129--1152), was a native of this town or of a place in its immediate vicinity. He wrote in Greek a great number of homilies, which are said to be superior to the majority of similar productions of his age. Sixty-two of these homilies were published by Franciscus Scorsus at Paris, 1644, with a Latin version and notes. There are still many more extant in manuscript.
AKRAGAS (Ancient city) SICILY
Gregorius Agrigentinus, or of Agrigentum, one of the most eminent ecclesiastics
of the sixth century, was born near Agrigentum about A. D. 524. His father, Chariton,
and his mother, Theodote, were pious people, by whom, from his twelfth year, he
was destined to the priesthood, his precocity of mind having attracted great attention.
After going through his course of education, he visited Carthage, and from thence
proceeded to Jerusalem, where he was ordained deacon, according to Symeon Metaphrastes,
by the patriarch Macarius II.; but this is an anachronism, as Macarius occupied
that see from A. D. 563 to 574. He stayed at Jerusalem at least four years, studying
grammar, philosophy, astronomy, and eloquence. From Jerusalem he proceeded to
Antioch, and from thence to Constantinople, exciting very general admiration.
According to Nicephorus Callisti, he was esteemed to be superior in holiness and
eloquence and learning to nearly all the ecclesiastics of his day. From Constantinople
he proceeded to Rome, and was by the pope advanced to the vacant see of Agrigentum,
the nomination to which had been referred to the pope in consequence of disputes
about the succession. This appointment was, however, the source of much trouble
to Gregory; for two of the ecclesiastics, who had been competitors for the see,
suborned a prostitute to charge him with fornication. This accusation led the
bishop to undertake a journey to Constantinople, where he was favourably received
by the emperor Justinian I., and obtained an acquittal from the charge against
him; after which he returned to Agrigentum, where he died 23d of Nov., about A.
D. 564. His life was written in Greek by Leontius, presbyter and abbot of St.
Saba, and by Symeon Metaphrastes. A Latin version of the latter is given by Surius:
it ascribes many miracles to him. The life by Leontius is given, we are not informed
whether in the Greek or in a Latin version, in the Sancti Siculi of Caetanus,
vol. i. p. 188, &c. The works of Gregory of Agrigentum comprehend, 1. Orationes
de Fidei dogmatibus ad Antiochenos. 2. Orationes tum ad docendum tum ad laudandum
editae Constantinopoli. 3. Conciones ad Populum de Dogmatibus : all extant in
the work of Leontius. 4. Commentarius in Ecclesiasten. The MS. of this was left
by Possinus at Rome with Jo. Fr. de Rubeis that it might be translated and published
; but it never appeared, and it is not known what became of it. (Niceph. Callisti,
H. E. xvii. 27; Mongitor. Biblioth. Sicula, vol. i.; Cave, Hist. Litt. vol. i.,
ed. Oxford, 1740-43; Surius, De Probatis Sanctor. Vitis. Nov.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
SYRACUSSES (Ancient city) SICILY
Gregorius, of Syracuse, sometimes called of Sicily. Gregory, surnamed Asbestas,
was made bishop of Syracuse about A. D. 845. He went to Constantinople, apparently
soon after his appointment to the see, for he appears to have been there in A.
D. 847, where Ignatius was chosen patriarch, whose election he strenuously opposed.
He was, in return, deposed by Ignatius in a council held A. D. 854, on the ground,
as Monitor affirms, of his profligacy; and his deposition was confirmed by the
Pope, Benedict III. When, on the deposition of Ignatius, Photius was placed on
the patriarchal throne, A. D. 858, he was consecrated by Gregory, whose episcopal
character, notwithstanding his deposition, was thus recognised. Gregory was anathematised,
together with Photius, at the council of Rome A. D. 863: and his connection with
the Greek patriarch is a reason for receiving with caution the assertions of Romish
writers as to his immoral character. Photius promoted him A. D. 878 to the bishopric
of Nicaea, in Bithynia. He died soon after.
He is perhaps the "Gregorius archiepiscopus Siciliae" mentioned
by Allatius in his tract De Methodiorum Scriptis (published in the Convivium decem
Virginum Sti Methodii Martyris, Rome, 1656), as the author of an "Oratio
longa in S. Methodium." The age of Gregory, who lived in and after the time
of Methodius, favors this supposition, but there is some difficulty from the term
"Archiepiscopus Siciliae." (Mongitor, Bibl. Sicula, vol. i.; Cave, Hist.
Litt. vol. ii.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
George, Syracusanus. Some of the hymns in the Menaea, or services for the saints' days in the Greek church, are ascribed to George, who was bishop of Syracuse about A. D. 663, and who is said to have studied Greek literature at Constantinople, and to have become an accomplished scholar. He wrote also Troparia, or hymns for the feasts of the Nativity and the Epiphany. (Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. x. p. 629.)
d. 847, feastday: June 14
SYRACUSSES (Ancient city) SICILY
Feastday: December 13
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