Dr Augustin Sokolovski
Saint Bassianus of Lodi (319–409) was a friend and close companion of Saint Ambrose of Milan (337–397). This already explains why he stands out in the history of the early Church. The Church commemorates him on June 23.
From 373, Bassianus served as bishop of the Italian city of Lodi, about 39 kilometers from Milan—the same distance that separates Milan from Pavia, where the relics of another great saint of that time, Augustine (354–430), rest. Augustine came to faith through the preaching of Saint Ambrose and essentially saw himself as his disciple. Like Augustine, Bassianus came to faith through a deep and grace-filled conversion.
He was born in Syracuse. His parents sent him to Rome to study, where he became a Christian. His spiritual teacher there was a priest named Jordan—a name that symbolically points to the waters of baptism. His father, still a pagan, tried to bring him back to Sicily by force, hoping to make him abandon his new faith. Instead, Bassianus fled to Ravenna, where he appears to have had relatives among the local Christian community. This chain of events eventually led him to Lodi, where he would later become bishop.
He belonged to the “golden age” of the Church Fathers. His life was closely connected with Saint Ambrose of Milan: Ambrose ordained him as bishop, and Bassianus later took part in the funeral of Ambrose after his relatively sudden death in 397. We do not know Ambrose’s exact year of birth, but it is clear that he lived only about sixty years. In contrast, Bassianus enjoyed an exceptionally long life, reaching the age of about ninety.
Bassianus passed away on 19 January 409, or, according to some sources, in 413. In the Orthodox tradition, his feast was later transferred to the summer. We do not know the exact reason for this change, though it is possible that it was intended to avoid a conflict with the beginning of Great Lent. As a result, his commemoration now falls just after another great saint of that era, Cyril of Alexandria, and only a few days before Saint Augustine in the Orthodox calendar. Grace is communion, and the Apostles’ Creed proclaims faith in the Communion of Saints.
When visiting Lodi, one can still sense the living memory of the saint. His relics are kept in a beautiful reliquary in the main church of the city. His images also decorate the exterior walls of the church.
A Greek proverb says: “A poor saint is given no doxology.” Outside Lodi, Bassianus remains little known. Yet when visiting Milan, one should not forget to pay a visit to Saint Bassianus and to the little city that still keeps his memory alive. The truth is that saints do not need doxologies. Their true praise is a human heart that rejoices because of them.