Pauli'nusLatin fathers.
1. Of MILAN (Mediolanensis), was the
secretary of St. Ambrose, after whose death he became a deacon, and repaired to Africa, where,
at the request of Saint Augustine, he composed a biography of his former patron. While
residing at Carthage he encountered Coelestius, detected the dangerous tendency of the
doctrines disseminated by that active disciple of Pelagius, and, having preferred an
impeachment of heresy, procured his condemnation by the council which assembled in A. D. 212 under Aurelius. The accusation was divided into seven heads, of
which six will be found in that portion of the Acts of the Synod, preserved by Marius
Mercator. At a subsequent period (217-218) we find Paulinus appearing before Zosimus for the
purpose of resisting the appeal against this decision, and refusing obedience to the adverse
decree of the pope. Nothing further is known with regard to his history, except that we learn
from Isidorus that he was eventually ordained a presbyter.
Works
We possess the following works of this author:
1.
Vita AmbrosiiThis, although commenced soon after A. D. 400, could not, from
the historical allusions which it contains, have been finished until 412.
Editions
This piece will be found in almost all the editions of St. Ambrose. In many it is
ascribed to Paulinus Nolanus, and in others to Paulinus Episcopus.
2.
Libellus adversus Coelestium Zosimo Papae
oblatusDrawn up and presented towards the close of A. D. 417.
Editions
It was printed from a Vatican MS. by Baronius, in his Annales, under A. D. 218, afterwards by Labbe, in his Collection of
Councils, fol. Par. 1671, vol. ii. p. 1578, in the Benedictine edition of St. Augustine,
vol. x. app. pt. 2, and by Constant, in his Epistolae
Pontificum Romanorum, fol. Par. 1721, vol. i. p. 963.
3.
De Benedictionibus PatriarcharumThis is mentioned by Isidorus (
De Viris
Illustr. 100.41), but was not known to exist in an entire form until it was
discovered by Mingarelli in a very ancient MS. belonging to the library out St. Salvator at
Bologna.
Editions
Mingarelli inserted this work in the Anecdota published at Boolgna,
4to. 1751., vol. ii. pt. 1, p. 199.A corrupt fragment of this tract will be found in the fifth volume of the Benedictine
edition of St. Jerome, where it is ascribed to Rutinus.
Editions
The three productions enumerated above are placed together in the
Bibliototheca
Patrum of Galland fol. Venet. 1773, vol. ix. p. 23.
Further Information
Cassianus, de Incarn. 100.7; Isidorus, de Viris
Illustr. 4; Galland. Bibl. Patr. vol. ix. Proleg. c. ii.;
Schönemann, Bibl.
Plariot Lut. vol. 2.21.