St Bassian, Bishop of Lodi (+409)
Saint Bassian, Bishop of Lodi (+409), was the son of the governor of the region of Syracuse (Sicily). His father was preparing him to succeed him, and so he sent him to Rome for his education. Bassian had heard much about the Christians in his youth, and the desire to learn their teaching and way of life gave him no rest. Here, in Rome, his curiosity was satisfied: the presbyter Gordian explained to him the essence of the Christian teaching. As the Mystery of baptism was being performed, he saw an angel standing by the font, holding in his hands a garment to clothe the newly baptised. Bassian boldly asked the heavenly warrior who he was. The angel answered that the Lord had sent him long ago to help him.
Saint Bassian made his way of life stricter: he ate little and spent his nights in prayer. At first his servants were surprised at their master’s conduct, but then they understood that he had set out on the way of Christ, and told his father of it. His father ordered his son to be brought back to him. At that time Bassian was praying in the church of John the Theologian. The apostle told the saint in a revelation to leave Rome. Bassian gave away his property to the poor, went with a faithful Christian slave to Ravenna, and settled with his kinsman, Bishop Ursus.
Ursus gave Bassian a secluded place to live in solitude, outside the city, by the church of the Hieromartyr Apollinaris. The saint grew in spirit with astonishing speed. By his miracles he became famous far and wide. At that time a judge of Ravenna was slandered and sentenced to death. The unjustly condemned official besought Bassian for help in his prayers. And a miracle took place. The executioner involuntarily let go of the sword raised to kill him, and the sword flew aside. This happened three times. The same thing happened to a second executioner. When the emperor was told of what had happened, he ordered the prisoner to be released. The condemned man, miraculously saved, declared that he had been rescued by the prayers of Saint Bassian.
The inhabitants of the city of Lodi asked Ursus to ordain Bassian presbyter. And after the death of their bishop it was revealed to Clement, the priest of the cathedral church, that the saint should be made hierarch. The consecration was performed by Ambrose of Milan and Bishop Ursus.
The holy hierarch instructed his flock both by word and by deed: his life shone with piety. In Lodi Bassian built a splendid church of the Holy Apostles. The saint was a friend of Ambrose of Milan (+397, commemorated 7 December) and corresponded with him often. He was also present at the death of this blessed father and committed him to the earth with his own hands.
The holy hierarch Bassian reposed in peace in 409.
