SEVEN
742
SEVERINUS
Antiochen und die Nikolaiten" in the "Neue kirchl.
Zeitschrift" (1895), 923 sqq.].
J. P. KiRSCH.
Seven Founders. See Servites, Order of.
Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost. See Holy
Ghost.
Seven Robbers (Septem Latrones), martyrs on the Island of Corcyra (Corfu) in the second century. Their names are Saturninus, Insischolus, Faustianus, Januarius, Marsahus, Euphrasius, and Mammius. The Greek mcnologies inform u.s that Sts. Jason and Sosipater, who had been instructed in the Christian religion by the Apostles or by Christ Himself, came to the Island of Corcyra to preach the Gospel of Christ. After making numerous conversions they were cast into a dungeon where the above-named seven rob- bers were imprisoned. They succeeded in converting the robbers who were then taken outside the citj^ and martyred by being cast into caldrons that were filled vriXh seething oil and pitch. Some Greek menologies mention them (m 27, others on 29, April. In the Ro- man martjTology they are commemorated on 29 April.
Ada SS., April, III, 620; Menology of Emperor Basilius II,
2" April. Michael Ott.
Seven Sleepers. See Ephesus, The Seven Sleep- ers OF.
Seven Virg^ins of Anc3n'a, Saint. See Theoda- Tus OF Ancvra, Saint.
Severian, Bishop of Gabala in Syria, flourished in the fourth and fifth centuries. Concerning his life before his episcopal consecration nothing has come down to us. He was regarded by his contemporaries as a good preacher, and was known as the author of Biblical commentaries and sermons: "Vir in divinis Scripturis eruditus ct in homiliis declamator admir- abilis fuit" (Gennadius, "De script, ecdes.", xxi, in P. L., LVIII, 1073). Posterity has preserved his name on account of the prominent but regrettable role which he played in the deposition and banish- ment of St. John Chrysostom. Incited by the great oratorical and financial success attained in Constan- tinople by his fellow-Syrian, Antiochus, Bishop of Ptolemais, Severian came to the capital about 400, pro\nded with a series of Greek sermons. Invited by Chrv'sostom to preach, he succeeded, in spite of his strong Syrian accent, in winning the approval of his hearers fScjzomen, "Hist eccl.", VIII, x). Owing to the strained relations between Chrysostom and the Empress Eudoxia, Severian had to declare for one of the parties, and, since he allowed himself to be swayed by personal interests, his choice was soon made. Nevertheless, the unsuspecting Chrysostom, when ecclesiastical affairs necessitated a journey into the Provnnce of Asia in 401, appointed his guest his reprfiscntative for liturgical functions. Severian took advantage of Chrysostom's ab.sence and was Krx)n engaged in opr^n conflict with Serapion, arch- deacon and axiministratx)r of the e<;clesiastical prop- erty and the episcopal palace, who remained true to Chr>'8ostom. The resulting scandal and general excit<;ment were so gn-at that on his return (401) Chrysfjstfjm request<!d Severian U) return again to his dioc(«f! (Socrates, "Hist, eccl.", VI, xi; the longer version, ibid, in P. G., LXVII, 731). Eudoxia now int^-rfered persfjnally, and at her n^qucst Chry.sostom allowed S<!verian to return to Ojnstantinople. In this plafre Chrysostom ch-livered in Severian's jjresence an fwldress U) the peonle (P. G., LII, 423 sqq.; Severian's answer, ibid., 42.5 sqq.; cf. Socrates, "Ilist. ecfl.", VI, xi; Sozomen, VIII, x).
The jK-ace thus efTectcfi was not lasting. Severian comrwriffd anew his intrigues, and at the Synod of the Oak was one of ChrysoHtom's most active oppo-
nents. He also signed the lampoon against Chrysos-
tom which Theophilus of Alexandria (q. v.) sent to
Pope Innocent (Palladius, "Dialogus", III, in P. G.,
XL VI I, 14). He even ventured to proclaim to the
people from the pulpit this success of his party im-
mediately after the first banishment of Chrysostom,
and to proclaim the removal of the archbishop a just
punishment for his pride. Rapid flight alone saved
him from violence at the hands of the enraged pop-
ulace (Sozomen, VIII, xviii). Shortly after Chrysos-
tom's return from his first exile, we find Severian with
Acacius of Bercea and Antiochus of Ptolemais at the
head of the party opposed to the archbishop. It
was this party which on the night of Easter Sunday,
404, incited the attack on the catechumens and clerics
of Chrysostom, and finally approached the emjieror
directly to procure the final banishment of their hated
opponent (Palladius, III, IX, loc. cit., 14, 31 sqq.).
On the death of Flavian (404), the friend of Chry.sos-
tom, this same triumvirate proceeded to Antioch,
and, in defiance of justice and right, consecrated in an
underhanded fashion Porphyrins (Chr}^sostom's op-
ponent) liishop of Antioch ("Palladius, XVI, loc. cit.,
54). Thus ends Severian's role in church history.
Of the later period of his hfe and activity, as little
is known as concerning the first period. According
to Gennadius (loc. cit.) he died during the reign of
Theodosius II (408-50).
Writings. — (1) Sermons. — Of these the following are extant: "Orationes sex in mundi creationem" (P. G., LVI, 429-500); "Oratio de serpente, quem Moyses in cruce suspendit" (ibid., 500-516); "In illud Abraham dictum: Pone manum tuam sub femur meum. Gen., xxiv, 2" (ibid., 553-64); "De ficu arefacta" (ibid., LIX, 585-90); "Contra Juda-os" (ibid., LXI, 793-802; cf. LXV, 29 sqq.); "De sigillis librorum" (ibid., LXIII, 531-44); "In Dei apparitionem" (ibid., LXV, 26); "De pace" (ibid., LII, 425-28), completed by A. Papadopulos, 'AvdXe/cTa lepo(To\viuTiKT}s ffraxvoXoyias, I (St. Petersburg, 1891), 1.5-26; "De nativitate Christi", edited under Chry- sostom's name bv Savile, VII, 307, but attributed by Theodoret (Eranistes, III, in P. G., LXIII, 308) to Severian; fifteen homihes in an Old Armenian tran- slation, edited by J. B. Aucher, "Severiani . . . homilia? nunc primum edita? ex antiqua versione armena in latinum sermonem translata>" (Venice, 1827), of which no. 7 is the homily "In .'\l)rahae dictum: Gen., xxiv, 2", no. 13 "De ficu arefacta", and no. 10 the homily of St. Basil on Baptism (P. G., XXXI, 423-44). The Codex Ambrosianus of Milan, c. 77 sup. (VII-VIII sa;c.) contains eighty-eight "sermones sancti Severiani"; the " Homilarium Lacensc" (Berlin Cod. lat. 341) has addresses of Peter Chrysologus under the name of "Severianus epis- copus". (2) The commentaries of Severian are all lost; he had composed such on Genesis, Exodus, DeukTonomy, Job, the Epi.stles to the Romans, the (Jalatians, I Corinthians, II Thessalonians, and the Colossians (cf. Cosmas Indicopleustes, "Topog- raphica christ.", I, vi, x, in P. G., LXXXVIII, 373, 417; Gennadius, "De script, eccles.", xxi).
LuDWio, Der hi. Jnh. Chrytioxlomu» in neinem VerhMlniss zum bl/zantin. Hof (Braunsberg, 188.3), 51 sqq.; Tii.lemont, MS- moires, XI (1700), 170-77, 587-89; Fabriciu«-Haki-eh, Biblio- theai grwea, X, 507-11.
Chrys. Baur. Severians. See Encratites. Severinus, Saint. See Austro-Hunqarian Mon-
AKfUV, 'I"hK.
Severinus, Pope. The date of his birtli is not known, lie w:is consecrated seemingly on 28 May. 640, and died 2 Aug., 640. Severinus, a Roman and the son of Abienus, w.as elected <as usual on the third day after the death of his j)r(!dec(^ssor, and envoys were at once sent to Constantinople to obtain the
