JOHN
444
JOHN
Ostia. At the command of Julian the Apostate,
they were beheaded secretly by Terentianus in their
house on the Cselian, where their church was subse-
quently erected, and where they themselves were
buried. The rooms on the ground-floor of the above-
mentioned house of Pammachius were rediscovered
under the Basilica of SS. Giovanni e Paolo in Rome.
They are decorated with important and interesting
frescoes, while the original tomb (confessio) of Sts.
John and Paul is covered with paintings of which
the martyrs are the subject. The rooms and the
tomb form one of the most important early Christian
memorials in Rome. Since the erection of the ba-
silica, the two saints have been greatly venerated, and
their names have been inserted in the Canon of the
Mass. Their feast is kept on 26 June.
MoMBRlTlus, Sanctuarium, I, 317 sq.; Acta SS., V, June, 159-60 — cf. ibid., 37-9; Bibl. hagiogr. latina, ed. Bollandists, I, 484 sq. (s. V. Gallicanus)', Germano di S. Stanislao, La casa celimontana dei ss. martiri Giovanni e Paolo (Rome, 1894); Du- FOURCQ, GeskL mart. rom. (Paris, 1900), 145-52; Allard, Etudes d'histoire et d'archcologie (Paris, 1899), 159_sqq.; Franchi de' Cavalieri, Nuove note agiografiche in Studi e iesti, IX (Rome, 1902).
J. P. KiRSCH.
John Andrea. See Andbea, Giovanni d'.
John Baptist de la Salle, Saint, founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, educational reformer, and father of modern pedagogy, was born at Reims, 30 April, 1651, and died at Saint- Yon, Rouen, on Good Friday, 7 April, 1719. The family of de la Salle traces its origin to Johan Salla, who, in the early part of the ninth century, was Com- mander-in-chief of the Royal forces of Alfonso the Chaste. It was not, however, until about 1350 that the younger branch of this family, from which our saint is descended, removed to France and settled in Champagne. John Baptist was the eldest child of Louis de la Salle and Nicolle de Moet de Brouillet. His parents were very solicitous in the care they be- stowed upon their child, especially in regard to his moral and intellectual development. After due prepa- ration, he was sent to the College des Bons Enfants, where he pursued the higher studies, and, on 10 July, 1669, he took the degree of Master of Arts. Canon Pierre Dozet, chancellor of the University of Reims, was the presiding officer at the academic sessions, and in the discharge of his function had opportunity to study the character of his young cousin, de la Salle, with the result that he determined on resigning his canonry in his favour. Louis de la Salle, however, cherished the hope that John Baptist would select the profession of law, and thereby maintain the family tradition. But young de la Salle insisted that he was called to serve the Church, and accordingly he re- ceived the tonsure 11 March, 1662, and was solemnly installed as a canon of the metropolitan See of Reims, 7 Jan., 1667.
When de la Salle had completed his classical, liter- ary, and philosophical course and had read the School- men, he was sent to Paris to enter the Seminary of Saint-,Sulpice on 18 October, 1670. While residing here he attended the lectures in theology at the Sorbonne. There, under the direction of Louis Tron- son, he made such rapid progress in virtue, that M. Lechassier, superior general of the Congregation of Saint-Sulpice, renders this testimony of liim: "De la Salle was a constant observer of the rule. His conver- sation was always pleasing and above reproach. He seems never to have given offence to any one, nor to have incurred any one's censure." While at the seminary de la Salle distinguished himself by his piety as well as l)y the vigour of his intellectual progress and the ability with which he handled theological subjects. Nine months after his arrival in Paris, his mother died, 19 .July, 1671, and on 9 April, 1672, his father died. This circumstance obliged him to leave Saint- Sulpicc, 19 April, 1672. He was now twenty-one,
the head of the family, and as such had the re-
sponsibility of educating his brothers and sisters.
His whole attention was devoted to his domestic
affairs, and he provided for every circumstance by his
discreet, businesslike administration. Canon Blain
says that he underwent at this time many mental
struggles. Distrusting his own lights, de la Salle had
recourse to prayer and the guidance of discreet ad-
visers, among them, Nicolas Roland, canon and theo-
logian of Reims, a man of great spiritual discernment.
Acting upon the advice of the latter, the future
founder was ordained subdeacon at Cambrai, by
Archbishop Ladislas Jonnart, 2 June, 1672.
When not occupied with the duties of his canonry or with his theological studies, he was engaged in good works, under the guidance of his spiritual director. After four years, he was ordained deacon at Paris, 21 March, 1676, by Francois Batailler, Bishop of Bethle- hem. On this occasion de la Salle sought to obtain the permission of Maurice Le TcUier, Archbishop of Reims, to resign his canonry anrl prepare for parish work. Nicolas Roland urged him to take this step, alleging that a rich canonry was little in harmony with youthful zeal and activity. His archbishop, however, refused his request. With humble submis- sion, de la Salle accepted the decision and returned to Reims to pursue his studies and to make final prepara- tions for his ordination to the priesthood. He was ordained priest by the Archbishop of Reims, on Holy Saturday, 9 April, 1678. The young priest was a model of piety, and his biographers say that persons went to assist at his Mass to be edified, and to share his piety. After Mass there were many who sought his counsel and put themselves under his spiritual guidance . De la Salle never omitted Holy Mass, save when prevented by sickness. In June, 1680, he sub- mitted to his final examination and took his doctorate in theology. At this period of his life de la Salle evinced a docility of spirit, a self-diffidence, that be- spoke the character of the man and saint. In physi- cal appearance he was of commanding presence, somewhat aljove the medium height, and well-pro- portioned. He had large, penetrating blue eyes and a broad forehead. His portraits present a picture of sweetness and dignity, beaming with intelligence and breathing an air of modesty and refined grace. A smile plays about the finely chiselled lips and illu- mines a countenance to which the large lustrous eyes give an air of commanding intelligence.
During the few years that intervened between his ordination to the priesthood and the establishing of his institute, de la Salle was occupied in carrying out the last will and testament of Nicolas Roland, who, when dying, had confided to him the newly estab- lished Congregation of the Sisters of the Child Jesus. "Your zeal will bring it to prosperity", said Nicolas Roland to him. "You will complete the work which I have begun. In all this. Father Barr^ will be your model and guide." Thus was de la Salle impercepti- bly drawn towards his life-work. "The idea of it never occurred to me", de la Salle wrote in a memoir. " If I had ever thought that what I did out of pure charity for the poor school teachers would make it incumlient upon me to live with them, I would have given it up at once." This sentiment he again ex- pressed towards the close of his life in these emphatic words: "If God had revealed to me the good that could be accomplished by this institute, and had like- wise made known to me the trials and sufferings which would accompany it, my courage would have failed me, and I would never have undertaken it." .\t this (HTJod d<' la Salle was still occupied with his functions as canon. He was, however, aroused to the higher calling l)y a message from Madame Maillefer, in March, 1679, reqiiesting him to aid ,'\drien Nyel in opening a free school at Reims. But hardly ha<l he succeeded in establishing the school of St-Maurice
