BENEDICT XVI: NEWS, PAPAL TEXTS, PHOTOS AND COMMENTARY

Thursday, August 2, 178th Week in Ordinary Time

ST. EUSEBIUS OF VERCELLI (Italy, 283-371), Bishop and Confessor
Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis on October 17, 2007 to this early Father of the Church
www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20071017...
Born in Sardinia, he grew up in Rome where he became a priest at the height of the Arian heresy and was named the first bishop
of northern Italy, with his seat in Vercelli, in 345. He firmly allied himself to the fourth-century Fathers, including St. Athanasius
and St. Hilary of Poitiers, in defending the divinity of Christ against the Arian heresy. Inspired by Athanasius's Life of St. Anthony
Abbot, the father of eastern monasticism, Eusebius organized his priests into a community within the city where they lived like
monks, setting a standard for apostolic holiness that inspired other bishops who were subsequently named in northern Italy, many
of whom also became saints. For defending Arianism, Eusebius, like Athanasius and many other bishops, was exiled by the philo-
Arian emperor Constantius II. Eusebius lived in Palestine from 355-360, where he wrote about his life, then went on to Asia
Minor and Egypt until 362, when a new emperor, though he wished to restore paganism, allowed all exiled bishops to return.
In Alexandria, he took part in Anastasius's Council which confirmed the divinity of the Holy Spirit and the orthodox doctrine on
the Incarnation. He was bishop for ten more years until his death.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080212.cfm


FROM THE VATICAN TODAY

A communique from the Press Office announces what Cardinal Bertone said earlier about the Pope's new book:

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In recent days, the Holy Father has finished his draft of the third volume of JESUS OF NAZARETH, dedicated to the narrations about the childhood of Jesus (Die Kindheitsgeschichten), which completes the trilogy.

It will now be translated directly from the original German to various languages. It is expected that the book will be simultaneously released in the major languages. Therefore, enough time will be needed for a careful translation of an important and much-awaited text.

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