Anathalon

Anathalon
Bishop of Milan
Church	Catholic Church
In office	end 2nd – early 3rd century
Predecessor	Barnabas(legendary)
Successor	Caius
Sainthood
Feast day	24 / 25 September
Venerated in	Catholic Church

Anathalon(orAnatalius,Anatolius,Italian:Anatalone, Anatalo, Anatolio,Byzantine Greek:Ανατόλιος) was the first recordedBishop of Milanand lived at the end 2nd-century or early 3rd-century. He is honoured as aSaintin theCatholic Churchand his feast day is on September 25 inMilan.A late tradition made him the first bishop ofBresciawhere his feast day is celebrated on September 24.

Life

Almost nothing is known about the life and the episcopate of Anathalon, except that he had aGreekname, that he was bishop of Milan at the end 2nd-century or early 3rd-century, and that he died during a pastoral trip inBrescia,which was under his jurisdiction.

Middle age texts add biographic details which are to be considered legendary. The treatiseDe Episcopis MettensibusofPaul the Deacon(8th-century) narrates that Anathalon was a pupil ofSaint Peterwho sent him as bishop inMilan,while theHistoria Dataria(11th-century) explains that Anathalon was a disciple of the ApostleBarnabaswho came to preach in Italy and consecrated him as bishop of Milan.Another legend says that Anathalon built a church in Milan dedicated to theSaviorover an ancient pagan temple dedicated toMercury,in an area where now stand the church ofSan Giorgio al Palazzo.

Veneration

The older place of veneration for this saint was the basilicaad Concilia SanctoruminMilan,today no more extant, near the present church ofSan Babila.Only in 1268 his relics were discovered in Brescia andtranslatedinto the church of Saint Florian. In 1472 his relics were translated to the Old Cathedral of Brescia where are today.

External links

• Saints.SQPN: Anathalon of Milan
• Catholic Online: Anatahalon