Philastrius was a 4th-century bishop of Brescia who lived during the Roman era. Born around 330, he renounced his family inheritance to pursue a religious life, a choice compared by hagiographers to the journey of Abraham. He traveled widely across the Roman Empire, preaching against various heretical groups, most notably the Arians. During his time in Milan, he supported the Catholic faction and reportedly met Augustine of Hippo around 383. His career concluded with his appointment as the bishop of Brescia, where he eventually died.
Life and works
As a traveling preacher, Philastrius engaged in public and private debates in Rome to convert individuals from heresy. He is historically significant for composing the Diversarum Hereseon Liber, a catalogue of heresies written around 384. This work is valuable to historians because it utilized sources, such as the lost Syntagma of Hippolytus, helping to reconstruct lost ancient texts through his descriptions.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes him as a saint, and his feast day is celebrated on 18 July. He was interred in the ancient Cathedral of St Andrew in Brescia. While some historical scholars have debated the authenticity of a sermon attributed to Gaudentius regarding his death, others have defended the document's legitimacy through linguistic analysis.