John the Deacon of Naples

views updated

JOHN THE DEACON OF NAPLES

Hagiographer; b. Naples, c. 880; place and date of death unknown. A student of the priest auxilius, he had become deacon of Southern Gennaro in Naples by 906; in that year he took part in the translation of the relics of St. Sosius from Miseno to Naples. While still young he compiled a lively chronicle of the bishops of Naples from 762 to 872 [Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Langobardicarum (Berlin 1826) 424435; also L. A. Muratori, Rerum italicarum scriptores, 5001500, 25 v. in 28 (Milan 172351) 1.2:291318]. He is best known for his hagiographical works dealing with St. Severinus [Acta Sanctorum January 1:497499], St. Januarius (Acta Sanctorum September 6:874878), St. Sosius (Acta Sanctorum September 6:879884), the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, a Latin translation (Acta Sanctorum March 2:2225), and St. Procopius (Rerum italicarum scriptores, 5001500, 1.2:269273).

Bibliography: d. mallardo, "Giovanni diacono napoletano," Rivista di storia della Chiesa iri Italia, 2 (1948) 317337; 4 (1950) 325358.

[g. t. dennis]