Mirocles | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Milan | |
 Altar and Urn of Saint Mirocles | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Appointed | before 313 AD |
| Term ended | c. 316 |
| Predecessor | Monas |
| Successor | Maternus |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 30 November c. 316 |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 3 December |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
Mirocles (orMerocles,Italian:Mirocle) wasBishop of Milan from before 313 to c. 316. He is honoured as aSaint in theCatholic Church and his feast day is on December 3.[1]
Almost nothing is known about the life of Mirocles. He was elected as bishop of Milan in some year before 313 and he reigned till about 316.[2] He perhaps was born to a family ofPavia, to which will born alsoEpiphanius.
Mirocles was the bishop ofMilan when in 313 the EmperorsConstantine I andLicinius issued theEdict of Milan which proclaimed thereligious toleration in theRoman Empire. After the Edict of Milan, Mirocles started the erection of thebasilica vetus, which was the first cathedral of the town and that was placed on the area nowadays occupied by the presentCathedral of Milan.
Sources record the presence of Mirocles to theLateran council held in October 313 in Rome, underPope Miltiades, which took a stand in theDonatism issue, condemningDonatus Magnus charged to re-baptizing clergy who had lapsed and which sided withCaecilianus bishop ofCarthage. Mirocles participated also in the following council of all the Western bishopsheld in Arles on 1 August 314, which confirmed the condemnation of Donatus and ruled aboutcanon law.[3]
Mirocles possibly founded also the church ofSan Vittore al Corpo in Milan (rebuilt many times during the next centuries) in honor of saintVictor Maurus, who wasmartyred during the reign of EmperorDiocletian in 303.[2]
Mirocles died on the 30 November of about 316, and his feast day was set on 3 December. His body was buried inMilan in the church ofSan Vittore al Corpo.[2]
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$=considered an intruder by theCatholic Church | |
