John the Deacon of Naples
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—) 424–435; also L. A. Muratori, Rerum italicarum scriptores, 500–1500, 25 v. in 28 (Milan 1723–51) 1.2:291–318]. He is best known for his hagiographical works dealing with St. Severinus [Acta Sanctorum January 1:497–499], St. Januarius (Acta Sanctorum September 6:874–878), St. Sosius (Acta Sanctorum September 6:879–884), the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, a Latin translation (Acta Sanctorum March 2:22–25), and St. Procopius (Rerum italicarum scriptores, 500–1500, 1.2:269–273).
Bibliography: d. mallardo, "Giovanni diacono napoletano," Rivista di storia della Chiesa iri Italia, 2 (1948) 317–337; 4 (1950) 325–358.
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