(ABOUT A.D. 409.)
[Roman and many other Martyrologies. Double feast with octave at
Lodi. Authorities, his life by an anonymous author, of uncertain
date, also the lections for this day in the Lodi Breviary. S.
Ambrose, in his 60th letter, speaks of S. Bassian.]
Bassian was the son of Sergius, praefect of Syracuse, a heathen. As a
child he is said to have scrawled the sign of the cross in the dust, and
was rebuked for so doing by his nurse. This set him wondering, and his
mind turned to the religion of the Crucified, so that when sent to Rome,
at the age of twelve, to be educated in the liberal arts, he sought out
those who reverenced that sign which his nurse had forbidden him to
scribble. A priest, named Gordian, instructed the lad in the Christian
faith, and finally baptized him. As soon as his father heard of his
conversion, he sent orders to have him brought home at once. Then
Bassian, fearing the result, should he be re-conducted to Syracuse, ran
away to Ravenna. On his way occurred one of those simple and touching
incidents which abound in the lives of the saints, and which in spite of
repetition, must be related. A stag with her two fawns bounded into the
road, the hunters were in pursuit, the stag was not willing to desert
her little ones, and they were too young to make good their escape.
Seeing the distress of the mother, Bassian called to her, and she came
to him with her fawns, and licked his feet, as he caressed her dappled
hide. Soon after the hunters came up, and one more impetuous than the
rest, attempted to take the stag. Then Bassian threw his arms round her
neck, and called on God to protect her. Instantly the man, whose anger
had flamed up at the resistance offered him, fell in an apoplectic fit;
and when he recovered, withdrew in fear, without injuring the stag.
In the reign of Valerian, Bassian was elected Bishop of Lodi, and ruled
the diocese with zeal and discretion. He built in his Cathedral city the
church of the Twelve Apostles, and S. Ambrose assisted in its
dedication. Bassian was with S. Ambrose when he died.