St. John Camillus the Good

  Posted on January 3, 2024  by admin  No comments

Died: c.660 of natural causes

Also known as John Camillus, John the Good, John Bonus

Archbishop of Milan, Italy, the first to live in the city for 80 years, his predecessors being in exile due to Arian Lombard invasion. Fought Arianism and Monothelitism.

The reign of John the Good is remembered for the return of the bishop to the town of Milan after an exile of more than 70 years. Actually in 569, the Lombards invaded Northern Italy and conquered its center, Milan, which was recovering from the terrible Gothic War. The bishop of Milan, Honoratus escaped to Genoa and Honoratus’ successors remained in Genoa. Genoa was then a suffragan diocese of Milan but still under the control of the Byzantine Empire.

John the Good was born in the diocese of Genoa in the village of Recco (also the nearby town of Camogli claims the birth of John). It is not exactly known when he became bishop of Milan, but it is believed that his election was in consequence of the 641 conquest of Genoa by the Lombard’s King Rothari. John as bishop returned to reside in Milan. In 649, John was invited to participate to the Lateran Council, but he arrived in Rome when the council had already ended. He however subscribed all the documents issued by the council. Two are the main sources for John’s life: the Catalogue of the Bishops of Milan (dated on about the 10th century) and a poetry in his honor (in Italian: Carme) which can be dated from the 11th to the 13th century. According to this carme, John was distinguished for his generosity and charity, from which he was given the sobriquet the Good (Latin: Bonus). Also according to the carme, he accomplished miracles, he moved some of the relics of Saint Syrus of Genoa to Desio which he erected as ecclesiastical/administrative territory (Pievan Church)