Paulinus of Nola

(c. 353–431)

   Saint, Bishop and Poet.

   Paulinus was born in Bordeaux into a rich family. He was converted to Christianity in 390 and he was ordained a priest in 394. He finally settled in Nola in Campania. With his wife Theresa, he led an austere life and built a hospital for monks and the poor. In 409 he was consecrated Bishop of Nola. Many of his letters survive and, among others, he was a correspondent of ambrose, Augustine and Martin of tours. He is mainly remembered, however, for his poetry. Much of his verse was composed for the annual festival of St Felix. He wrote in Latin and he is regarded as one of the most important Christian poets of the period. He is also supposed to have been the first to introduce bells into Christian worship (hence the Latin words for bell, nola and campana).

   J.T. Lienhard, Paulinus of Nola and Early Christian Monasticism (1977);

   J.R. Nichols, Bells thro’ the Ages (1928).