Vatican City, Mar 12, 2008 / 08:02 am
Pope Benedict greeted pilgrims in Paul VI Hall this morning as he held his weekly general audience. Continuing his catechesis on ancient Church figures, he spoke today about Boethius and Cassiodorus, two great Christian writers who lived in Italy during the years following the fall of the Roman Empire.
Boethius, best known for his work “On the Consolation of Philosophy”, was born in Rome in 480, and entered public life as a senator at the age of 25. However, he continued his philosophical and religious studies alongside his public responsibilities, anxious to preserve the heritage of Greek and Roman learning for future generations.
Unjustly imprisoned and later executed by King Theodoric for allegedly plotting to assassinate him, he wrote his greatest philosophical work in prison. In reflecting on the injustice of his situation in the light of biblical Wisdom literature and classical authors, he concluded that true happiness lies in continuing to hope in God, despite adversity.
The Holy Father said, that indeed, "Boethius is a symbol of a huge number of prisoners unjustly condemned throughout all times and across all latitudes. His life is in fact a place to enter into the contemplation of the mystery of the Crucifixion of Golgotha."