Sarmatio was a 4th-century monk in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
and a disciple of
Jovinian
Jovinian ( la, Iovinianus; died c. 405) was an opponent of Christian asceticism in the 4th century and was condemned as a heretic at synods convened in Rome under Pope Siricius and in Milan by Ambrose in 393, because of his anti-ascetic views. O ...
, who disputed the merits of the monastic and unmarried life.
Sarmatio first met Jovinian when he travelled to Milan, where Jovinian found two monks of a similar mind, Sarmatio and
Barbatianus Barbatinus was a 4th-century early Church theologian and a Jovinianist. Barbatianus disputed the merit of the unmarried life and opposed ascetism. Barbatianus along with Sarmatio met Jovinian when he travelled to Milan and found themselves to hav ...
. After Jovinian was expelled from Milan, Sarmatio kept doing work in
Vercellae
Vercelli (; pms, Vërsèj ), is a city and ''comune'' of 46,552 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, a ...
where he gathered a considerable following and public support; in response,
Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, started defending
ascetism.
The views Sarmatio was preaching were condemned in the
Synod of Milan The Synod of Milan or Council of Milan may refer to any of several synods which occurred in late Roman Mediolanum or medieval Milan in northern Italy's Po valley:
Synod of 345
In 353 or 354, Pope Liberius wrote thus: ''"Eight years ago the Euseb ...
.
Ambrose called Sarmatio and Barbatinus "foolish talkers, who say there is no merit in abstinence".
See also
*''
Against Jovinianus''
*
Perpetual virginity of Mary
The perpetual virginity of Mary is a Christian doctrine that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ. In Western Christianity, the Catholic Church adheres to the doctrine, as do some Lutherans, Anglic ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarmatio
4th-century Christian theologians
4th-century Romans