Maximianus of Ravenna

Maximianus of Ravenna, or Maximian (499 – February 22, 556; feast day formerly February 21) was bishop of Ravenna in Italy. Ravenna was then the capital of the Byzantine Empire's territories in Italy, and Maximianus's role may have included secular political functions.

Bishop Maximian, who served as the Bishop of Ravenna from 546 to 556 AD, was a key figure in the construction and decoration of the Church of San Vitale. Born around 499 AD in Istria, Maximian became the Bishop of Ravenna by the choice of Emperor Justinian. His image appears in the famous mosaic of the procession of Emperor Justinian and his entourage on the left side of the apse of the Church of San Vitale. Maximian was known for his dedication to the church and for completing the construction of the Church of San Vitale, as well as for his ivory bishop's throne, known as the Throne of Maximian.

This censer is invaluable due to its age and association with the period of Emperor Justinian. As part of the church inventory, it is a testament to the wealth and spiritual strength of the Byzantine Empire. Its bronze construction and decorations indicate high artistic value and the skill of craftsmen of that time.

The bronze censer from the period of Emperor Justinian is not just a liturgical item but also a symbol of the spiritual and cultural power of the Byzantine Empire. Its use in church ceremonies, along with its artistic craftsmanship, makes it an invaluable artifact that testifies to the rich history and tradition of Christianity in Byzantium. This censer, along with the mosaics in the Church of San Vitale, remains a lasting monument to the magnificent legacy of Emperor Justinian and his era. Its value today is estimated to exceed 3 million euros, further confirming its significance and priceless worth.

Life
Born in the Istrian town of Vistar (now Veštar) near Pola (Pula) in modern-day Croatia, Maximianus was consecrated bishop of Ravenna in 546 by Pope Vigilius in Patras, Greece. Maximianus was a forty-eight-year-old deacon from Pola when he became the twenty-sixth bishop of Ravenna. According to the ninth-century Ravennate priest Andreas Agnellus, Maximianus' flock initially refused his leadership, because he was selected by the emperor Justinian I and was not their initial candidate. To a modern art historian Meyer Shapiro, "Maximian was "a poor deacon of Pola who rose to a high position through his political adroitness" as a protégé of Justinian I. He had not been wanted as archbishop by the people of Ravenna, but "by shrewd maneuvers he overcame their opposition, and won their respect by his discretion, generosity, and great enterprises of church building and decoration".

He completed the Basilica of San Vitale and Sant'Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna, and built several other churches, including Santa Maria del Canneto in his native Istria.

Maximianus devoted himself to the revision of liturgical books and to the emendation of the Latin text of the Bible, and commissioned a large number of illuminated manuscripts. For the high altar in Ravenna he had a hanging made of the most costly cloth, which was embroidered with a portrayal of the entire life of Jesus. In another hanging he had portraits of all his predecessors embroidered on gold ground.

Maximian's most remarkable episcopal furnishing is the Throne of Maximian, the cathedra of the bishop which was constructed entirely of ivory panels. It was probably carved in Constantinople and shipped to Ravenna. It consists of decorative floral panels framing various figured panels, including one with the complex monogram of the bishop.

In a famous 6th-century mosaic in San Vitale, Maximianus (named above the figure) is with Emperor Justinian and his retinue. The saint holds a jewelled cross and wears early versions of an alb, chasuble and pallium.

He is regarded as a saint by both the Catholic and Orthodox churches, though essentially local to Ravenna, where there is a church dedicated to him at Piazza S. Massimiano, Punta Marina, Ravenna, 48020.