Patarene Persecution of Ambrosian Rite

The late 11^th Century Milanese historian, Arnulf, speaks of the terrors and blasphemies unleased by the Patarenes in Milan. The Patarenes were led by a man named Erlembald, who is recognized as a “saint” in the Vatican today. After having taken control of the city, and seeking to enforce the Hildebrandian Reforms, Erlembald, who despised the Ambrosian Rite and married clergy, began to embark on additional blasphemies in service to Hildebrand in Rome:

“In Milan, Erlembald was favoring him with all his might, laboring day and night with gifts given as well as promised. In the meantime, he persecuted every assembly of [Archbishop] Godfried with fire and the sword, leaving nothing untried insofar as he was able, especially since he would in no way give way to royal power or to the will of his peers and many others, content and confident in his fidelity to Rome alone. For this reason, he also burst forth in order to blaspheme the bishops of the Ambrosian Consecration, asserting that they had been excommunicated by the Pope, and reproved each of their Offices. Whence it happened that on the Holy Saturday of Pentecost [i.e. Vigil of Pentecost] he forbade Baptism to occur within the city.

“Later, the Sacred Chrism, which one of these Bishops sent to the Metropolitan Church for the Mystery of the Lord’s Supper (as was customary when the Bishop was away), was poured out onto the ground and in front of all the people Erlembald trampled it in his shoes, producing his own in the midst of the crowd, though from what his Chrism was made or whence it came was not known. And so since the prerogative of that authentic Saturday passed down by the Fathers had been postponed, Erlembald had his own baptism celebrated on the sixth day at dawn, although Scripture forbids the boundaries which the Fathers have set to be transgressed. As a result, it happened that the Easter joy did not know its bath and many catechumens lacked the grace of baptism for a long time after. A great number of the people were involved in this error, in part because of their simple eyes, in part because they were seduced by money, and partially because of the impunity with which the wicked deed had been achieved. For from the very beginning whoever was wicked attached himself to Erlembald’s company, whoever dear and innocent stayed away from him. Therefore, the number and strength of the Paterini in the country districts, towns, and in certain cities of the Duke himself increased to such an extent that they seemed to be the lords of all their fellow citizens.”

[Book IV, Chapter 6, Arnulf of Milan’s “Book of Recent Deeds”]

After rampaging through the country side, killing and maiming, even having the Patarenes kill the Archbishop of Milan who opposed them, Erlembald, like his fellow Patarene, Ariald, was killed in fighting. Thus, the Vatican later recognize them as “martyrs” and “saints”, in the same spirit as they recognized Josaphat Kuntsevych, i.e., as a murderer masquerading as a “martyr”.