SARLAT
477
SARPI
boundary of Chanaan. Sennacherib captured it in
701 B.C. (Schrader, "Die Keilinschriften und das
Alte Testament", 1883, 200 and 288). We learn
from III Kings, xvii, 8-24, that it was subject to
Sidon in the time of Achab and that the Prophet
Elias, after having multipHed the meal and oil of a
poor woman, raised her son from the dead; the
charity of this widow was recalled by Our Saviour
(Luke, iv, 26). It was probably near this place that
Christ cured the daughter of the Chanaanite or Sjto-
phoenician woman whose faith He praised (Mark, vii,
24-30). Sarepta is mentioned also by Joscphus,
"Ant. jud.", VIII, xiii, 2; Pliny, "Hist, natur.",
V, 17; the "Itinerarium Burdigalense; the"Onomas-
ticon" of Eusebius and St. Jerome; by Theodosius
and Pseudo-Antoninus who, in the sixth century calls
it a small town, but very Christian (Geyer,"Intinera
hierosolymitana", Vienna, 1898, 18, 147, 150). It
contained at that time a church dedicated to St.
Elias. The "Notitia episcopatuum" of Antioch in
the sixth century, speaks of Sarepta as a suffragan see
of TjTe (Echos d'Oricnt, X, 145); none of its bishops
are known. Some Latin bishops, but merely titulars,
are mentioned after 1346 (Eubel, "Hicrarchia
catholica medii aevi", I, 457; II, 253; III, 310;
"Revue benedictine", XXI, 281, 345-53, 353-65;
XXIV, 72). In 1185, the Greek monk Phocas
(De locis Sanctis, 7), found the town almost in its
ancient condition; a century later, according to
Burchard, it was in ruins and contained only seven or
eight houses (Descriptio Terra; sancta;, II, 9). To-
day, Sarepta is known as Khirbet Sarfend between
Tyre and Sidon, on the seashore; the ruins show that
the town extended 1800 metres north and south, but
that it was not very wide.
Smith, Did. of Greek and Roman Geog., s. v.; Renan, Mission de Phenicie (Paris, 1864), 663-6G; Vigourocx in Did. de la Bible, 8. v.; Gu^rin, Description de la Palestine. GaliUe, II (Paris, 1880), 478-81.
S. Vailh£.
Sarlat. See P^rigueux, Diocese of.
Samelli, Januarius Maria, one of S. Alphonsus's earliest companions, fourth son of Baron Angelo Samelli of Ciorani, b. in Naples 12 Sept., 1702; d. 30 June, 1744. Prom his childhood he was remarkable for modesty, self-denial, piety, and great diligence in his studies. At the age of fourteen he desired to be- come a Jesuit, but his father objected and directed him to study law. He succeeded admirably in the legal profession, while daily Mass, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and attendance on the sick in the hospital of incurables filled up all his spare time. At twenty-six he abandoned the bar and became a cleric. His zeal showed itself at once in his labours for chil- dren, whom he catechized with wonderful success. Admirable instructions on this most important matter may be found in his works for ecclesiastics. He was ordained priest in 1732 and immediately became a member of the Propaganda of Naples, a congrega- tion of secular priests devoted to Apostolic work. A year later he went to Scala and became one of the earliest companions of S. Alphonsus in founding the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Both these holy men worked together and gave missions along the coast of Amalfi till 1735, when Ven. Sar- nelli's health gave way. He had to return to Naples, where he spent nine years in a poor apartment with one lay brother as companion. Scarcely had his health improved than he began a crusade against the immorality of his time which has rarel.y been sur- passed in boldness. In his WTitings he laid the respon- sibility at the doors of ministers of state, while by his exhortations he created a public opinion which helped him on to success; and God evidently protected him in the dangers to which his zeal exposed him. His triumph was complete. His labours amongst the lowly and abandoned were continual; yet he found time
to write many excellent works. He will always be
known for his insistence on meditation as morally
necessary for perseverance. He showed how simple
it is and within the reach of everyone. It was his
labours and success in this matter that occasioned,
after the servant of God's death, the Apostolic letter
of Benedict XIV and the Indulgences then granted to
meditation (16 Dec, 1746). A complete edition of
Venerable Sarnelli's works has been published at
Naples, Tipografia, Largo S. Martino, No. 4, as
follows: II Alondo Santificato, 2 vols.; L'Anima
Illuminata; II Mondo Reformato, 3 vols.; L'Eccle-
siastico Santificato; Le Glorie e Grandezze della
Divina Madre; Le Discrezione dcgli Spiriti; II Cris-
tiano Illuminato; Dirretto ed amma?strato; Opera
contra la Bestemmia; Ragioni Cattoliche, legali e
politiche, in difesa della citta rovinata dall'insolentito
meretricio; II Crist iano Santificato; Lettere Spiri-
tuali; Devozioni pratiche per onorare la SS. Trinita
e Maria e Devozioni per apparecchio ad una buona
morte.
He died in his forty-second year. His first biog- rapher, S. Alphonsus, writes: "As soon as he had breathed his last breath his countenance suddenly became beautiful — and his body exhaled a sweet odour — which remained in the room long after the interment." His body repo.ses in a side chapel in the Redemptorist church in Naples. He was declared \'enerable in 1874. A decree on his heroic virtues was published in 1906, and now only miracles are required for his Beatification.
Vita de Gennnro P. D. M. Samelli S. Alfonso, tr. in Com- panions of S. Alphonsus, Oratorian Series; Dumortier, Le Ven6- rahle Serviteur de Dieu, Le Pire Janvier- Marie Sarnelli (Paris, 1886) — Introductio causae. See Alphonsus Liguori, St.
J. Magnier.
Same. See Cava and Sarno, Diocese of.
Sarpi, Paolo, a Ser\-ite and anti-papal historian and statesman, b. at Venice, 14 August, 1552; d. there 14 or 15 January, 1623. At the age of 13 he joined the Servite Order, exchanging his baptismal name of Pietro for that of Paolo. He was ap- pointed professor of theology and canon law when he was only twenty. After four years he spent a short time at Milan and then taught philosophy in his monastery at Venice. Having been ordained in 1574, he was elected provincial of his order for the Venetian Republic in 1579, and held the office of procurator general, with residence in Rome, from 1.585 to 1588. Returning to Venice he devoted him- self chiefly to literary pursuits, and about this time his anti-ecclesiastical tendencies became manifest. His intimacy with Protestants and statesmen hostile to the Church caused on various occasions com- plaints to be lodged against him before the Venetian inquisitor. His hatred of Rome was further in- creased when on three different occasions the Roman Curia rejected his nomination for an episcopal see by the Republic of Venice. The three sees to which Venice had nominated him were Milopotamo in 1593, Caorle in 1600, and Nona in Dalniatia in 1601. The more he hated Rome, the more acceptable he was to Doge Leonardo Donato and the Wnetian senate, which by a special decree guaranteed him protection against Rome and appointed him theological con- suitor of the state with an annual salarj' of two hun- dred ducats. In this capacity he effected the enact- ment of various anti-ecclesiastical laws, and it was chiefly due to the influence of "the terrible friar" that the interdict which Paul V placed upon Venice (1606) remained without effect and was revoked (21 April, 1607). A murderous assault made upon him on 5 October, 1607, is often ascribed to his ecclesiastical enemies, but there is not sufficient tes- timony for their complicity (see the authentic tes- timony of the witnesses, edited by Bazzoni in "Arch- ivio Storico ItaUano", third series, XII, I, Florence,
