Is Saint Victorinus of Poetovio the author of the homily “On the ten virgins”?

Abstract

The homily “On the ten virgins” for over 100 years has been a controversial work, since no strong argument has been presented by any scholar in favor of who is its author. The first group of researchers (for example, A. Wilmart, M. Špelič and M. Veronese) believes that its author is St. Victorinus of Poetovio, the first latin interpreter of Holy Scripture. The second group of researchers (for example, M. Dulaey, R. Gryson and N. A. Khandoga) ascribes it to Pseudo-Victorinus of Poetovio, an unknown Latin exegete of the Gospel of Matthew. Proceeding from this, the article makes an attempt at a theological and philological analysis of several quotes from the homily “On the ten virgins” and the original works of St. Victorinus of Poetovio — the treatise “On the creation of the world” and the interpretation of “On Revelation” and the fragment “On the life of Christ” — in order to identify the author of the homily. An important point in answering the question posed in the title of the article is Christology and eschatology as there is not one original writing by Victorinus of Poetovio, in which they would not be given appropriate attention. However, in the homily “On the ten virgins” these theological themes are not adequately addressed.