Fortunatianus of Aquileia

Fortunatianus of Aquileia, bishop of Aquileia in the mid fourth century A.D, according to Jerome of (North) African origin (De vir. ill. 97), was the author of apparently the oldest surviving Western commentary on the Gospels hitherto known from a few excerpts (two identified by Wilmart from a Troyes manuscript and another by Bischoff from Angers) and a reference in Jerome's correspondence (thus predating Hilary on St. Matthew), but in 2012 identified by the editor Lukas Dorfbauer in a ninth-century manuscript from the library of Cologne Cathedral.

Fortunatianus may have eventually inclined to anti-Nicene doctrine but at l.984-6 the text clearly states the Trinity as being of one substance (is this his earlier position, his considered view or an interpolation?). He also admitted a large figurative element in the Gospel narratives. (An example: l.499 seq. Fortunatianus' treatment of the Magi "returning by another way.") An interesting detail is his identification of two of the four Evangelists based on Ezekiel and the Apocalypse at the opening of his text: Mark is the eagle and John the lion.

Fortunatianus was a signatory at the western Council of Serdica (343) which condemned Arius' teaching; he subsequently entertained Athanasius on his return journey from Treves to Alexandria, and was chosen by Pope Liberius to defend Athanasius at the Council of Milan (355) where however he yielded, doubtless with good grace, to pressure from Emperor Constantius II; in the aftermath of the council he urged Pope Liberius to conform.