Fortunatianus of Aquileia

Fortunatianus of Aquileia was the bishop of Aquileia in the mid-fourth century A.D. According to Jerome of (North) African origin (De vir. ill. 97), Fortunatianus 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); in 2012, his commentary was identified by the editor Lukas Dorfbauer in a ninth-century manuscript from the library of Cologne Cathedral.

Fortunatianus was assumed to have inclined to anti-Nicene doctrine. But a text from 984 to 986 clearly states that Trinity was one substance he inclined. 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.