SAINT AVITUS, ARCHBISHOP OF VIENNE - 5 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

Saints celebrated on the 5th of February

WELCOME!

SAINT AVITUS, ARCHBISHOP OF VIENNE

St Alcimus Ecditius Avitus was of a senatorian Roman family, but born in Auvergne. His father Isychius was chosen archbishop of Vienne upon the death of St Mammertus, and was succeeded in that dignity by our saint, in 490. 

A TREASURE OF LEARNING AND PIETY

Ennodius, in his life of St Epiphanius of Pavia, says of him, that he was a treasure of learning and piety; and adds, that when the Burgundians had crossed the Alps, and carried home many captives out of Liguria, this holy prelate ransomed a great number. 

THEY HELD HIM IN GREAT VENERATION

Clovis, king of France, whilst yet a pagan, and Gondebald, king of Burgundy, though an Arian, held him in great veneration. This latter, for fear of giving offence to his subjects, durst not embrace the Catholic faith, yet gave sufficient proofs that he was convinced of the truth by our saint, who, in a public conference, reduced the Arian bishops to silence in his presence, at Lyons. 

THE KING WAS BROUGHT OVER TO THE FAITH

Gondebald died in 516. His son and successor, Sigismund was brought over by St Avitus to the Catholic faith. 

THE COUNCIL OF EPAONE

In 517, our saint presided in the famous council of Epaone, (now called Yenne,) upon the Rhone, in which forty canons of discipline were framed. 

ST AVITUS INSPIRED HIM TO BECOME A MONK

When king Sigismund had imbrued his hands in the blood of his son Sigeric, upon a false charge brought against him by a stepmother, St Avitus inspired him with so great a horror of his crime, that he rebuilt the abbey of Agaunum, or St Maurice, became a monk, and died a saint. 

HIS WRITINGS

Most of the works of St Avitus are lost; we have yet his poem on the praises of virginity, to his sister Fuscina, a nun, and some others; several epistles; two homilies on the Rogation days; and a third on the same,  published by Dom Martenne; fragments of eight other homilies: his conference against the Arians is given us in the Spicilege. 

HIS FEAST DAY

St Avitus died in 525, and is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on February 5; and in the collegiate church of our Lady at Vienne, where he was buried, on August 20. Ennodius, and other writers of that age, extol his learning, his extensive charity to the poor, and his other virtues. 

From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints