ST VIRGILIUS, BISHOP OF ARLES

ST VIRGILIUS, BISHOP OF ARLES - 10 OCTOBER

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER
Saints celebrated on the 10th of October

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SAINT VIRGILIUS, BISHOP OF ARLES

Saint Virgilius, commemorated on October 10 and 19, as well as March 5, was initially abbot of the

Saint Symphorian monastery in Autun. His investiture and residence at the monastery in Lérins are uncertain. As prelate, he succeeded

Saint Honoratus, unless Licerius was his immediate predecessor. It is not entirely clear when he ascended to the episcopal see of Arles. When Saint Gregory the Great became pope in 590, Virgilius had already held his office for a few years. Even during his lifetime, Gregory called him a holy man, adorned with all virtues, and placed the bishops in the realm of King Childebert II under his see. The missionaries who traveled to England were especially commended by the pope to his protection. Indeed, Saint Virgilius was such an extraordinary man that he himself was considered a miracle (portentum). He built and restored churches, improved the revenues and morals of the clergy, and cared for the people like a father. The double celebration in Arles and Lérins, incidentally, led the Bollandists* to question whether there might have been two bishops of the same name living in Arles, one of whom had served as abbot in Lérins and the other in Autun. His year of death has not yet been precisely determined.

Butler* (III. 379) places it in 610, while earlier scholars reckon that he went to his eternal reward c. 595. It is certain that he was still alive around 601, while in 610 his successor, Florian, was already leading the episcopal church of Arras. His feast day was celebrated on March 5 in Fréjus and Lérins, and currently on October 10 in Arles, Aïr, and Embrun. (Mart. I. 399-404.)

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 5, Augsburg, 1882, p.736)

*A hagiography source used by the authors

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Virgilius may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

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BL. LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

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BL. RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR Richard Newport, alias Smith , was born in Northamptonshire and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Rheims (if he be the Richard Smith whom I find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to acquire the character of a laborious missionary; being withal remarkably successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute. He was several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgrimage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apostles, in behalf of thi...

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