Feast of Sts. Gregory of Langres, Terticus of Langres, Gallus of Clermont, Gregory of Tours, Avitus I of Clermont, Magnericus of Trier, and Gaugericus (January 4)

Above:  The Flag of Vatican City

Image in the Public Domain

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SAINT GALLUS OF CLERMONT (CIRCA 489-CIRCA 553)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Clermont (527-551)

His feast transferred from November 1

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SAINT GREGORY OF LANGRES (DIED 539)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Langres (506-539)

His feast day = January 4

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SAINT TERTICUS OF LANGRES (DIED 572)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Langres (539-572)

His feast transferred from March 20

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SAINT GREGORY OF TOURS (540-594)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Tours (573-593)

His feast transferred from November 17

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SAINT MAGNERICUS OF TRIER (DIED 596)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Trier (566-596)

His feast transferred from July 25

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SAINT AVITUS I OF CLERMONT (DIED 600)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Clermont

His feast transferred from August 21

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SAINT GAUGERICUS (DIED CIRCA 625)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Cambrai then Arras (586-Circa 625)

His feast transferred from August 11, November 18, and September 24

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Each of the saints whose stories I have combined into this post has his own feast day on the Roman Catholic calendar.  This, however, is my calendar, so they share January 4 on the Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days.

St. Gregory of Langres (died 539) was a Bishop of Langres (from 506 to 539), a civic governor of the Autun region in Gaul (now France), father of St. Terticus, the next Bishop of Langres, and great-uncle of St. Gregory of Tours.  He insisted on public order and had a reputation as a kind minister.

Of St. Terticus of Langres (died 572) we know little.  The son of St. Gregory of Langres, he was Bishop of Langres from 539 to 572 and an uncle of St. Gregory of Tours.

St. Gregory of Tours (540-594), born George Florentius, took the name Gregory to honor his great-uncle, St. Gregory of Langres.   The great-nephew served as Bishop of Tours from 573 to 593.  He wrote lives of the saints and accounts of his time.  His works continue to provide invaluable information about certain saints and Merovingian France.  He also wrote a biography of another uncle, his teacher, St. Gallus of Clermont.  The great-nephew was also a friend of St. Magnericus of Trier.

St. Avitus I of Clermont (died 600) was another friend and mentor of St. Gregory of Tours.  Avitus, while a priest at Tours, led St. Gregory of Tours in Bible studies.  Avitus also ordained St. Greogry of Tours to the diaconate.

St. Gallus of Clermont (circa 489-circa 553) served as Bishop of Clermont from 527 to 551.  Born into a Roman senatorial family, he entered a monastery at Cournon against his family’s wishes.  He received their consent in time.  The saint’s piety and intelligence commended him to Quintianus, Bishop of Clermont, who ordained him priest.  St. Gallus was a prisoner of King Theodoric I of Austrasia (mostly in modern-day Germany and Belgium) for a few years.  Then he returned to Clermont, where he succeeded Quintianus as Bishop of Clermont and defended church rights against royal encroachments.  The saint also had a reputation for great kindness and holiness.

St. Magnericus of Trier (died July 25, 596) grew up in Trier.  A friend of St. Gregory of Tours, he became a priest by the hand of Nicetius, Bishop of Trier.  King Clotaire I, excommunicated by Nicetius, exiled the bishop.  Magnericus accompanied his bishop into exile and returned one year later.  The saint became Bishop of Trier in 566.  He granted sanctuary to King Theodore of Marseilles in 585.  Guntham of Burgundy had forced Theodore into exile.  The saint interceded with King Childebert II on Theodore’s behalf.  The saint also ordained St. Gaugericus.

St. Gaugericus (died circa 625) learned the entire Book of Psalms by heart. He became Bishop of Cambrai (in 586) then Arras.  The saint convinced many people to destroy their idols and destroyed many other idols himself.  He also ransomed many prisoners.

These saints constitute a chain of holiness.  Some of them knew and/or were related to each other, but each was linked directly or indirectly to the others.  These interlocking stories teach the importance of influencing others positively.  They also tell us that the legacy of lived holiness extends generations beyond one’s life.  So may we take comfort from this reality and strive to do the best we can, empowered by God, and take courage that what we  do for God is never in vain, regardless of what appearances might indicate.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

NOVEMBER 27, 2011 COMMON ERA

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B

THE FEAST OF SAINT JAMES INTERCISUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR

THE FEAST OF HENRY SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGIAN

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Heavenly Father, shepherd of your people,

we thank you for your servants

Saint Gregory of Langres,

Saint Terticus of Langres,

Saint Gregory of Tours,

St. Gallus of Clermont,

St. Avitus I of Clermont,

St. Magnericus of Trier,

and St. Gaugericus,

who were faithful in the care and nurture of your flock.

We pray that, following their examples and the teaching of their holy lives,

we may by your grace attain our full maturity in Christ,

through the same Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Ezekiel 34:11-16 or Acts 20:17-35

Psalm 84

1 Peter 5:1-4 or Ephesians 3:14-21

John 21:15-17 or Matthew 24:42-47

–Adapted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 60

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Revised on November 12, 2016

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