Eleutherius of Tournai
Encyclopedia
Saint Eleutherius of Tournai (died c. 532) is venerated as a saint and considered the first bishop of Tournai. The Catholic Encyclopedia
writes that "historically there is very little known about St. Eleutherius, but he was without doubt the first Bishop of Tournai."
Tradition makes him a lifelong friend of St. Medardus, and the two saints had been courtiers before becoming bishops.
Eleutherius was probably named bishop of Tournai after St. Remigius organized the church hierarchy of northern Gaul
at the end of the fifth century.
Some sermons on the Trinity
, Nativity
, and the feast of the Annunciation
(Bibliotheca Patrum, vol. XV) are falsely attributed to him.
although this legend is considered an invention of the canon priest Henri of Tournai, who wrote a vita
of Eleutherius in 1141. At the end of the 11th century the Church of Tournai had been trying to become independent from the diocese of Noyon, and Henri had been motivated by the need to prove the antiquity of the Church of Tournai. Catholic Online repeats the legend that a "group of Arians
enraged by his preaching beat him severely He died some weeks later [sic]."
Henri's account states that Eleutherius was a native of Tournai who was born during the reign of Childeric I
. Eleutherius' parents were Christians and were named Terenus and Blanda; Terenus was a descendant in the family of Irenaeus of Lyons. Persecutions of Christians forced the family to flee to a village named Blandinium (Blandain), but after the conversion of Clovis
to Christianity, the family built a church at Blandinium (Blandain). Eleutherius eventually became bishop of Tournai, and was consulted by Pope Hormisdas
on the matter of eradicating Arianism
. Eleutherius convened a church council, and argued effectively against the Arians, who were angered by this. One day, as he was going to church, he was beaten up by a group of Arians and left for dead. He subsequently died from the wounds he received, on his death-bed confiding his flock to Medardus.
Eleutherius' relics in 1064 or 1065. Eleutherius’ relics were translated again in 1247, when the great reliquary shrine
was commissioned by Bishop Walter de Marvis. In its gable end St Eleutherius appears, holding his crozier in one hand and in the other a model of the cathedral with its five spires.
The monastery of St. Martin at Tournai and the cathedral of Bruges also claimed some of the saint's relics.
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
writes that "historically there is very little known about St. Eleutherius, but he was without doubt the first Bishop of Tournai."
Tradition makes him a lifelong friend of St. Medardus, and the two saints had been courtiers before becoming bishops.
Eleutherius was probably named bishop of Tournai after St. Remigius organized the church hierarchy of northern Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
at the end of the fifth century.
Some sermons on the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, Nativity
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
, and the feast of the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
(Bibliotheca Patrum, vol. XV) are falsely attributed to him.
Martyrdom
Eleutherius is venerated as a martyrMartyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
although this legend is considered an invention of the canon priest Henri of Tournai, who wrote a vita
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
of Eleutherius in 1141. At the end of the 11th century the Church of Tournai had been trying to become independent from the diocese of Noyon, and Henri had been motivated by the need to prove the antiquity of the Church of Tournai. Catholic Online repeats the legend that a "group of Arians
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
enraged by his preaching beat him severely He died some weeks later [sic]."
Childeric I
Childeric I was a Merovingian king of the Salian Franks and the father of Clovis.He succeeded his father Merovech as king, traditionally in 457 or 458...
. Eleutherius' parents were Christians and were named Terenus and Blanda; Terenus was a descendant in the family of Irenaeus of Lyons. Persecutions of Christians forced the family to flee to a village named Blandinium (Blandain), but after the conversion of Clovis
Clovis I
Clovis Leuthwig was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the leadership from a group of royal chieftains, to rule by kings, ensuring that the kingship was held by his heirs. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul . He was the son...
to Christianity, the family built a church at Blandinium (Blandain). Eleutherius eventually became bishop of Tournai, and was consulted by Pope Hormisdas
Pope Hormisdas
Pope Saint Hormisdas was Pope from July 20, 514 to 523. His papacy was dominated by the Acacian schism, started in 484 by Acacius of Constantinople's efforts to placate the Monophysites...
on the matter of eradicating Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
. Eleutherius convened a church council, and argued effectively against the Arians, who were angered by this. One day, as he was going to church, he was beaten up by a group of Arians and left for dead. He subsequently died from the wounds he received, on his death-bed confiding his flock to Medardus.
Veneration
There exists a testimony recording the recovery of his relics during the episcopate of Bishop Hedilo of Tournai, in 897 or 898. Bishop Baudoin translatedTranslation (relics)
In Christianity, the translation of relics is the removal of holy objects from one locality to another ; usually only the movement of the remains of the saint's body would be treated so formally, with secondary relics such as items of clothing treated with less ceremony...
Eleutherius' relics in 1064 or 1065. Eleutherius’ relics were translated again in 1247, when the great reliquary shrine
Reliquary Shrine of Saint Eleutherius
The great gilt-copper and enamel Reliquary Shrine of Saint Eleutherius in the cathedral of Tournai , one of the masterpieces of Gothic metalwork, was commissioned by Bishop Walter de Marvis of Tournai, and completed in 1247, on the occasion of the retranslation of relics of Saint Eleutherius of...
was commissioned by Bishop Walter de Marvis. In its gable end St Eleutherius appears, holding his crozier in one hand and in the other a model of the cathedral with its five spires.
The monastery of St. Martin at Tournai and the cathedral of Bruges also claimed some of the saint's relics.
External links
- St. Eleutherius at the Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...