Eucherius of Lyon
Encyclopedia
Saint Eucherius, bishop of Lyon, (ca. 380 – ca. 449) was a high-born and high-ranking ecclesiastic in the Christian Church of Gaul
. He is remembered for his letters advocating extreme self-abnegation. Henry Wace ranked him "except perhaps St. Irenaeus
the most distinguished occupant of that see".
On the death of his wife Gallia (born ca. 390), as was a common 5th century practice, he withdrew for a time to the monastery of Lérins
, founded by Saint Honoratus on the smaller of the two islands off Antibes
, with his sons, Veranius and Salonius, to live a severely simple life of study and devote himself to the education of his sons. Soon afterward he withdrew further, to the neighbouring island of Lerona (now Sainte-Marguerite), where he devoted his time to study and mortification of the flesh
. With the thought that he might join the anchorites in the deserts of the East, he consulted John Cassian, the famed hermit who had returned from the East to Marseille
; Cassian dedicated the second set of his Collationes (Numbers 11-17) to Eucherius and Honoratus. These Conferences describe the daily lives of the hermits of the Egyptian Thebaid
and discuss the important themes of grace, free will, and Scripture. It was at this time (ca 428) that Eucherius wrote his epistolary essay De laude Eremi ("In praise of hermits") addressed to Bishop Hilary of Arles
.
Though imitating the ascetic lifestyle
of the Egyptian hermits, Eucherius kept in touch with men renowned for learning and piety: Cassian, Hilary of Arles, Honoratus, later Bishop of Marseille, Claudianus Mamertus
, Agroecius
(who dedicated a book to him), Sidonius Apollinaris
and his kinsman Valerian
, to whom he wrote his Epistola paraenetica ad Valerianum cognatum, de contemptu mundi ("Epistle to his kinsman Valerian, On the contempt of the world") an expression of the despair for the present and future of the world in its last throes shared by many educated men of Late Antiquity
, with hope for a world to come: Erasmus thought so highly of its Latin style that he edited and published it at Basel (1520).
His Liber formularum spiritalis intelligentiae addressed to his son Veranius is a defence of the lawfulness of reading an allegorical
sense in Scripture, bringing to bear the metaphors in Psalms
and such phrases as "the hand of God" The term anagoge
(ἀναγωγὴ) is employed for the application of Scripture to the heavenly Jerusalem to come, and there are other examples of what would become classic Medieval hermeneutics.
The fame of Eucherius was soon so widespread in southeastern Gaul that he was chosen bishop of Lyon. This was probably in 434; it is certain, at least that he attended the First Council of Orange (441)
as Metropolitan of Lyon, and that he retained this dignity until his death. He was succeeded in the bishopric by his son Veranius, while his other son, Salonius, became Bishop of Geneva
.
Among Eucherius' other letters are his "Institutiones ad Salonium" addressed to his other son. Many homilies and other writings have been attributed to Eucherius.
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...
. He is remembered for his letters advocating extreme self-abnegation. Henry Wace ranked him "except perhaps St. Irenaeus
Irenaeus
Saint Irenaeus , was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
the most distinguished occupant of that see".
On the death of his wife Gallia (born ca. 390), as was a common 5th century practice, he withdrew for a time to the monastery of Lérins
Lérins Abbey
Lérins Abbey is a Cistercian monastery on the island of Saint-Honorat, one of the Lérins Islands, on the French Riviera, with an active monastic community....
, founded by Saint Honoratus on the smaller of the two islands off Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, with his sons, Veranius and Salonius, to live a severely simple life of study and devote himself to the education of his sons. Soon afterward he withdrew further, to the neighbouring island of Lerona (now Sainte-Marguerite), where he devoted his time to study and mortification of the flesh
Mortification of the flesh
Mortification of the flesh literally means "putting the flesh to death". The term is primarily used in religious and spiritual contexts. The institutional and traditional terminology of this practice in Catholicism is corporal mortification....
. With the thought that he might join the anchorites in the deserts of the East, he consulted John Cassian, the famed hermit who had returned from the East to Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
; Cassian dedicated the second set of his Collationes (Numbers 11-17) to Eucherius and Honoratus. These Conferences describe the daily lives of the hermits of the Egyptian Thebaid
Thebaid
The Thebaid or Thebais is the region of ancient Egypt containing the thirteen southernmost nomes of Upper Egypt, from Abydos to Aswan. It acquired its name from its proximity to the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes....
and discuss the important themes of grace, free will, and Scripture. It was at this time (ca 428) that Eucherius wrote his epistolary essay De laude Eremi ("In praise of hermits") addressed to Bishop Hilary of Arles
Hilary of Arles
Saint Hilary of Arles was a bishop of Arles. He is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, with his feast day celebrated on 5 May.- Life :...
.
Though imitating the ascetic lifestyle
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
of the Egyptian hermits, Eucherius kept in touch with men renowned for learning and piety: Cassian, Hilary of Arles, Honoratus, later Bishop of Marseille, Claudianus Mamertus
Claudianus Mamertus
Claudianus Mamertus was a Gallo-Roman theologian and the brother of St. Mamertus, Bishop of Vienne.Descended probably from one of the leading families of the country, Claudianus Mamertus relinquished his worldly goods and embraced the monastic life...
, Agroecius
Agroecius, bishop of Sens
Agroecius or Agroetius was an ancient Gaul who was bishop of Sens. He was also a grammarian, and the author of an extant work in Latin, De Orthographia et Differentia Sermonis, intended as a supplement to a work on the same subject by Flavius Caper...
(who dedicated a book to him), Sidonius Apollinaris
Sidonius Apollinaris
Gaius Sollius Apollinaris Sidonius or Saint Sidonius Apollinaris was a poet, diplomat, and bishop. Sidonius is "the single most important surviving author from fifth-century Gaul" according to Eric Goldberg...
and his kinsman Valerian
Valerian
- Botany :* Valeriana, a genus of plants* Valerian , a medicinal plant* Red valerian, a garden flower, Centranthus ruber - People :* Valerian - Botany :* Valeriana, a genus of plants* Valerian (herb), a medicinal plant* Red valerian, a garden flower, Centranthus ruber - People :* Valerian...
, to whom he wrote his Epistola paraenetica ad Valerianum cognatum, de contemptu mundi ("Epistle to his kinsman Valerian, On the contempt of the world") an expression of the despair for the present and future of the world in its last throes shared by many educated men of Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
, with hope for a world to come: Erasmus thought so highly of its Latin style that he edited and published it at Basel (1520).
His Liber formularum spiritalis intelligentiae addressed to his son Veranius is a defence of the lawfulness of reading an allegorical
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
sense in Scripture, bringing to bear the metaphors in Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and such phrases as "the hand of God" The term anagoge
Anagoge
Anagoge is a Greek word suggesting a "climb" or "ascent" upwards. The anagogical is a method of spiritual interpretation of literal statements or events, especially the Scriptures....
(ἀναγωγὴ) is employed for the application of Scripture to the heavenly Jerusalem to come, and there are other examples of what would become classic Medieval hermeneutics.
The fame of Eucherius was soon so widespread in southeastern Gaul that he was chosen bishop of Lyon. This was probably in 434; it is certain, at least that he attended the First Council of Orange (441)
Councils of Orange
The Councils of Orange comprised two synods held at Orange, France. The first dealt with various church issues. The second affirmed Augustine's teaching against Pelagian challenge.-First Council of Orange:...
as Metropolitan of Lyon, and that he retained this dignity until his death. He was succeeded in the bishopric by his son Veranius, while his other son, Salonius, became Bishop of Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
Among Eucherius' other letters are his "Institutiones ad Salonium" addressed to his other son. Many homilies and other writings have been attributed to Eucherius.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Saint Eucherius of Lyons"
- Henry Wace, A Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature: Eucherius
- Edgar Henneke in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge: Eucherius
- The World Contemned (De Contemptu mundi) (in English, translated by Henry VaughanHenry VaughanHenry Vaughan was a Welsh physician and metaphysical poet.Vaughan and his twin brother the hermetic philosopher and alchemist Thomas Vaughan, were the sons of Thomas Vaughan and his wife Denise of 'Trenewydd', Newton, in Brecknockshire, Wales...
, 1654) - De laude eremi (in Latin) at The Latin LibraryThe Latin LibraryThe Latin Library is a website that collects public domain Latin texts. The texts have been drawn from different sources. Many were originally scanned and formatted from texts in the Public Domain. Others have been downloaded from various sites on the Internet . Most of the recent texts have been...