Maximus of Évreux
Encyclopedia
Saint Maximus of Évreux (d. ca. 384), called Saint Mauxe locally, is venerated as a saint
by the Catholic Church. His legend states that he was the second bishop of Évreux, and that he died a martyr at Acquigny
with his brother, who was his deacon
. His brother is called Venerandus (Vénérand) or Victorinus.
. Maximus was a bishop and Victorinus was a deacon. They attempted to make converts to Christianity amongst the ranks of the barbarian armies, but failed. The brothers were sent by Pope Damasus I
to preach in Gaul
instead, to continue the work of Saint Taurinus
(Taurin) in the region. Taurinus is considered the first bishop of Évreux.
They traveled to Gaul with two priests, Mark and Etherius, passing through Auxerre
, Sens
, and Paris
until they reached Évreux, where Maximus became bishop (the years of his episcopate are sometimes given as 411-440, which conflict with the traditional date of his martyrdom).
At Acquigny they were captured by either pagans
or Arians
and were beheaded
. Mark and Etherius escaped. They returned to bury the two brothers. Etherius later became bishop of Évreux.
near Fontenelle Abbey
, he fell sick. He left the relics at the monastery, where Richard I of Normandy
built a chapel to house them. The relics were later burnt by the Huguenots.
The saints’ heads, however, remained at Acquigny. A Benedictine
church was built over their tomb, but it fell into decay. The relics were translated to the parish church and deposited under the high altar. The saints were invoked against drought
in 1559, 1615 and 1726, when they were carried after the head of Saint Swithun
.
A sanctuary dedicated to him may have existed from the fifth century. In the forest of Bizy, at Vernon
, one can see the supposed tomb of Maximus. It carries the inscription: "This monument of piety was restored by the Duchess of Orleans. 1816." On its southern face is a carved image of a saint carrying the crozier of a bishop. The monument is very degraded.
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
by the Catholic Church. His legend states that he was the second bishop of Évreux, and that he died a martyr at Acquigny
Acquigny
Acquigny is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:-External links:*...
with his brother, who was his deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
. His brother is called Venerandus (Vénérand) or Victorinus.
Legend
Their legend states that they were natives of BresciaBrescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
. Maximus was a bishop and Victorinus was a deacon. They attempted to make converts to Christianity amongst the ranks of the barbarian armies, but failed. The brothers were sent by Pope Damasus I
Pope Damasus I
Pope Saint Damasus I was the bishop of Rome from 366 to 384.He was born around 305, probably near the city of Idanha-a-Velha , in what is present-day Portugal, then part of the Western Roman Empire...
to preach in 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...
instead, to continue the work of Saint Taurinus
Saint Taurinus
Saint Taurinus of Évreux , also known as Saint Taurin, is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. His legend states that he was the first bishop of Évreux. He evangelized the region and died a martyr.-Legend:...
(Taurin) in the region. Taurinus is considered the first bishop of Évreux.
They traveled to Gaul with two priests, Mark and Etherius, passing through Auxerre
Auxerre
Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
, Sens
Sens
Sens is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.Sens is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.-History:...
, and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
until they reached Évreux, where Maximus became bishop (the years of his episcopate are sometimes given as 411-440, which conflict with the traditional date of his martyrdom).
At Acquigny they were captured by either pagans
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
or 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...
and were beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
. Mark and Etherius escaped. They returned to bury the two brothers. Etherius later became bishop of Évreux.
Veneration
Their relics were re-discovered around 960 by a man named Amalbert. He attempted to carry the relics off, leaving behind only the heads of Maximus and Victorinus. However, as he was crossing the SeineSeine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
near Fontenelle Abbey
Fontenelle Abbey
Fontenelle Abbey or the Abbey of St. Wandrille is a Benedictine monastery in the commune of Saint-Wandrille-Rançon near Caudebec-en-Caux in Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France.-First foundation:...
, he fell sick. He left the relics at the monastery, where Richard I of Normandy
Richard I of Normandy
Richard I of Normandy , also known as Richard the Fearless , was the Duke of Normandy from 942 to 996; he is considered the first to have held that title.-Birth:He was born to William I of Normandy, ruler of Normandy, and Sprota...
built a chapel to house them. The relics were later burnt by the Huguenots.
The saints’ heads, however, remained at Acquigny. A Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
church was built over their tomb, but it fell into decay. The relics were translated to the parish church and deposited under the high altar. The saints were invoked against drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
in 1559, 1615 and 1726, when they were carried after the head of Saint Swithun
Saint Swithun
Swithun was an Anglo-Saxon bishop of Winchester and subsequently patron saint of Winchester Cathedral. His historical importance as bishop is overshadowed by his reputation for posthumous miracle-working...
.
A sanctuary dedicated to him may have existed from the fifth century. In the forest of Bizy, at Vernon
Vernon, Eure
Vernon is a commune in the department of Eure in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.It lies on the banks of the Seine River, about midway between Paris and Rouen...
, one can see the supposed tomb of Maximus. It carries the inscription: "This monument of piety was restored by the Duchess of Orleans. 1816." On its southern face is a carved image of a saint carrying the crozier of a bishop. The monument is very degraded.