Saint Ferréol of Uzès
Encyclopedia
Saint Ferréol of Uzès (530 – January 4, 581) was bishop of Uzès and possibly bishop of Nîmes (Catholic Encyclopedia "Nîmes") (553-581). His Feast Day is January 4.
He was born in Narbonne
, apparently a grandson of Cloderic of the Ripuarian Franks. Bishops in Merovingian Gaul
were ordinarily drawn from the highest levels of society. Ferréol founded a Benedictine abbey
, for which he wrote a rule that survives; it regards the work of transcription in the scriptorium
as the equivalent of manual labor, since it charges that the monk "who does not turn up the earth with the plow ought to write the parchment with his fingers." As bishop of Uzès, Ferréol devoted himself in particular to converting the Jews
within his diocese.
Under Childebert I
Ferréol was banished from his see in 555, for having lived in too friendly relations with the Jews of Septimania
. The thoroughly Romanized region had until recently been ruled by a Visigoth
ic and Arian
upper class, and relaxed relations with the long-established and urbane Jewish community was a Visigoth tradition. Ferréol's motive lay in hopes of making conversions, according to the Vita Ferreoli, apud Marcus Antonius Dominicy, Ausberti Familia Rediviva, published in Paris, 1648 (Jewish Encyclopedia).
He was restored to his see after three years (Benedictine Encyclopedia), but now had to toe the strict Merovingian line: "Ferréol ordered the Jews of his diocese to meet in the Church of St Theodoric, and preached to them a baptismal sermon. Some Jews abjured their faith; he forbade the others to remain in the city, and expelled them from his diocese" in 558 (Jewish Encyclopedia).
Ferréol makes a brief appearance in the phantasmic parade of Episode 12 ("Cyclops") in James Joyce
's Ulysses
.
His sister Saint Tarsicia of Rodez (died ca 600) lived as a hermit
in the Rouergue
near Rodez
, where she is still venerated by the Benedictines, with a feast day of January 15. She was said in error to have been a granddaughter of Clotaire II, and more accurately a granddaughter of Clotaire I
and, less likely, of St. Radegunda (Catholic Encyclopedia "Rodez"). Thus, they were two among numerous members of the Merovingian royal house whose posthumous veneration was encouraged by the Catholic Church
.
An earlier, legendary St. Ferreolus
(Saint Ferréol) was sent to evangelize in Besançon
in the late 2nd century. In 1320, the chanter of Notre-Dame de Paris, Hugues de Besançon, founded a chaplaincy "in honor of Saints Ferréol and Ferrutien" at the altar of one of the recently-completed chapels http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0422/is_1_80/ai_54073917/pg_10.
He was born in Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, apparently a grandson of Cloderic of the Ripuarian Franks. Bishops in Merovingian 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...
were ordinarily drawn from the highest levels of society. Ferréol founded a Benedictine abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
, for which he wrote a rule that survives; it regards the work of transcription in the scriptorium
Scriptorium
Scriptorium, literally "a place for writing", is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European monasteries devoted to the copying of manuscripts by monastic scribes...
as the equivalent of manual labor, since it charges that the monk "who does not turn up the earth with the plow ought to write the parchment with his fingers." As bishop of Uzès, Ferréol devoted himself in particular to converting the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
within his diocese.
Under Childebert I
Childebert I
Childebert I was the Frankish king of Paris, a Merovingian dynast, one of the four sons of Clovis I who shared the kingdom of the Franks upon their father's death in 511...
Ferréol was banished from his see in 555, for having lived in too friendly relations with the Jews of Septimania
Septimania
Septimania was the western region of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed under the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septimania was ceded to their king, Theodoric II. Under the Visigoths it was known as simply Gallia or Narbonensis. It corresponded roughly with the modern...
. The thoroughly Romanized region had until recently been ruled by a Visigoth
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
ic and Arian
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...
upper class, and relaxed relations with the long-established and urbane Jewish community was a Visigoth tradition. Ferréol's motive lay in hopes of making conversions, according to the Vita Ferreoli, apud Marcus Antonius Dominicy, Ausberti Familia Rediviva, published in Paris, 1648 (Jewish Encyclopedia).
He was restored to his see after three years (Benedictine Encyclopedia), but now had to toe the strict Merovingian line: "Ferréol ordered the Jews of his diocese to meet in the Church of St Theodoric, and preached to them a baptismal sermon. Some Jews abjured their faith; he forbade the others to remain in the city, and expelled them from his diocese" in 558 (Jewish Encyclopedia).
Ferréol makes a brief appearance in the phantasmic parade of Episode 12 ("Cyclops") in James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
's Ulysses
Ulysses (novel)
Ulysses is a novel by the Irish author James Joyce. It was first serialised in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922, in Paris. One of the most important works of Modernist literature,...
.
His sister Saint Tarsicia of Rodez (died ca 600) lived as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
in the Rouergue
Rouergue
Rouergue is a former province of France, bounded on the north by Auvergne, on the south and southwest by Languedoc, on the east by Gévaudan and on the west by Quercy...
near Rodez
Rodez
Rodez is a town and commune in southern France, in the Aveyron department, of which it is the capital. Its inhabitants are called Ruthénois.-History:Existing from at least the 5th century BC, Rodez was founded by the Celts...
, where she is still venerated by the Benedictines, with a feast day of January 15. She was said in error to have been a granddaughter of Clotaire II, and more accurately a granddaughter of Clotaire I
Clotaire I
Chlothar I , called the Old , King of the Franks, was one of the four sons of Clovis. He was born circa 497, in Soissons .-Life:...
and, less likely, of St. Radegunda (Catholic Encyclopedia "Rodez"). Thus, they were two among numerous members of the Merovingian royal house whose posthumous veneration was encouraged by the Catholic Church
History of the Roman Catholic Church
As the oldest branch of Christianity, along with Eastern Orthodoxy, the history of the Catholic Church plays an integral part of the History of Christianity as a whole. This article covers a period of just under 2,000 years....
.
An earlier, legendary St. Ferreolus
Ferreolus and Ferrutio
Saints Ferreolus and Ferrutio are venerated as martyrs and saints by the Catholic Church. Their legendary acts state that they were converted to Christianity by Saint Polycarp. They were brothers who were ordained as a priest and deacon, respectively, by Saint Irenaeus of Lyons. They were sent to...
(Saint Ferréol) was sent to evangelize in Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
in the late 2nd century. In 1320, the chanter of Notre-Dame de Paris, Hugues de Besançon, founded a chaplaincy "in honor of Saints Ferréol and Ferrutien" at the altar of one of the recently-completed chapels http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0422/is_1_80/ai_54073917/pg_10.
Sources
- Les ancêtres de Charlemagne, 1989, Christian SettipaniChristian SettipaniChristian Settipani is the Technical Director of an IT company in Paris and a genealogist and historian.He has a Master of Advanced Studies degree from the Paris-Sorbonne University and is currently preparing his doctoral thesis, while he often gives lectures to students undergraduates at the...
External links
- Jewish Encyclopedia: "France"
- Catholic Encyclopedia: "Uzès", "Rodez"