Eutropius of Saintes
Encyclopedia
Saint Eutropius of Saintes is venerated as the first bishop of Saintes, France
. According to tradition, he was a Roman
or a Persian
of royal descent who was sent to evangelize Gaul
either by Saint Clement
in the 1st century or by Pope Fabian
in the 250s as a companion of Saint Denis
.
He lived as a hermit
near Saintes and converted to Christianity
the governor's daughter, Saint Eustella or Eustelle. According to tradition, the governor was so enraged by his daughter’s conversion that he had both her and Eutropius killed. Eutropius was killed by having his head split open with an axe.
Gregory of Tours
mentions the tradition of Eutropius’ martyrdom in his work, but also notes that before Bishop Palladius of Saintes translated
Eutropius’ relics around 590 to the Romanesque
church of St. Eutropius in Saintes, no one really knew the legend of Eutropius. In the 6th century, the poet Venantius Fortunatus
refers to Eutropius in connection with Saintes.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. According to tradition, he was a Roman
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
or a Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
of royal descent who was sent to evangelize 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...
either by Saint Clement
Pope Clement I
Starting in the 3rd and 4th century, tradition has identified him as the Clement that Paul mentioned in Philippians as a fellow laborer in Christ.While in the mid-19th century it was customary to identify him as a freedman of Titus Flavius Clemens, who was consul with his cousin, the Emperor...
in the 1st century or by Pope Fabian
Pope Fabian
Pope Fabian was Pope from January 10, 236 to January 20, 250, succeeding Pope Anterus.Eusebius of Caesarea relates how the Christians, having assembled in Rome to elect a new bishop, saw a dove alight upon the head of Fabian, a layman and stranger to the city, who was thus marked out for this...
in the 250s as a companion of Saint Denis
Denis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
.
He 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...
near Saintes and converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
the governor's daughter, Saint Eustella or Eustelle. According to tradition, the governor was so enraged by his daughter’s conversion that he had both her and Eutropius killed. Eutropius was killed by having his head split open with an axe.
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
mentions the tradition of Eutropius’ martyrdom in his work, but also notes that before Bishop Palladius of Saintes translated
Translation (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...
Eutropius’ relics around 590 to the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church of St. Eutropius in Saintes, no one really knew the legend of Eutropius. In the 6th century, the poet Venantius Fortunatus
Venantius Fortunatus
Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus was a Latin poet and hymnodist in the Merovingian Court, and a Bishop of the early Catholic Church. He was never canonised but was venerated as Saint Venantius Fortunatus during the Middle Ages.-Life:Venantius Fortunatus was born between 530 and 540 A.D....
refers to Eutropius in connection with Saintes.