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Saint Eutropius of Saintes
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Reliquary bust of St Eutropius of Saintes
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Born
| Rome or Persia
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Died
| 1st century or 3rd century
Saintes, France
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Venerated in
| Roman Catholic Church
,
Eastern Orthodox Church
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Major
shrine
| Basilica of St. Eutropius (Saint-Eutrope), Saintes.
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Feast
| April 30
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Saint Eutropius of Saintes
(
French
:
Saint Eutrope
) is venerated as the first
bishop of Saintes
,
France
.
[1]
According to tradition, he was a
Roman
[1]
or a
Persian
of royal descent
[2]
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.
[1]
[2]
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.
[2]
In the 6th century, the poet
Venantius Fortunatus
refers to Eutropius in connection with Saintes.
[2]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
"Saint Eutropius"
. Catholic Online. 2009
. Retrieved
April 7,
2009
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"La Rochelle"
. The Catholic Encyclopedia. 1910
. Retrieved
April 7,
2009
.
; further information will be found in R Couffon, "Notes sur les cultes de saint Jacques et de saint Eutrope en Bretagne."
Memoires de la Societe historique de Bretagne
, 1968.