Avitianus

Saint Avitus of Rouen
Bishop
Died325
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
CanonizedPre-Congregation
Major shrineChurch of Saint-Gervais
FeastDecember 2

Avitus of Rouen (died 325), also known as Avitien or Avidien was the third Bishop of Rouen. He is venerated as a Saint in the Catholic Church.

Biography

He was the third bishop of Rouen in Normandy, however his two predecessors are accepted as legendary.[1] He is the first historically attested bishop by his presence, with Materne II, Bishop of Cologne, at the first Council of Gaul in Arles in 314.[2][3] He succeeds Mellonius and settles in Rouen from 314.[4]

The Acta archiepiscoporum Rotomagensium tell us that "This blessed pontiff was an honest spirit, impeccable in his manners, and attentive to the salvation of souls under his charge".[5]

He is buried in the crypt of the Church of Saint-Gervais in Rouen, and his feast day is celebrated on 2 December.

References

  1. ^ Elisabeth Deniaux, Claude Lorren, Pierre Bauduin et Thomas Jarry, La Normandie avant les Normands : de la conquête romaine à l’arrivée des Vikings, Rennes, Éditions Ouest-France, coll. « Université », 2002 (ISBN 2-7373-1117-9), p. 319
  2. ^ Richard Allen, « The Acta archiepiscoporum Rotomagensium: study and edition » dans Tabularia « Documents », n° 9, 2009, p. 1-66.
  3. ^ Elisabeth Deniaux, Claude Lorren, Pierre Bauduin et Thomas Jarry, La Normandie avant les Normands : de la conquête romaine à l’arrivée des Vikings, Rennes, Éditions Ouest-France, coll. « Université », 2002 (ISBN 2-7373-1117-9), p. 319
  4. ^ François Neveux : Les Diocèses normands aux XIe et XIIe siècles; in Les évêques normands du XIe siècle, Caen 1995, p. 13.
  5. ^ Richard Allen, « The Acta archiepiscoporum Rotomagensium: study and edition » dans Tabularia « Documents », n° 9, 2009, p. 1-66.