Paschasius of Vienne

Saint Paschasius of Vienne (French: Paschase) was a bishop of Vienne in the Dauphiné, France, in the early fourth century.[1] He is venerated as a saint of the Catholic Church.[2]

The various chronologies of the bishops of Vienne mostly place him between Saint Simplicius and Saint Claudius.[3] [4] [5]

Paschasius is said to have been the recipient of a papal bull dating from approximately 322 from Pope Sylvester I (c. 314–335), which granted him supremacy over seven provinces, although the authenticity of this document has been called into question.[3]

In the Chronicles of Archbishop Ado of Vienne (died 875), he writes that it was Paschasius who instigated the "first translation of the [relics of] saints Felician, Exuperius and Severinus", martyrs at Vienne under Marcus Aurelius. He further describes him as a very eloquent speaker ("vir dissertissimus") who was the teacher of Justus, the future bishop of Lyon.[4]

His feast day is celebrated on 22 February.[2]

References

1. GCatholic.org: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Vienne
2. "Nominis.fr: Saint Paschase".
3. Ulysse Chevalier, Notice chronologico-historique sur les archevêques de Vienne: d'après des documents paléographiques inédits, Vienne, 1879, p. 6 (online version)
4. Gérard Lucas, Vienne dans les textes grecs et latins: Chroniques littéraires sur l'histoire de la cité, des Allobroges à la fin du Ve siècle de notre ère, MOM Éditions, coll. "Travaux de la Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée", 2018, ISBN 9782356681850, pages 247-270: "Adon de Vienne, Chronique", esp. "Tableau récapitulatif de la liste des évêques de Vienne jusqu'à Avit", 122. col. 91B (online version)
5. Louis Duchesne, Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule. Provinces du Sud-Est (tome premier), vol. 3, Paris, Thorin et fils, 1894, p. 146 (online version)