Constantius of Lyon, in his Life of *Germanus (bishop of Auxerre, ob. c. 448, S00455), recounts how the saint carried out numerous but unspecified miraculous healings at Lyon, during a journey from Auxerre to Arles, probably in the mid 430s. Written in Latin at Lyon (south-east Gaul) between c. 460 and c. 480.
E07557
Literary - Hagiographical - Lives
Constantius of Lyon, Life of Germanus of Auxerre 23
For a full account of Constantius' Life of Germanus, see E05841.
This passage follows the miracle described in E06020.
Itaque Arelatum petens ad Lugdunensem urbem, Arari famulente, deuectus est ubi, certantibus populi studiis, indiscreta aetas et sexus uno occurrit officio. Omnes benedictionem flagitant, tactum requirunt et, quod superest multitudinis releuat uel uidisse. Diuersae infirmitates passim benedictione sanantur, praedicationibus ciuitas recreatur et licet festinus abscesserit, sitientem populum doctrinae fontibus inrigauit.
'On this journey to Arles the Bishop was carried down to Lyons on the River Saône. On his arrival the population, in eager excitement, came out together to meet him, regardless of age and sex. All begged his blessing and tried to touch him and those who could not touch him were proud even to have seen him. Maladies of all kinds were cured on all sides by his blessing and the city drew life from his preaching, for although he could only make a short stay he did not fail to refresh a thirsty people from the springs of truth.'
Constantius goes on to describe Germanus' arrival in Arles, followed by his healing of the wife of the Praetorian Prefect Auxiliaris (E06045).
Text: Borius 1965.
Translation: Hoare 1954.
Miracle during lifetime
Healing diseases and disabilities
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - bishops
Crowds
Source
Germanus of Auxerre (PCBE 4, 'Germanus 1', pp. 878-883) was the most important and revered episcopal saint of 5th-century Gaul. The Life of Germanus was written some years after his death (traditionally dated to 448, but perhaps earlier) by Constantius, a literary figure, possibly a cleric, attested in Lyon in the 460s and 470s (PCBE 4, 'Constantius 3', pp. 521-522). The precise date when he composed the Life is not documented, but it must have been sometime between the 460s and the early 480s. For full discussion of the authorship and date of the Life of Germanus, see its overview entry: E05841.Discussion
Germanus' visit to Lyon takes place when he is travelling from Auxerre to Arles, to request a tax remission for Auxerre (his mission is described in § 19). Auxiliaris, who is named by Constantius as the Praetorian Prefect at the time, is known to have been in office during the years 435-437 (see PLRE II, 'Auxiliaris 1').Bibliography
Editions:Borius, R., Constance de Lyon, Vie de saint Germain d'Auxerre (Sources chrétiennes 112; Paris: Cerf, 1965), with French translation.
Levison, W., Vita Germani episcopi Autissiodorensis auctore Constantio, in: Passiones vitaeque sanctorum aevi Merovingici V (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 7; Hannover and Leipzig, 1919), 246-283.
English translation:
Hoare, F.R., The Western Fathers (London, 1954), 283-320. Reprinted in T.F.X. Noble and T. Head (eds.), Soldiers of Christ: Saints and Saints' Lives from Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (University Park PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995), 75-106.
David Lambert
15/05/2019
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00455 | Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, ob. 445/450 | Certain |
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