The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world

Name

Martyrs of Lyon

Saint ID

S00316

Number in BH

BHG 1573, BHL 6839-6844

Reported Death Not Before

177

Reported Death Not After

177

Gender

Male
Female

Type of Saint

Martyrs, Bishops , Lesser clergy , Missionaries, Physicians

Related Evidence Records

ID	Title
E00139	Eusebius of Caesarea, in various passages in his Ecclesiastical History, refers to a collection of early martyrdom accounts he compiled, probably in the 290s or 300s; with references to Pionios (martyr of Smyrna, S00031), Karpos, Papylos, and Agathonike (martyrs of Pergamon, S00051), the Martyrs of Lyon (S00316), and Apollonios (martyr of Rome, S00106). Written in Greek in Palestine, in 311/325.
E00212	Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Ecclesiastical History (5.1-3), quoting the Letter of the Churches of Lyon and Vienne of the late 2nd c., records the martyrdom in 177 of ten people from Lyon and Vienne in south-east Gaul (the *Martyrs of Lyon, S00316), and the humiliation and destruction of their remains by the pagans; with no reference to subsequent cult. Written in Greek in Palestine, 311/325.
E00219	The Letter of the Churches of Lyon and Vienne, probably of the late 2nd century, quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in his Ecclesiastical History (5.2.2-3), provides the earliest surviving instance of the term 'confessor' used to define a person suffering for the Christian faith, distinct from a 'martyr', a person who dies for the sake of Christ. Written in Greek in central/southern Gaul, and quoted in Palestine, 311/325.
E00367	Gregory of Tours writes the Glory of the Martyrs (Liber in Gloria Martyrum), in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594. Overview entry.
E00548	Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Martyrs (48), tells of the martyrdom of the 48 *Martyrs of Lyon (S00316), naming 45 of them; the scattering of their ashes in the Rhône; their apparition to the Christians of Lyon, leading to the recovery of their relics; and the construction of a great church in their honour; all in Lyon (south-east Gaul). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E00570	Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Martyrs (49), mentions the martyrdom of Photinus/Potheinos, bishop and one of the Martyrs of Lyon (S00316), and tells of the martyrdom of his successor Irenaeus (bishop and martyr of Lyon, S02832), who is buried in the church of John (probably the Baptist, S00020, possibly the Evangelist and Apostle, S00042) in Lyon (south-east Gaul), next to Epipodius and Alexander (martyrs of Lyon, S00318); dust gathered from their graves can cure the sick. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E00809	Anonymous sermon ('Eusebius Gallicanus', Sermon 11), on the feast of the *Martyrs of Lyon (S00316); it names the martyrs Blandina and Bishop Photinus (Potheinos). Preached in Latin at Lyon (south-east Gaul), probably in the 5th century.
E01168	Augustine of Hippo, in his treatise On the Care of the Dead, mentions the story of the burning of the bodies of the *Martyrs of Lyon (S00316), which he read in Rufinus' Latin translation of Eusebius of Caesarea's Ecclesiastical History. Written in Latin in Hippo Regius (Numidia, central North Africa), 420/422.
E05557	Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 2 June at Lyon (central Gaul) of *Blandina and the forty-seven Martyrs of Lyon (S00316). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E07616	The Latin Acts of *Aunemund (bishop and martyr of Lyon, ob. 660/664, S00731) record the saint's life, martyrdom and posthumous miracles. Written in Gaul, perhaps at Lyon, possibly in the 7th c., with 9th c. (or later) adaptations.
E07728	Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (1.28-29), describes the martyrdom of the *Martyrs of Lyon (E00316), and of Irenaeus (bishop and martyr of Lyon, S02832). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E08078	Six relic labels at the monastery of Saint-Maurice d'Agaune (south-east Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th/8th c., for relics of Gallic saints. Written in Latin, either where the relics originated, or at Saint-Maurice d'Agaune.
E08522	The Latin Martyrdom of Irenaeus (bishop and martyr of Lyon, S02832) recounts how he was sent to Lyon by Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004), was very successful in spreading Christianity, and was eventually martyred by the emperor Severus. Written in eastern Gaul, possibly in the early 6th c.