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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Benignus, martyr of Dijon

Saint ID

S00320

Number in BH

BHL 1153-1164

Reported Death Not Before

161

Reported Death Not After

180

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Martyrs, Lesser clergy , Missionaries
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00367Gregory of Tours writes the Glory of the Martyrs (Liber in Gloria Martyrum), in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594. Overview entry.
E00573Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Martyrs (50), tells of a large sarcophagus at Dijon (eastern Gaul), believed to be pagan, with cult practices held at it, which through a vision was revealed to belong to *Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320); Gregory [bishop of Langres, 506/507-539/540] refurbished the adjacent crypt and the sarcophagus was transported into it, with miraculous help; a Martyrdom of the saint was acquired from Italy, miracles occurred, and a large church was built over the crypt. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E00574Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Martyrs (50), narrates three miracles associated with *Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320): how *Paschasia (religious woman of Dijon, S00321) appeared from her burial-church in Dijon (eastern Gaul) to encourage the builders of Benignus' church; how liquids poured onto a stone of his martyrdom cure people (including Gregory); and how Gregory's mother, by keeping the vigils of Benignus, saved her home in Clermont (central Gaul) from the plague. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E02419Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (10.31), recounts how he, the nineteenth bishop of Tours, sought relics of the *Theban Legion (soldiers and martyrs of Agaunum, S00339), which he had been told were in Tours; found the reliquary with their relics and the relics of other (unnamed) martyrs and confessors in the church of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050); kept vigils and masses to honour the saints; placed some of these relics in the cathedral of Tours; placed relics of *Cosmas/Kosmas and Damianus (brothers, physician martyrs of Syria, S00385) in Martin’s cell adjoining the cathedral; decorated the walls of Martin’s church; built the new baptistery there and placed in it relics of *John the Baptist (S00020) and *Sergius (soldier and martyr of Rusafa, S00023); placed relics of *Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320) in the old baptistery at Martin's church; and wrote seven books of Miracles and The Life of the Fathers; all in 573-594. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 591/594.
E02610Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (42), gives an account of the tombs of *Florida (nun of Dijon, S01269) and *Paschasia (religious woman of Dijon, S00321); the latter is said to have appeared to the men building the church of *Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320); all in Dijon (eastern Gaul). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E05663Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 1 November in Dijon (eastern Gaul) of *Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320), who was sent to Gaul by *Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004) with *Andochius and Thyrsus (martyrs of Saulieu and Autun, S02094). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E08247The Gothic Missal includes prayers for the celebration of mass on the feast day of *Symphorianus (martyr of Autun, S00322). Written in Latin in Gaul, perhaps at Luxeuil for the Christian community of Autun, c. 680/710.
E0831535 relic labels at Sens (northern Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th or 8th c., for relics of a great diversity of saints. Written in Latin, perhaps at Sens, or at an earlier stage in their transmission.
E08386The Chronicle of Fredegar (4.90) records the burial in 642 of the aristocrat Flaochad at the church of *Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320) in Dijon (eastern Gaul), and notes that he and Willibad, whom he had recently had killed, had previously sworn pacts of friendship to one another at the 'places of the saints'. Written in Latin in Gaul/Francia, 659/700.