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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Germanus, bishop of Paris, ob. 576

Saint ID

S01166

Number in BH

BHL 3468-3481

Reported Death Not Before

576

Reported Death Not After

576

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Bishops
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E02135Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (5.8), records the death and burial in 576 of *Germanus (bishop of Paris, S01166); during his funeral procession prisoners are miraculously freed, confirming Germanus' miracles in life. Gregory refers to the Life of Germanus written by Venantius Fortunatus. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 576/594.
E02321Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (8.33), records a great fire in Paris in 585. A woman has a vision, in which the fire starts by the church of *Vincent (deacon and martyr of Zaragoza and Valencia, S00290), but nobody believes her. Three nights later the conflagration begins. *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166) appears to prisoners in gaol, frees them, and saves them from the flames; they flee to the church of Vincent, where Germanus' tomb is situated. An oratory of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), built where the saint during his lifetime had cured a leper, is miraculously spared the flames, along with its builder, his wife, and their property. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 585/594.
E02448Gregory of Tours writes the Glory of the Confessors, in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588. Overview entry.
E02711Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (79), tells of the discovery and translation of the body of *Ursinus (first bishop of Bourges, S01294), which was buried under a vineyard. Its primary discoverer was Agustus, who had first built an oratory at Brives (close to Bourges, central Gaul) to *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), where relics of the saint cured him of severe disability, and had then become abbot of the church of *Symphorianus (martyr of Autun, S00322) just outside Bourges, built by Bishop Probianus. Ursinus appeared to Agustus in a vision and asked him to look for his tomb, but Probianus dismissed the story; Ursinus appeared again, this time also to *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166), who was visiting Bourges; the tomb and uncorrupted body were found. Ursinus' sarcophagus was lifted and brought to the church, entering it with the help of the saint, who performs miracles there. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E02722Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (88), recounts how at the grave of *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166), in the church of *Vincent (deacon and martyr of Zaragoza and Valencia, S00290) in Paris, the paralysed and the blind are cured. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E02748Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (90), tells how *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166) celebrated vigils at the tomb of *Lusor (saint of Déols, 2nd c., S01304) in Déols (central Gaul); when some exhausted clerics lent on the tomb, it shook in disapproval. Lusor also appeared to a poor man and eventually rewarded him with a gold coin. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E06095The will of Bertram/Bertrand, bishop of Le Mans, of 27 March 616, establishes as the bishop's heirs two churches at Le Mans (north-west Gaul), one dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), the other to the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008), which Bertram himself had built; and makes provisions concerning numerous properties across Gaul, including churches associated with various saints, mostly in or around Le Mans. Written in Latin at Le Mans.
E06301Audoin's Life of *Eligius (bishop of Noyon, ob. 660, S02032) records across two books the saint's lay and then episcopal career, his posthumous cult, and many miracles. It provides further evidence for many other cults in 7th-century Gaul. Written in Latin in Gaul, possibly in 660/86, with later additions and emendations.
E06714Venantius Fortunatus writes the Life of *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166), outlining his life, first as abbot of the monastery of saint *Symphorianus (martyr of Autun, S00322) in Autun (central Gaul), and then as bishop of Paris, and listing many miracles. The churches and graves of other saints, particularly Symphorianus, also feature in the narrative. Written in Latin, probably in Poitiers (western Gaul), 576/613.
E07074In the Latin Life of Lady *Balthild (queen of the Franks, ob. 680, S02359), the author reports that the saint gave special privileges to the 'senior basilicas' in Gaul, dedicated to *Dionysius (bishop and martyr of Paris, S00349), *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166), *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Anianus (bishop of Orléans, ob. 453, S01206), and *Martin (bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). Written in Gaul/Francia, possibly at the monastery at Chelles (near Paris), 680/90.
E08349Venantius Fortunatus writes the Life of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). It is an adaptation in epic verse of the Life of Martin and of books 2 and 3 of the Dialogues of Sulpicius Severus; in a final envoi, the book travels from Poitiers to Fortunatus' home city of Ravenna, stopping at the shrines of many saints along the way. Written in Latin, in Poitiers (western Gaul), between 573 and 576. Overview entry.
E08398The will of Lando, bishop of Reims (mid-7th c.), leaves property to many churches of Reims. Will of mid-7th c.; summary, written in Latin in the 940s by Flodoard, in his History of the Church of Reims (2.6).
E08406A charter issued by Wademer and his wife Ercamberta grants properties to churches dedicated to diverse saints in Paris and elsewhere in northern Gaul, including one dedicated to *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, S00050) at Précy, where they wish to be buried. Written in Latin, probably at Chambly (northern Gaul), 690/91.
E08407A charter issued by the 'illustrious man' Wademer and his wife Ercamberta records grants of property previously made to the monastic church dedicated to *Vincent (deacon and martyr of Zaragoza and Valencia, S00290) and *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S1166) in Paris, which remain in the possession of the pair until their deaths; whereafter they will revert to the church, with a further annual monetary gift on Germanus' feast day. Written in Latin, probably at Pressagny (northern Gaul), 20 August 682.