Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

Eastern Orthodox Christian theologian, historian, philosopher, and cultural commentator.

            

Home » Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome 14th December (NS) — 1st December (OS) 2023


Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism
See of Rome
14th December (NS) — 1st December (OS) 2023

by | 14th December 2023 | Orthodox Western Saints

1st December (OS)

AGERICUS (AGUY, AIRY), a parish priest in Verdun who was consecrated tenth Bishop of Verdun in 554, succeeding St. Desiderius (10th February). As bishop, St. Agericus was an advisor to Childebert II, King of Austrasia (r. 575–596), he was also renowned for his munificence to those in need, and in the later years of his life he acquired a reputation as a wonderworker. St Agericus reposed in 588 or 591.

ANSANUS, the son of a pagan Roman senator, St. Ansanus was baptised at the age of twelve, but was denounced soon after by his father. He was arrested, but managed to escape, and brought so many to Christ, first in Bagnorea and then in Siena, that he became known as “the Baptiser”. When the Emperor Diocletian (r. 284––305) ordered the arrest of Christians, St. Ansanus was once again arrested and beheaded (304).

CANDRES, a fifth century missionary bishop who evangelised the area around Maastricht in present-day Holland.

CASTRITIAN, little is known of this saint who was the fourth Bishop of Milan, from 95 until his repose in 137.

CONSTANTIAN, a monk at Micy (near Orléans in present-day north-central France) who later was the abbot-founder of Javron Abbey. St. Constantian reposed in 570.

DIODORUS, MARIANUS, and COMPANIONS, a group of martyrs in Rome under Numerian in 283. It is possible this was an entire congregation, who, while gathered for prayer in the catacombs, were sealed inside and left to die.

ELIGIUS (ELOI, ELOY), a skilled metalsmith who became master of the mint in Paris under King Clotaire II; in 640 he was ordained to the priesthood, and the following year was consecrated Bishop of Noyon and Tournai. He enlightened the areas around Antwerp, Ghent and Courtra, bringing many to Christ through his example, especially in helping the poor and sick. As a layman, he built churches and monasteries, including the Abbey of SS. Peter and Paul in Solignac, and continued after ordination. St. Eligius reposed in 660 and was buried in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Noyon.

EVASIUS, there are no reliable accounts of St. Evasius’ life extant. He is believed to have been the first Bishop of Asti in Piedmont and martyred under Julian the Apostate at Casale Monferrato circa 362.

GRWST, (Seventh Century), believed to have been the founder of Llanrwst, Conwy County Borough, Wales. The site of his cell is now occupied by Seion Methodist Chapel.

LEONTIUS, an early, possibly first, Bishop of Fréjus in Provence (south-eastern France), serving from circa 419 until his repose circa 432. The major event of his episcopacy was the foundation of Lérins Abbey by St. Honoratus of Arles (16th January). his close friend, St. John Cassian (23rd July) dedicated his first ten Conferences to St. Leontius.

LUCIUS, ROGATUS, CASSIAN, and CANDIDA, (Date Unknown), Roman martyrs of whom nothing is known.

OLYMPIADES, nothing certain is known of this saint, however he is believed to have been a Roman Consul tortured to death in Almeria, Andalusia during the Diocletianic Persecution (303––313).

PROCULUS, a Bishop of Narni in Umbria who was martyred by order of the Arian Totila, King of the Ostrogoths (r. 541–552) circa 542.

URSICINUS, a fourth century Bishop of Brescia in Lombardy (northern Italy), who was a participant at the Council of Sardica (342/343). St. Ursicinus reposed circa 347.

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14th December (NS)

AGNELLUS, a hermit who later was persuaded to become Abbot of San Gaudioso Abbey, it is sometimes said by a group of exiled North African monks. A reputed wonderworker, St. Agnellus is one of the patron saints of Naples Italy. He reposed circa 596.

FINGAR (GWINNEAR), PHIALA, and COMPANIONS, (Fifth Century), a brother and sister who left their native Ireland for Cornwall in England. However, they were soon martyred, along with their companions, in Hayle near Penzance by pagans.

HIBALD (HYGBALD), an abbot (perhaps at Bardney) in Lincolnshire, England. What little we know of him comes from mention in the Lives of his better-known contemporaries, SS. Egbert (24th April) and Chad (2nd March). St. Bede the Venerable calls him ‘an abbot in Lindsey (present-day Lincolnshire) and a friend of Saint Chad’. There are several churches dedicated to him, most notably at the village of Hibaldstow, which also takes its name from him. St. Hibald reposed circa 690, and his relics are enshrined at Hilbaldstow, Lincolnshire, England. His shrine was a place of pilgrimage, until it was destroyed by Protestants following the Reformation.

JUSTUS and ABUNDIUS, martyred in Spain under the Emperor Numerian (r. 283–284) and the Prefect Olybrius (283). Their captors tried to burn them at the stake, and when that proved unsuccessful, SS. Justus and Abundius were beheaded.

MATRONIANUS (MATRONIAN), (Date Unknown), a hermit near Milan, nothing further is known of his life. His relics were enshrined by St. Ambrose (7th December) in the basilica of San Nazaro in Brolo, Milan.

NICASIUS, EUTROPIA, and COMPANIONS, the twelfth Bishop of Rheims, who, with his sister St. Eutropia and a multitude of his clergy and faithful, were martyred either by Vandals circa 407, or Huns circa 451.

POMPEIUS, the second Bishop of Pavia in Lombardy. St. Pompeius reposed circa 290, possibly a martyr.

VENANTIUS FORTUNATUS, The Poet-Saint, originally from the north of Italy, St. Venantius settled in Gaul. He was a writer and poet, the hymns Pange Lingua and possibly Vexilla Regis were composed by him. St. Venantius was a friend of Queen St. Radegund (13th August), He was consecrated Bishop of Poitiers at the end of the sixth century serving until his repose circa 610.

Prior to the Schism the Patriarchate of Rome was Orthodox, and fully in communion with the Orthodox Church. As Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco +1966 said “The West was Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable Liturgy is far older than any of her heresies”.

Details of British Saints excerpted from Orthodox Saints of the British Isles.
Details of continental saints from these sources.

In many cases there are several spelling versions of the names of saints from the British Isles. I use the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography version as the primary version with the more prevalent version in parenthesis e.g. Ceadda (Chad) of Lichfield.