Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

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

            

Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome

BRITTO (BRITONIUS) of TRIER, the tenth Bishop of Trier in the western part of present-day Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Although St. Britto was a staunch opponent of heresy, he believed that as heresy was an ecclesiastical matter, it was the purview the Church, not the State, to correct and administer punishment. As a result of this belief he provided sanctuary to heretics sought by the State. St. Britto reposed circa 385.

CRESCENTIANA, nothing is known of this martyr, and her existence would have gone unnoticed were there not a church in Rome dating from the late fifth century dedicated to her.

ECHA (ETHA) of CRAYKE, a hermit in Yorkshire, who was greatly venerated for his wonderworking and the holiness of his life. He reposed 767.

GERUNTIUS of MILAN, little is known about St. Geruntius, save he was a disciple of St. Eusebius (12th August), whom he succeeded as Bishop of Milan (Italy) circa 465. St. Geruntius served as twentieth Bishop of Milan until his repose circa 470.

HILARY of ARLES, a pagan whose education and innate abilities led to a high-ranking position in the local civil government. He was also related to St. Honoratus (16th January), who invited St. Hilary to visit him at the Abbey of Our Lady of Lérins. Whilst there, St. Hilary was baptised and received monastic tonsure, and became a disciple of St. Honoratus. When St. Honoratus was consecrated Bishop of Arles, St. Hilary accompanied him to Arles where he served as St. Honoratus’ secretary. St. Hilary was consecrated eleventh Bishop of Arles following St. Honoratus’ repose in 430. As bishop, St. Hilary approached his pastoral duties as well as the conversion of pagans with great vigour. Often his exuberance got the better of him, raising the ire of both the civil authorities as well as the denizens of Arles, leading to Papal reprimands on at least two occasions. Exuberance and zeal notwithstanding, there was no one who doubted his sanctity or the depth of his conviction. St. Hilary reposed in 449.

HYDROC, St. Hydroc is believed to have lived during the fifth century. He is the patron saint of Llanhyroc in Cornwall, England, but there is no other information on his life.

JOVINIAN of AUXERRE, a Reader and fellow missionary of St. Peregrinus of Auxerre, in Burgundy, present-day France (16th May). It is thought he was martyred circa 300.

MAURONTUS (MAURONT) of DOUAI, the eldest son of SS. Adalbald (2nd February) and Rictrudis (12th May), and brother of SS. Clotsindis of Marchiennes (30th June), Eusebia of Hamage (16th March), and Adalsindis of Hamay (25th December). St. Maurontus left his position at Merovingian Court to receive monastic tonsure, entering the monastery founded by his mother at Marchiennes in Flanders, now north-eastern France. He later was the Abbot-founder, and patron of an abbey on family lands at Bruël near Douai and present-day Merville in north-eastern France near the border with Belgium. St. Maurontus reposed in 701.

NECTARIUS (NECTAIRE) of VIENNE, the fourteenth Bishop of Vienne (south-eastern France). St. Nectarius reposed circa 445.

NICETUS (NIZIER) of VIENNE, the fifteenth Bishop of Vienne (south-eastern France). It has been said St. Nicetus was a great supporter of monasticism in his diocese. Beyond that nothing is known of his life. St. Nicetus reposed circa 449.

SACERDOS of SAGUNTUM, believed to have been a Bishop of Saguntum, present-day Murviedro, Spain. St. Sacerdos reposed circa 560.

SILVANUS of ROME, (Date Unknown), aside from a listing in the Roman Martyrology saying he was martyred in Rome, nothing is known of St. Silvanus’ life.

THEODORE of BOLOGNA, the seventeenth Bishop of Bologna (Italy), from circa 530 until his repose circa 550.

WALDRADA of METZ, the first Abbess of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnain Abbey in Metz (north-eastern France). St. Waldrada reposed circa 620.

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.