Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

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

            

Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome

ALHMUND (ALCMUND, ALCHMUND) of HEXHAM, St. Alhmund was consecrated seventh Bishop of Hexham in Northumberland, England on 24th April, 767 and remained in that See until his repose 7th September, 781. We know little of his life, but the historical record shows he was greatly venerated at Hexham. St. Alhmund was buried next to St. Acca of Hexham (20th October) near the east wall of the cathedral at Hexham. About two and a half centuries later, all memory of St. Alhmund and his tomb seems to have been lost. However, it is related by, the twelfth century English historian and monk of Durham Priory, Symeon of Durham (†c. 1128) that St. Alhmund appeared to Dregmo, a resident of Hexham, urging him to tell Alfred, the sacristan of Durham, to have St. Alhmund’s relics translated to a more honourable place within the church. Hexham Cathedral was sacked in 1154 and restored though the relics of the Hexham saints, including Alhmund, were placed in a single shrine. However, the church and shrine, did not survive a border raid by the Scots in 1296, and both were completely destroyed.

ANASTASIUS the FULLER, a fuller in Aquileia (about 15 km / 10 mi. west of Italy’s present-day border with Slovenia), who relocated his business to Solin, or possibly Split in Dalmatia (present-day Croatia). Although this was during the Diocletianic Persecution (303–313), St. Anastasius openly confessed his faith, preaching Christ as the true God, and even painted a cross on his door. For this, in 304 he was arrested, tried, and condemned to death by drowning.

AUGUSTALIS (AUTAL), although there seems to be no question St. Augustalis was a bishop, there is debate as to See. The most likely theory is that he was a third or fourth century Bishop of Arles (southern France).

BALIN (BALANUS, BALLOIN), (Seventh Century), St. Balin is commonly believed to have been the brother of St. Gerald of Mayo (13th March), and one of the four sons of an Anglo-Saxon king. Along with his brothers, St. Balin accompanied St. Colman of Lindisfarne (18th February) to Iona. They then went to Ireland where they settled at Tecsaxon, “The House of the Saxons,” in the Diocese of Tuam, in the province of Connaught.

CARISSIMA of ALBI, a fifth century anchoress in a forest near her native town of Albi in Gaul, and later at a monastery at Vieux in the present-day Tarn department in southern France.

CLOUD (CLODOALDUS), a grandson of Clovis I, King of the Franks, (r. 481–511) and St. Clotilde of France (3rd June), who lived for many years as a hermit. St. Cloud later moved to Paris where he was ordained to the priesthood, and later founded a monastery, where the present-day town of Saint-Cloud now is. St. Cloud reposed circa 560.

EVORTIUS (EUVERT) of ORLÉANS, there is no reliable information on this saint extant. He most likely was a Roman cleric chosen to be Bishop of Orléans during the reign of Emperor St. Constantine the Great, (r. 306–337). St. Evortius reposed circa 340, the Abbey of Saint-Euvert at Orléans was founded to enshrine his relics.

FACIOLUS, a monk at the Abbey of St. Cyprian (l'abbaye Saint Cyprien de Poitiers) in Poitiers (west-central France) who reposed circa 950.

GRATUS of AOSTA, the patron saint of Aosta in the Italian Alps. As a priest St. Gratus, representing Eustasius his Bishop, attended the Council of Milan in 451, where the Tome of Leo was read and approved, affirming the Fourth Ecumenical Council’s condemnation of Eutyches' Christological heresy. At some point following the Council, St. Gratus succeeded Eustasius, and was consecrated second Bishop of Aosta. St. Gratus reposed sometime after 470, however the exact year is unknown.

GRIMONIA (GERMANA) of PICARDY, (Fourth Century), there is very little information on the life of St. Grimonia extant. She is said to have been a young woman from Ireland, who went to Picardy (northern France) where she lived as a hermit near Laon. St. Grimonia was martyred whilst defending her virtue. A chapel was built on the site of her martyrdom, around which the town of La Chapelle grew.

HILDUARD (HILWARD, GARIBALD), appointed in 733 missionary Bishop of Flanders (north-eastern France), St. Hilduard also founded of Saint-Peter’s Abbey (Abdij van Dikkelvenne) in Dikkelvenne, present-day Belgium. He reposed circa 750.

MADALBERTA, daughter of SS. Vincent Madelgaire (20th September) and Waldetrudis of Mons (9th April). She was educated Maubeuge Abbey (abbaye de Maubeuge), in northern France near the present Belgian border, by her aunt, St. Aldegund (30th January), the foundress of Maubeuge Abbey. St. Madalberta later received monastic tonsure at Maubeuge, and circa 697 succeeded her sister, St. Aldetrudis (25th February), as Abbess. St. Madalberta reposed in 706.

MEMORIUS (NEMORIUS, MESMIN) of TROYES and COMPANIONS, St. Memorius is said to have been a deacon in Troyes (north-central France), who, along with four others in 451, was sent by St. Lupus of Troyes (29th July) to ask Attila, King of the Huns (r. 434–453) to spare the town. Attila responded by having them all beheaded.

PAMPHILUS of CAPUA, a native of Greece consecrated a Bishop of Capua (southern Italy) by Pope St. Siricius (26th November). St. Pamphilus reposed circa 400 and his relics were enshrined in Benevento in Campania (southern Italy).

REGINA (REINE), though venerated at Autun, Burgundy (France) from a very early date, there are no details of her life extant. According to tradition St. Regina was a young woman who was martyred in Autun, defending her chastity, most likely during the Decian Persecution (250–251), however some have placed her martyrdom as during the reign of Emperor Maximian (r. 286–305).

TILBERT (GILBERT) of HEXHAM, St. Tilbert succeeded St. Alhmund (vide supra) as Bishop of Hexham in Northumbria, England, serving from 781 until his repose in 789. St. Tilbert was widely venerated as a saint during his lifetime, as well as after his repose.

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.