ON SAINT CHLOTHARIUS,
OF VITRY IN GALLIC CHAMPAGNE.
CommentaryChlotharius, of Vitry in Gallic Champagne (Saint)
G. H.
Various Kings of the first Merovingian family, named Chlotharius, made the name illustrious among the ancient Franks; among whom Chlotharius I, son of the great Clovis, at first King of Soissons; and then, with his three brothers and their descendants dead, Monarch of the Franks; of whom, through his son Childeric King of Soissons, the grandson was Chlotharius II, again Monarch with the rest having departed this life. Of this one, through his son Dagobert and grandson Clovis II, the great-grandson was Chlotharius III, King of the Neustrians. There was also a fourth Chlotharius, established for a brief time as King of the Austrasians, whom we judge to have been the son of Dagobert II, son of Saint Sigisbert. There was also to Saint Gunthramn, King of the Burgundians, son of Chlotharius I, a firstborn Chlotharius: but who in his boyhood departed this life. It is no wonder therefore if by the example of Kings very many of their subjects were called Chlotharius, of whom easily someone, having led a holy life, could be enrolled among the Blessed, and have attained public veneration in some particular Church. Such a Chlotharius is indicated on this day by Claude Chalemot, Doctor of Theology of the sacred Faculty of Paris, and Abbot of the Cistercian Order in the monastery of Saint Mary of Columba, in the Series of the Saints and Blessed of the Sacred Cistercian Order printed at Paris in the year 1666: whose words are these: "The seventh day before the Ides of April. In Champagne, at the monastery of Saint James of Vitry, the festival of Saint Chlotharius the Confessor, on account of his relics there reposed: where his memory is celebrated, on account of pilgrims coming there." Thus Chalemot, from the tradition of the said monastery, of which the Sainte-Marthe brothers make mention in volume 4 of Gallia Christiana, and they assert that it is the monastery of Saint James near Vitry of the Cistercian Order of nuns under Clairvaux, diocese of Châlons. It is above Châlons, on the river Marne, the said town of Vitry, commonly Vitry le François; for distinction from a neighboring place called Vitry le Brulé. Concerning the said Saint Chlotharius we have not been able to obtain more hitherto.