ON SAINT PHOEBADIUS OR FOEGADIUS,
BISHOP OF AGEN IN AQUITAINE.
TOWARD THE END OF THE FIFTH CENTURY.
CommentaryPhoebadius, or Foegadius, Bishop of Agen in Aquitaine (St.)
BHL Number: 0000
By G. H.
Aginnum or Agennum, on the right of the river Garonne toward Bordeaux, once chief of the cities of Aquitaine, is still reckoned among the renowned cities of that region, adorned with the Episcopal See; which in the fourth century of Christ was held by Saint Phoebadius, a Prelate of great name and illustrious for his treatise against the Arians. He was present in the year 359 at the Synod of Rimini, whose Acts Sulpicius Severus in book 2 of the Ecclesiastical History sets forth, He was present in the year 359 at the Council of Rimini, and we more fully described on 13 January in the Life of Saint Hilary, here however we select a few things which chiefly pertain to Saint Phoebadius or Foegadius.
[2] "At Rimini, a city of Italy, the Emperor Constantius orders a Synod to be gathered, and commands this to the Prefect Taurus, not to dismiss those gathered together before they should agree on one faith; the Consulate having been promised to him if he should bring the matter to effect. Thus with Masters and officials sent through Illyricum, with 400 Bishops: he refuses the annona of the Emperor, with other Gauls: Italy, Africa, the Spains and the Gauls, four hundred and somewhat more Western Bishops, summoned or compelled, came together at Rimini: to all whom the Emperor had commanded annonas and provisions to be given: but this seemed unbecoming to our people, that is, to the Aquitanians, Gauls, and Britons, and refusing the fiscal stores, they preferred to live at their own expense … Meanwhile the Emperor urges the Legates of the Council of Rimini on the part of our people to be united to the communion of the heretics, and hands them a faith composed by the wicked, wrapped in deceitful words, which should, under hidden perfidy, speak the Catholic discipline. For the word Usia, as ambiguous, and rashly used by the Fathers, and not issuing from the authority of Scriptures, under the appearance of a false reason was being abolished, lest the Son be believed of one substance with the Father. The same faith acknowledged the Son similar to the Father: but within there was prepared fraud, that he should be similar, not equal. Thus the Legates being dismissed, a mandate was given to the Prefect, not to dismiss the Synod before all should profess by subscriptions that they agreed to the composed faith. And if any should more stubbornly resist, provided that this number was within fifteen, they should be driven into exile. But when the Legates returned, though deprecating the royal violence, communion was denied. Indeed, when they learned what had been decreed, there was a greater disturbance of matters and counsels: then gradually very many of ours, partly by weakness of mind, partly overcome by the weariness of the journey, gave themselves to the adversaries, who were now, after the return of the Legates, superior, and having driven ours from the church. And once an inclination of minds had been made, he persists most steadfastly: they went over in crowds to the other party: until the number of ours was reduced to about twenty. But these, the fewer they were, the stronger: and most steadfast among them was held our Foegadius, and Servatius, Bishop of Tongres. These, because they had not yielded to threats and frightenings, Taurus approaches with prayers, and weeping implores that they consult more gentle counsels: the Bishops, shut within one city, were now passing the seventh month: no hope of return was being given to those worn out by the injury of winter and by want. What, pray, would be the end? Let them follow the example of many, or at least take authority from number. And indeed Foegadius professed himself ready for exile and for every punishment to which he should be called, that he would not receive the faith devised by the Arians.
[3] "Thus in this contest some days were drawn out. When they made little progress toward peace, he himself also being gradually more broken, at length, a condition having been proposed, is won over. For Valens and Ursacius affirming that the present faith was devised according to Catholic reasoning, at length by the fraud of Valens and Ursacius induced, he yields: was repudiated with guilt by the Orientals by the author's authority of the Emperor; and what end of discords would there be, if what had pleased the Orientals should displease the Occidentals? Finally, if anything less fully expressed should seem to be in the present faith, they themselves would add what they thought should be added, and would give their consent in what was added. The favorable profession was received with willing minds of all: nor did ours any longer dare to resist, now wishing in any manner to put an end to affairs. Then the professions composed by Foegadius and Servatius began to be brought forth: in which first is condemned Arius and all his perfidy: but the Son of God is not declared equal to the Father, and without beginning, without time. Then Valens, as if helping ours, added a statement in which there was hidden deceit: that the Son of God was not a creature, as the other creatures: and the fraud of the profession deceived the hearers. For in these words, by which the Son was denied to be similar to the other creatures, he was still declared a creature, only greater than the rest. Thus neither side could think itself entirely to have conquered or to have been conquered: because the faith itself was for the Arians, while the professions added afterwards were for ours, except that which Valens had subjoined, which not being then understood was late at last perceived. In this manner the Council, dismissed, was consummated with a good beginning and a foul ending …"
[4] Returning, he condemns what had been done, "Then Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, being ordered to return to Gaul, judging it best to recall all to amendment and penitence, in frequent Councils within Gaul, with almost all professing of their error, they condemn what had been done at Rimini, and reform the faith of the Churches to its former state." So there, and two are said to have resisted these sound counsels, Saturninus Bishop of Arles and Paternus of Périgueux: but each was cast out from the Church. Of the Councils held, there exists the First of Paris, in which the Formula of faith, composed by the Arians with the name Usia suppressed, and accepted at Rimini, was wholly condemned, in the year of Christ 361 or the following: to which James Sirmond referred; who, at another Council of uncertain place, and writes a book against the Arians: has this: "There exists moreover of Phoebadius, Bishop of Agen in Aquitaine, a book against the Arians: in which he discusses the Sirmian formula, sent to the Gauls, through each chapter, and refutes it with the firmest reasonings: so that the book of Phoebadius might take the place of the Council's Synodal letter." The said book of Phoebadius exists in the Library of the ancient Fathers, often reprinted, and Saint Jerome mentions it in On Ecclesiastical Writers chapter 108 in these words: "Phoebadius, Bishop of Agen in Gaul, published a book against the Arians. There are said to be also other little works of his, which I have not yet read. He lives to this day in decrepit old age." Now Jerome wrote the said book in the 14th year of the Emperor Theodosius, as he testifies in the last chapter, therefore in the year of Christ 392. Saint Ambrose also sent letter LXX to this Phoebadius or Fygadius and Delphinus, Bishop of Bordeaux. The same two were also present at the Council of Saragossa, held in the year of Christ 380.
[5] He is venerated on 25 April, The Sammarthani in volume 2 of Gallia Christiana, page 70, treat of Saint Phoebadius, whose eulogy and life history they say was written by John Soldadie, Vicar General of Agen, from whom and from the Proper of the Church of Agen it is asserted that the feast day coincided with the anniversary of Saint Mark; and this is confirmed by Saussay, who on this 25 April in the Supplement of the Gallican Martyrology writes this: "At Agen of the Nitiobriges, the feast of Saint Phoebadius, Bishop of that See and Confessor, who by his preaching freed the people committed to him from the Arian pestilence. Through his writings spread from the West to the East, Catholics were strengthened far and wide in the solidity of faith, as Saint Jerome testifies, who numbered this holy Bishop among the illustrious Doctors of the Church in his Catalogue." The words of Saint Jerome we have already given.
[6] Bernard of Angers in the Sammarthani, in the manuscript book which he dedicated to Fulbert, Bishop of Chartres, about the year 1112, hands down this: "The city of Agen above all the cities of Aquitaine once shone illustrious with the many patronages of Saints: of which almost all in the course of time being unknown, she remained widowed I know not by what sin of her own, partly by force, partly by theft taken away. You will find, O traveller in Aquitaine, as I myself have found by experience, in diverse places those who will say to you: 'This is the body of that Martyr translated from Agen: here is that Virgin or Confessor: The body once preserved among the Périgueux, or so much of the portion of that Saint,' of whom one Phoebadius is held to have been carried to Périgueux." So there. The body of Saint Phoebadius was
for a long time among the Périgueux with the Relics of Saint Alverta, Virgin and Martyr of Agen, who was the sister of Saint Fides: and with her can be referred to 6 October, unless it is Saint Alvera Virgin in the MS Martyrology of the Monastery of Saint Sabinus in the territory of Tarbes in Saussay on 25 August. But the body of Saint Phoebadius translated thence, as the Sammarthani have, now at Benerkis in Occitania: to the place of Benerkis in the diocese of Toulouse on the river Auriger, where it is now preserved in the church.
[7] There was once within the city of Agen near the basilica of Saint Caprasius a temple sacred to Saint Phoebadius, but now demolished and destroyed. The pious devotion of the Agenais toward this Saint at this time is thus described by the aforesaid Sammarthani: a temple once at Agen, where he is invoked against the plague: "When in the year 1653 the plague was widely ravaging Aquitaine, and that fire had especially attacked the Nitiobriges, the citizens were persuaded to flee to the faith and aid of Saint Phoebadius: and if the plague, driven away by his patronage, should depart, a monument of the received benefit and grateful mind would be either a chest consecrated to contain the Relics of the holy Bishop, or something else for the ornament of the Cathedral church: and there would be instituted an annual supplication of all Orders on 26 April, supplication 26 April with the procession going to the Cathedral church, where in the name of the whole city the Consuls with public piety would approach the Eucharistic table, which was sanctioned by vow." Thus far the Sammarthani, ascribing the praise of the thing consulted, decreed, and accomplished to the aforementioned John Soldadie, who added this to his other benefactions to the diocese of Agen. Life published, hoped for. Would that our effort had also been known to him; he would certainly have taken care that the history of Saint Phoebadius written by him be brought to us. But even if, after these things are published, someone should deem us worthy of this benefit, he will give us the opportunity in the supplement of this month to accurately supply whatever we have here said less fully, especially concerning the more recent veneration.