Rusticus

ON SAINT RUSTICUS,

BISHOP OF LYONS.

ABOUT THE YEAR 500.

Rusticus, Bishop of Lyons in Gaul (St.)

By G. H.

That Saint Rusticus or Rusticius was a man of the greatest esteem in his time, we gather from the Acts of Saint Epiphanius, Bishop of Pavia, written by Ennodius an eyewitness, which we illustrated on 21 January. For when Odoacer, king of the Torcilingi, was killed in 493, Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, ruled over Italy; and seeing Liguria miserably devastated by the Burgundians, He benevolently receives Saint Epiphanius, Bishop of Pavia, he sent Saint Epiphanius to King Gundobad for the redemption of captives. Who having undertaken his journey to him, was kindly received by the Burgundians and the Gauls, and especially by Saint Rusticus, Bishop of Lyons, as Ennodius in no. 50 sets forth in these words: "In this order, with wonderful speed he entered Lyons, where Rusticus then held the Episcopal cathedra, a man who, even in the outward image of a secular title, always displayed a Priest, and under the pretext of the forum, bore the helmsman of the Church: who filled with the abundance of spiritual joy at his coming across the river Rhône, went out to meet him, inquires the reason of his journey, and informed him what were the cleverness of the King: and instructs him, lest the skill of objections or of response should find him unprepared, he fortified himself within the inmost of his breast by a prelude of contests." So Ennodius, who in no. 55 asserts himself to be a witness of what had been done, afterward made Bishop of Pavia: from whose words we gather the dignity of Saint Rusticus, even that which he had as a layman before his assumption of the Bishopric; we also know the charity which he showed to the stranger Saint Epiphanius. Among those who contributed the money necessary for the ransom of the captives, Ennodius indicates the most illustrious and richest matron Syagria — why not induced by the urging of Saint Rusticus? — and Saint Avitus, Bishop of Vienne, whose deeds we illustrated on 5 February, where very many things are mentioned about Gundobad, king of the Burgundians. In the year 494, The said meeting of Saints Rusticus and Epiphanius happened in the year 494; but how long afterward Saint Rusticus lived is not clear. He had Saint Lupicinus as predecessor, and Saint Stephen as successor; whose sacred memory we celebrated on 3 and 13 February: died about the year 500. but all things considered, we judge that Saint Rusticus died about the year 500.

[2] That he was a man of singular esteem because of a life passed in great sanctity, is established for us from this, that he was inscribed in the ancient Hieronymian Martyrology, inscribed in ancient Martyrologies: in four transcripts which we have so far seen, namely the Epternach one written nearly a thousand years ago, the Lucca one, the Corbie one published at Lucca and Paris, and the Blume one, everywhere in these words: "At Lyons, of Blessed Rusticus the Bishop." The same is read in the MS Barberini as a supplement to the Genuine Martyrology of Bede, and in the MS Trier of the monastery of Saint Maximin, which can be considered an addition to Rabanus, and in various others. Saussay pursues him with a long encomium in the Gallican Martyrology in this manner: praised by Saussay: "At Lyons, of Saint Rusticus, Bishop of the same city and Confessor. He, like another Ambrose, ascending from the secular tribunal to the Pontifical Cathedra, filled his Church with the wonderful splendors of virtues. Excelling in wisdom, piety, and charity, he was an object of admiration to the holy Bishops of his time. For Saint Epiphanius, Bishop of Pavia, sent as Legate by the Emperor Leo to Gundobad, King of Burgundy, officially saluting him; and having obtained his charity in redeeming captives and his counsel in transacting business, and also his hospitality, cherished him with outstanding love. Blessed Sidonius Apollinaris, both while he was still in office, held him among his dear ones, and after he put on the sacred insignia, extolled him with high praises. Ennodius of Pavia pursued him with honorable commendation; declaring with noble and distinguished encomium that he was a Priest before entering the Priesthood, on account of the integrity of his life, zeal of justice, and worship of piety. Which praise, if he worthily merited before his prelacy, he far surpassed in the Bishopric itself by illustrious increases of sanctity: to which when he always added new accumulations, the ministry of salvation being happily fulfilled to the glory of God, at length loosed from the flesh, he sent his spirit to the heavens. Whose venerable body, carried to the basilica of the Apostles, which is now called of Saint Nicetius, and laid to rest, is adorned with an honorable inscription which testifies to his sanctity: but the memory of the Church over which he presided, inscribed in the calendar, has remained in perpetual blessing, and is celebrated with worship proper to holy Pontiffs to this very day." So Saussay in his lavish style: the individual items of which we could have wished to be more probable. Moreover Saint Epiphanius the Bishop was sent to King Gundobad by Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, not before the year 494, with some difficulty of truth. when the Emperor Leo was already long since, from the year 474, dead. The dear friendship with Saint Sidonius Apollinaris, who died in 482, also suffers its own difficulties, at which time we think that Saint Rusticus had not yet ascended to the Episcopal grade. There exists in book 2 the eleventh Epistle inscribed to Rusticus, but this one is distinguished by the length of a vast journey, and by the most learned interpreter Savaron is dispatched to the distant walls of Livia. Concerning the church dedicated to Saint Nicetius among the Lyonnais we treated at his Life on the second of April.

[3] Another controversy appears concerning Saint Rusticus who is venerated on 19 July: of whom in the MSS of Augsburg of Saint Ulrich and Paris there is only this: "At Lyons, of Rusticus the Confessor." But the most ancient transcript of the Hieronymian Martyrology which we had from the Epternachers, whether on 29 July is venerated Saint Rusticus the Bishop, likewise the MS Barberini in the auctuary of the genuine Bede, the MS of Trier of Saint Maximin, and the MS Florary of Saints, likewise the Martyrology of Cologne and Lübeck published in the year 1490, and the Auctuary of Greven to Usuard, have this: "At Lyons in Gaul, of Saint Rusticus, Bishop and Confessor." The same Prelate is called by the ancient MS Martyrology of the Carmelites, and by what is published by Maurolicus. or is Saint Rusticus a Presbyter? But against this they report that Saint Rusticus was a Presbyter and Confessor, three other transcripts of the Hieronymian Martyrology; namely the Lucca, Blume, and Corbie one published at Paris: likewise the Vatican of the church of Saint Peter in the auctuary of the genuine Bede, the Cassinese, the Altempsian, the Trier of Saint Martin, the Utrecht of Saint Mary, another of the Queen of Sweden praised by Holstenius: finally Notker and Ado, at least in the Appendix: on the authority of which alone, as another from Saint Rusticus the Bishop, Raynaud sets him forth in his Little Index of the Lyonnais Saints, since he did not know that any other than Maurolicus held him as a Prelate or Bishop, and adds elsewhere that there is profound silence concerning him. If the Lyonnais find more, they will be able to indicate it, that a fuller judgment may be passed on him on 19 July.