ON S. HELLADIUS OR ELADIUS
BISHOP OF AUXERRE IN GAUL.
ABOUT 387
CommentaryHelladius or Eladius, Bishop of Auxerre in Gaul (S.)
G. H.
The ancient Breviaries of the city and diocese of Auxerre in Gaul indicate the veneration of S. Eladius, or Helladius, their Bishop, on this VIII May, Veneration and prescribe three lessons with the classicum, or as others have it, with the Te Deum laudamus: but all things are recited from the Common of a Pontiff and Confessor. Some of his deeds are related in the History of the Bishops of Auxerre by Philip Labbé in volume I of the New Library of Manuscripts edited, Epitome of life, and they are these. Chapter V of Eladius. Eladius sat XXIII years. He was however in the time of Constantius and Constantine sons of Constantine, under Mark, Julius and Liberius Roman Pontiffs. This most blessed Pontiff while by word and example he converted many to Christ, to him S. Amator together also with Martha, now made his spiritual sister, run together, and falling down before him, lay open the desires of their vows, and so he was demanding to be made a Cleric. Then the Prelate considering and contemplating that they enjoyed the love of God, and on account of the love of him wished to change the secular habit, complied with both readily, relieving him of his hair, joining and associating her most devoutly to the assembly of the chaste women: and he, full of holiness and virtues, as in the deeds of the same S. Amator we read, body to earth, soul to heaven transmitted on the day VIII Ides of May, and was buried beside his predecessors on Mount Autricus. These things there. Of which most are contained in the same words in the Life of S. Amator the successor, edited above on the first day of this month of May: and is added his exhortation to S. Amator and his spouse Martha, which there can be seen.
[2] Name in sacred fasti His sacred memory is inscribed in four ancient apographs of the Hieronymian Martyrology in this manner: At Auxerre the deposition of Eladius the Bishop. In the Ms. Corbeian printed at Paris is written Heladius, in others also Elladius and Helladius, and what name more diverges, sometimes Palladius, Pallachius and Palatus: unless someone prefers then to understand S. Palladius, the XXI Bishop of Auxerre, of whom on day X April we have treated. We omit to recount other Martyrologists, who with today's Roman Martyrology recall his holy veneration, or add some things from the encomium related above. Of the same also make mention Demochares, Chenu, Claudius Robertus, and the Sammarthani in their Catalogues of the Bishops of Auxerre.
[3] Time of Sitting. The time of sitting seems best to be able to be gathered from the Acts of S. Amator the successor, who died in the year 418, when he had sat for thirty years, one month, five days, accordingly ordained in the year 388, in the happy uprising of the peoples, after the death of S. Eladius asking with concordant voice for S. Amator as Bishop, so that at least Eladius can be reckoned to have died in the year 387. There are assigned moreover to him the XXIII years, in which he ruled the Church of Auxerre, so that he seems consecrated Bishop about the year 364. We have shown moreover at the Life of S. Amator, that in the mentioned History of the Bishops of Auxerre, the years of the Emperors and Pontiffs are joined with marvelous anticipation: which therefore being neglected it must be said, that S. Eladius sat, not under the sons of Constantine the Great, or the successors Julian and Jovinian, but under Valentinian, Gratian, Valentinian II and Theodosius the Great, and these last reigning he died. Let the reader consult the things said at the Life of S. Valerian the predecessor on VI May.