ON SS. PALLADIUS I AND PALLADIUS II
BISHOPS OF BOURGES IN AQUITAINE I.
CENT. IV
CommentaryPalladius I, Bishop of Bourges in Aquitaine the First (S.)
Palladius II, Bishop of Bourges in Aquitaine the First (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G.H.
There were among the people of Bourges two Bishops called Palladius, both ascribed to the Saints on this day X May. The first has veneration in his own diocese, the other in that of Cahors, as will be said below. In the Patriarchium of Bourges with Philippus Labbe chapter 9 these things are narrated of the first Palladius: Ninth presided S. Palladius, Ninth Bishop at Bourges, a man indeed among the chief very distinguished, inasmuch as, never enticed by the superfluous delight of this most vain world, he is reported to have been able to be moved away from desiring the felicity of the supernal city Jerusalem. And among these things, while he desired to surpass in piety and religion all who before him had borne the principate of the Priesthood; in his breast so great a heat of faith, so great purity was daily increased, that, although at that time many men, otherwise lofty in knowledge and dignity, a Catholic against the heresies, but, alas! polluted with the virulent contagion of diverse heresies, afflicted the Catholic Church with grievous and intolerable sadness; yet he ever preserved unshaken the true doctrine of the Apostolic faith… Who, since he was magnificent in the prerogative of erudition, and the virtue of his mind and the sincerity of his life appeared in him far more magnificent; he himself so long held firmly by valiantly contending the shield of faith against the world, the flesh, and the devil with untiring constancy, until through the grace of God, the enemies overthrown, being victor, at length with an ineffable triumph of glory he entered the hall of paradise, to reign forever with Christ. But (which we most greatly lament) those things which so great and such a Pontiff in his life did, ancient report has by no means brought to our knowledge. His most sacred body was buried in a certain Parochial church, Buried in the parish of his name which from the appellation of his own name is even now denominated. Finally his feast-day is celebrated solemnly every year on the sixth Ides of May, on which day the same holy Patriarch Palladius is believed to have migrated to Christ. He sat moreover seven years, a. 384. from the year three hundred and seventy- seventh, to the year three hundred and eightieth fourth, in the times of Damasus the Pope and of the Emperors Valentinian, Valens and Gratian. Thus far the author of the said Patriarchium.
[2] The aforesaid parish of S. Palladius, commonly S. Palais, is distant four Gallic leagues from the city of Bourges toward the North, 2 Parishes and 2 Priories named from him. and acknowledges as Patron the Abbot of Marmoutier: to whom there is also subject in the same place the Priory of S. Palladius. There is also another parish of S. Palladius with a Priory in the Archpresbyterate of Castres: and the said Prior is under the abbot of La Chaise-Dieu of the diocese of Clermont, and at his presentation the Parish-priest is appointed. There is mentioned the House of S. Palladius in the Bull of Urban III reported in the cited Patriarchium of Bourges page 96, as also the castle of S. Palladius is indicated page 89 in the Bull of Pope Eugenius. Also in book 3 of the Life of S. Austregisilus on 20 May, num. 3, a certain mute man is healed coming from the power of S. Palladius, or his parish. All which things confirm the ancient veneration of S. Palladius, which the ancient Martyrology of the Abbey of S. Laurence of Bourges attributes to him on this same X May in these words: On the sixth of the Nones of May. In the territory of Bourges, S. Palladius Bishop and Confessor. the sacred cult 10 May. Which things are read plainly the same in the MS. Florarium of the Saints, in the Martyrology of the Order of the Carmelites, which is preserved in MS. at Cologne, and in the Martyrology of Cologne and Lübeck printed about the year MCCCCXC, likewise in Grevenus in his Supplement to Usuard and in Canisius in the German Martyrology. But with the phrase changed in Maurolycus and Molanus these things are had: In the field of Bourges of the Gauls S. Palladius Bishop and Confessor. With a longer encomium Saussajus pursues him, but drawn from the things said above. Finally among the proper feasts of the diocese of Bourges is reckoned on this X day the birthday of S. Palladius Archbishop of Bourges.
[3] And these things we judge said of the first Palladius: of the second in the aforesaid Patriarchium of Bourges these things are handed down: S. Palladius Bishop 13 The thirteenth presided S. Palladius, the second of this name, a man indeed remarkable for virtue of mind, endowed with wisdom, exercised in the divine law, eminent in sound doctrine, proved by a long contest against the devil, cautious by experience, and illustrious by the holiness of his life… After he had presided over the Church of Bourges thirteen years, he died in the monastery of Marcillac in the year 461 from the year four hundred and forty-eighth, to the year four hundred and sixty-first; he made the end of living on the sixth Ides of May, in the monastery of Marcillac of the territory of Cahors (as is read in the old Martyrology of the Church of S. Austregisilus de Cistro) while Leo a most holy and most learned man held the Apostolic See, with Theodosius the Younger, Marcian and Leo the first reigning as Emperors, with Merovius and Childeric the father of Clovis reigning in France, who first of the Kings of France received the faith of Christ. Thus far the Author of the said Patriarchium: with whom agree John Chenu in the Chronology of the Archbishops of Bourges, Claudius Robertus in Gallia Christiana, and Andreas Saussajus, who in the Martyrology of Gaul writes these things of him: inscribed in Martyrologies. In the monastery of Marcillac of the diocese of Cahors of another holy Palladius, Bishop of Bourges, who in the Pontifical series was thirteenth and succeeded S. Leo, and illustrious by the testimonies of sanctity in the thirteenth year of his Episcopate departed to his reward. The same Ghinius celebrates on this day in the Birthdays of the Holy Canons: At Bourges in the field S. Palladius Bishop and Confessor, who is reckoned the thirteenth Bishop there, and when for thirteen years he had administered the Prelacy excellently, illustrious in virtues he slept in the Lord, and in his own Church was committed to burial about the year of the Lord 460. So we judge this year is to be read, by a typographical error expressed 250. In the same manner some things of the former Palladius seem to be attributed to this one.
[4] The Cathedral Church of Bourges is dedicated to S. Stephen the Protomartyr, The Church of S. Stephen built by one of these. which Gregory of Tours book 1 of the History of the Franks chapter 29 asserts to be the first among the people of Bourges of the city, composed with wonderful workmanship, and adorned with the relics of the first Martyr Stephen, that is, as the same Gregory book 1 on the Glory of the Martyrs chapter 33 explains, that a part of the blood is contained on the altar of the Church of Bourges. Of this Basilica of S. Stephen and its founder Palladius (whom we judge to be one of the two Saints reported) Venantius Fortunatus sang this poem book 1 num. 3.
Lofty glory surrounds the pious friends of the Lord, Whose honor, diffused, lives in the world. This Martyr endured for Christ in the East's region, Behold, the Blessed one has temples under the West. Founded by the virtue of God, triumphing over death, He received stones, to whom the rock was Christ. The fierce Jewish race, Stephen, whom thou believest to destroy, Though in flesh, yet he knows not to die in honor. He holds the palm by merits, thou the penalty by crime: He possesses the heavens, thou seekest rather the depths. These sacred temples Palladius the Levite established, Whence may there be made for him a house not to perish.