Annarius or Emmerannus

ON ST. ANNARIUS OR EMMERANNUS, BISHOP, VENERATED IN THE DIOCESE OF POITIERS,

Annarius or Emmerannus, bishop among the Pictavi. (S.)

C. D. S.

St. Annarius, whom Saussay wrongly calls bishop of Poitiers, André Saussay in the Supplement to the Gallican Martyrology P. 1252. added this mention at the 1st day of November: St. Annarius, bishop of Poitiers (commonly saint Eanne) whom a parish church near the town of Saint-Maixent, of the diocese of Poitiers, acknowledges as titular and honours with annual rites on the 1st day of November. From there also Chastelain and Simon de Peyronet have inserted him in their martyrologies at the same day Catalogus Sanctorum, p. 70. . But no bishop of Poitiers of this or a similar name occurs in historical monuments or in the writers on the affairs of Poitiers.

[2] [and who may seem on some ground probably to be the same as St. Annarius of Auxerre,] Hence perhaps someone could be led to the suspicion that this Annarius is the same as that bishop of Auxerre of whom our predecessors spoke at the 25th day of September, and who, it may be conjectured, stayed for some time at Poitiers or at least intervened in the affairs of the church of Poitiers, from the letter sent to Gundegisil and three other bishops, who had struck with anathema Chrodield and the other nuns of the monastery of the Holy Cross of Poitiers sharing in the same rebellion, to which letter, namely, Annarius of Auxerre with nine other bishops

subscribed Gregor. Turon., Hist. Franc., bk. IX, ch. 41. . On which occasion perhaps, since moreover he was celebrated with the fame of sanctity, he won for himself a certain particular veneration among the people of Poitiers: whence also afterwards a church was dedicated in his name. So indeed some hagiologists have thought that the patron of the parish church of Hières in the diocese of Paris, who is customarily called by the other name Honestus, should be said to be the same as Annarius of Auxerre Cf. at the 25th day of Sept., comment. præv. on St. Annarius, nos. 88–90. .

[3] he was formerly venerated under But we have been taught otherwise by the venerable priest who today has the care of the parish of St. Annarius * the name of St. Emmeran.. From him, namely, in a letter sent in the month of June 1878, we have received that the feast day of the patron of his church until a few years ago was customarily celebrated under the name of St. Emmeran, a bishop originating from Poitiers, who in the middle of the 7th century was crowned with martyrdom in Bavaria [Cf. the commentary on St. Emmeram, bishop and martyr, at the 22nd day of September (Act. SS., vol. VI Sept., p. 454 ff.).] , after, if faith is to be given to his ancient biographer (which however our predecessors have denied him in this matter), he had abdicated the see of Poitiers. And indeed in the Breviary of Poitiers published in the year 1765, at the 24th day of September there is recited Lesson III on St. Emmeran, from his life written by Cyrinus, bishop of Freising, and from Le Cointe. Moreover there still exist in the parish of St. Annarius public documents drawn up in French in the years 1783 and 1785, where this is called Paroisse de St-Emmeran Parish of St-Emmeran, commonly St-Eanne. Yet a few years ago the feast day of that patron was appointed to be celebrated on the 3rd day of November under the title of St. Annarius, Bishop and Confessor: on which day he is venerated in that parish alone, no proper office however being assigned.

* Saint-Eanne.