ON ST. GENESIUS THE NEOPHYTE, MARTYR, AT THIERS IN AUVERGNE,
AT AN UNCERTAIN TIME.
CRITICAL AND HISTORICAL SYLLOGE
Genesius the Neophyte, martyr, at Thiers in Auvergne. (S.)
BY V. D. B.
§ I The sacred glories of Thiers. The twofold discovery of the relics of St. Genesius. The origin and fortunes of the chapter of St. Genesius. The cult of St. Genesius.
From Clermont, a city of Lower Auvergne very famous among ecclesiastical writers, one can look far away to the East, [At Thiers, a very ancient town of Lower Auvergne, once distinguished by the abbey of St. Symphorian and by a Grandmontine priory,] and from there, at a distance of nine leagues, see the town of Tigernum, once Thiern, now Thiers, set on the slope of a mountain beside the river Durolle Hugo, France pittoresque, vol. III, p. 6. Of this place St. Gregory of Tours, who followed the affairs of his native land with singular care, made mention more than once See above, p. 254; since in the most ancient times there was a castrum there and sacred buildings, distinguished by relics of the saints. In Book I of the Glory of the Martyrs, chapter 52 Works of St. Gregory of Tours, col. 754, Migne edition, he relates that three small stones, stained with the blood of St. Symphorian, martyr of Autun, and laid up in a silver casket, were placed by a religious man on the holy altar of a church built of wooden boards, at the castrum of Tigernum of the city of Auvergne. But at the time, that is in the year 525 D. Bouquet, Historiens de France, vol. II, p. 465, when Theuderic, son of Clovis, king of the Franks at Metz, overturned that region, this castrum was burned down by the enemy, all the houses being consumed, but the martyr's relics being preserved by a prodigy. In the year 580 it is related to have been restored Dictionnaire universel de la France, vol. V, p. 213, on what authority I do not know; unless it be that St. Gregory, in the books on the Glory of the Martyrs, which he wrote about this time Ruinart, Preface to the works of St. Gregory of Tours, no. 83, col. 90, in Migne, speaks of the castellum of Tigernum as if already revived from destruction On the Glory of the Martyrs, Book I, ch. 67, col. 765. The basilica of St. Symphorian was also restored; to it was attached a monastery, certainly in existence in the eighth century, since Joseph, apocrisiarius of King Pippin, is read in the second translation of St. Austremonius In D. Bouquet, vol. V, p. 433 to have been abbot of the monastery of Thiern after his departure (that is, Pippin's), or the year 765. At the beginning of the eleventh century this house of ascetics was made subject to the Cluniacs [Baluze, Hist. généal. de la maison d'Auvergne, Preuves, p. 29. Cf. Duchesne, Bibliotheca Cluniacensis, col. 1736]; but it so gradually declined that for a long time now it had been inhabited by only two or three monks, when at the end of the last century it was suppressed Cf. Gallia christiana nova, vol. II, col. 364. There was there also a Grandmontine priory, founded in honour of St. Stephen, a native of Thiers; into which in the year 1642 Charles Fremont introduced a most severe discipline Beaunier, Recueil des archevêchés etc., vol. I, p. 278.
[2] [there also stood the basilica of St. Genesius, built by St. Avitus after the revelation of this martyr,] With this latter place was never confused the basilica of St. Genesius, where above all others the cult of St. Genesius flourished; but Ruinart [In the annotations to Book I, ch. 67, on the Glory of the Martyrs of St. Gregory of Tours, col. 766], a man distinguished on so many accounts, believed that the basilica of St. Genesius became the abbey of St. Symphorian: although it is more certain than certain that from the most ancient times the buildings were altogether different. As with that of St. Symphorian, so too St. Gregory of Tours pursued the origins of the church of St. Genesius, explaining at the same time the beginnings of the ecclesiastical cult of this holy martyr. But very recently — St. Gregory wrote this (as I have noted) [Book I, ch. 67, on the Glory of the Martyrs of St. Gregory of Tours, col. 766, Migne edition] about the year 580 — in the territory of this city of Auvergne *, which adjoins the castellum of Tigernum, Genesius, a saint of that same place, revealed himself in this manner. A certain poor man lost the oxen which he kept for working the tillage, when by chance they slipped from his sight, and though he sought them with anxious searching he could not find them. But on the following night a certain man appeared to him in a vision, saying: "Go by the road that leads to the wood, and you will find the oxen which you are anxiously seeking, cropping an abundance of herbage beside a marble stone: and when they have been yoked to a wagon, bring out the marble and set it upon the tomb that is near the road. For I who speak these things to you am Genesius, whose tomb that is, who, placed in albs, departed from this world by martyrdom." And that man, rising at dawn, found the oxen beside the stone and did as he had been commanded in the vision. Nor was a miracle wanting in this either; since the immense stone, which many pairs of oxen could scarcely move, was carried by only two oxen. From this time many sick persons coming to that place, paying the promises of their vows, receive health. Hearing these things, Avitus, bishop of that city, built a great basilica over the tomb of the saint, and when it was dedicated, ordered the festival to be celebrated in it, in which now a great throng of the peoples, coming with vows (as we have said), returns with health. He also distinguished this basilica with relics of St. Genesius of Arles.
[3] [to which at the beginning of the eleventh century Guy II, viscount of Thiers, attached a chapter; as is established from a most pious Notice] This basilica was still standing at the beginning of the eleventh century, when Guy II, viscount of Thiers, wholly intent on returning to the Catholic Church the rights and ecclesiastical goods which his house had long held, resolved to free from his lordship the church of St. Genesius also, which he had enlarged at his own cost, and, having increased it with much wealth, to entrust it to a college of canons. This whole business is narrated in detail in the Notice on the foundation and restoration of the church of St. Genesius of Thiers; which Notice was published by Baluze Histoire généal. de la maison d'Auvergne, Preuves, p. 30 and following and more completely by Denis de Sainte-Marthe Gallia Christ. nova, vol. II, col. 75 and following. But since, after the words of St. Gregory of Tours, the cult of St. Genesius is established by no better document, it seems that this charter should be edited anew in this place. It befits all men who observe the Catholic faith with inviolable rite to recall to memory the life of the saints; and it is fitting to pronounce with ample report in what way the almighty Lord has chosen places for their glory through the different expanses of the earth. For the Creator of things willed to choose not men for the sake of places, but places for the sake of men; for in those places in which the members of the holy martyrs are laid up, the Lord of all goodness works these divine works for their praise and his own glory, and bestows benefits on the faithful peoples who take refuge in their protection and ask pardon for their own offences: and thus he glorifies their names, since he not only crowns them in the heavens with perpetual happiness, but also honours them on earth with divers mighty works. Wherefore everyone who builds an earthly church in their memory acquires for himself a heavenly merit, and for the temporal benefit which each bestows in their honour, he is believed to receive an unfailing gift in the heavenly kingdom from the everlasting God. But he who shall have violated their churches, or carried off an estate or anything of their property, will not only lack the perpetual good, but will also lie subject to eternal punishment.
[4] on the constitution of the chapter, Therefore the place in which a church was built in honour of the ever-virgin Mary and of the most holy martyr Genesius, which is now called the castrum of Thiern, was enlarged by Guy, the very rich and very famous lord of the aforesaid castrum, with his sons, namely Theotbald and Stephen the bishop, and also William, in the year from the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand and sixteen, in the 13th indiction, on the 8th of the ides of January, the fourth day of the moon, the most pious King Robert reigning in France, William count of Poitiers governing Aquitaine, and in Auvergne Robert the honourable prince, establishing there a great many clerics, who should daily sing praises to the almighty Lord in the name of the most blessed martyr Genesius; among whom were Addrad, provost, and Gerard, the most prudent dean; who, labouring much there, both multiplied their benefices and increased the number of the clerics.
[5] on its jurisdiction and inviolable lordship, And Guy, the aforesaid knight, with his sons established that canonry on this condition, that no lord coming hereafter should dare to take away anything from their estates or from any benefice of theirs; but if any of the subjects of the canons should commit anything unfitting against him or against his people, he ordered that he should not take vengeance for it, but should make complaint to the provost or dean; and if they themselves did not at once do him right, he should wait for the space of forty days; and if they were then willing to do so, he should accept it with a thankful mind; but if not, he himself should deal with it by right judgment, since the man had inflicted injury, and should not take vengeance on him beyond measure; and he altogether forbade him to break the custom of the canons, or to impose any evil usage on them or on their lands; and he humbly admonished him to hold them in honour; he also forbade his officers, or those of whoever should come after him, either to seize anything by force in the property of the most blessed martyr Genesius or to inflict damage or injury on his subjects; and he caused it to be placed by the bishop of that province and by many others under anathema maranatha, that any such person, separated from the fellowship of the faithful, a sharer with Judas the traitor, should be condemned with Dathan and Abiram and with the other evildoers to equal penalty in infernal punishment.
[6] King Robert and Pope Benedict VIII confirming it. And so he ordered all these things to be written down, and caused them to be confirmed by the religious king of the Franks, Robert; which most noble king also ordered the princes subject to him to confirm with their own hands, as he himself had confirmed. Afterwards the same venerable Guy, coming to Rome, placed the charter in which this precept was contained in writing upon the altar of the most blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, as a testimony of confirmation, and asked Benedict, the apostolic man, to confirm by his precept what had been established by the aforesaid. And so Pope Benedict not only confirmed, at his request, what the others had established, but also excommunicated by his own malediction those who should violate his gift and precept in any respect. After the death of that glorious knight and of Robert, most invincible king of the Franks, Gerard, dean of the same place, going to France, asked the most pious King Henry, son of the aforesaid Robert, to deign by his authority to confirm in like manner this precept which his father had confirmed; which the most glorious king, together with his son Philip, establishing and affirming at the entreaty of the aforesaid dean, established something further besides: that whatever should afterwards be bestowed there by any persons as alms or for any reverence, in the same manner as with the rest, if anyone should diminish or defraud it, he should incur a like penalty and excommunication.
[7] [The gifts made by Guy and by his sons are reviewed, and the names of those who had a part in these matters.] And the gifts which the aforesaid Guy by precept gave as its own to the church of the most blessed Genesius are these: namely the church of St. John with the villa in which it is situated, which is called Quaccurs ; he gave also the woods which lie in the circuit of the villa, and all things pertaining to the same villa; he gave also all the clearings of that same wood, which had been made up to that present time, and which should thereafter be made for the sake of sowing by all who should wish to work there: moreover he gave another church of St. Mary, with the villa which is called Aqua-Sparta , and all things which pertain to that villa; so that none of his people should dare thereafter to take anything from it. He gave also one field, in which eight sesters can be sown. And Theotbald his son at his death gave the wood of Bornata: William also his brother gave in his lifetime two manses, and after his death the very great wood which is called Born, giving as a testimony in his lifetime to the clerics all things necessary for fire and for building houses: also the lights in the church of St. Genesius through the whole year he likewise gave from it as a testimony: he also granted in like manner pasturage in the same wood for their demesne pigs. — Sign of Benedict, pope. — Sign of Robert, king of the Franks. — Sign of King Henry, son of Robert. — Sign of King Philip, son of King Henry. — Sign of William, count of Auvergne. — Sign of Stephen, bishop of Auvergne. — Sign of Robert, count. — Sign of Guy the knight, restorer of the church of St. Genesius. — Sign of Ridlendis * his wife. — Sign of Theobald, his son. — Sign of William, his son. — Sign of Stephen, bishop, his son.
[8] The relics of St. Genesius were preserved there, The names added at the end are not those of subscribers, as Baluze rightly observes, but a brief review of those who had some part in that foundation. One Bishop Stephen, who is read there, is Stephen IV, bishop of Clermont; the other, the son of Guy, is bishop of Le Puy Hist. gén. de la M. d'Auvergne, vol. I, p. 30. There was also communicated to Denis de Sainte-Marthe another charter of the same Guy, some years older than that Notice, whose beginning is this: The ruler of the whole human condition, and in which the following is read Gallia Christ. nova, vol. II, col. 77: Therefore this place, where the body of St. Genesius rests, with the counsel of my wife, Richlendis by name, and of my sons, Stephen the bishop, Theotard * and William, … we have decreed that this place be furnished and ordered in the canonical order in such a manner that there be two prelates, namely a provost and a dean, and that twelve canons be chosen in the number of the twelve apostles and serve the Lord day and night… And I Stephen, bishop of Auvergne, have ratified this at the great entreaty of Lord William, son of this Guy.
The fortune of this chapter was better than that of the monastery of St. Symphorian; so that in the fourteenth century the canons were twenty in number; and at the beginning of the last century fourteen with four semi-prebendaries Ibid., place cited. Yet this institution and the church of St. Genesius suffered very greatly in the year 1578 from the Calvinists. But the principal vicissitudes are comprised in two inscriptions on the vaults of the presbytery and the choir Ibid., volume cited, col. 243: This church was founded in the year 575. Its interior overthrown by age, it was restored in the year 1107. It was disfigured by the flames of the Calvinists in the year 1578. This church, founded by Blessed Avitus, Guy of Thiern increased with a chapter and wealth in the year 1016.
[9] [these were discovered again in the year 1643 beneath the pavement before the altar: the cult of St. Genesius.] For unknown reasons, in all likelihood from fear of the Calvinists, the relics of St. Genesius were hidden beneath the pavement before the principal altar; but the memory did not perish. And so when on the 27th day of September of the year 1643 the bishop of Bethlehem, Andrew de Sauzay, had come to Thiers to impart the sacrament of confirmation, he was asked by the clergy and people to order the earth to be dug up. He granted these prayers. The soil was therefore carried away; and, pits being sunk deep, there was at length found a huge hollow rock or sepulchre, containing ashes, some bones and teeth of St. Genesius the martyr. These, wrapped in linen, were placed in a leaden reliquary, that they might thereafter be preserved more honourably. And miracles, adds Branche La Vie des saincts et des sainctes d'Auvergne, p. 617, from whom we borrow these things, are often done before his altar, especially in healing paralytics or those with bad eyes. The festival was solemnly kept at Thiers from the times of St. Avitus on the 28th day of October; yet for a long time it was not extended more widely. Whence it came about that he is absent from the martyrologies and is not reckoned among the observed Feasts of the diocese of Clermont, inserted in the synodal statutes by William du Prat in the year 1537. But a century later a commemoration of St. Genesius began to be made in the entire diocese of Clermont, as is established from the calendars and breviaries, and even, on the testimony of Branche Ibid., p. 616, in the collegiate church of St. Julian of Brioude, in the diocese of Saint-Flour. Wherefore Châtelain rightly celebrated St. Genesius, neophyte and martyr, at the present day in his Universal Martyrology. Later on, as I find in the liturgical calendars of Clermont for the years 1847 and 1848, the commemoration of St. Genesius was changed into an office of semi-double rite, on account of the feast of the holy apostles Simon and Jude being transferred to the 29th day of October.
Annotations* Clermont.
* S. Jean du Passet.
* Aigue Perce.
* Otherwise Richlendis
* Theobald?
§ II. The baptism of St. Genesius a little before his death. The surname of Boy or Infant. Epitome of the fabulous Life or Passion. Several Saints Genesius of Auvergne and others of Gaul.
[The deeds of St. Genesius are known from St. Gregory of Tours and in all likelihood from the sepulchral stone. He died in his albs,] The more certain things known about St. Genesius were handed down by St. Gregory of Tours. These indeed seem to rest only on the vision or dream of a poor man; but since in claiming and recognising saints the bishops everywhere employed the greatest diligence [Cf. Benedict XIV, On the Canonisation of Saints, Book I, ch. IV, no. 1 and following] and since St. Avitus, who caused the basilica to be raised over his relics only after an examination had been held, was among the most outstanding bishops of the Gauls of that age [Cf. St. Gregory of Tours, Hist. eccl. Francorum, Book IV, ch. 35, Works, col. 298], it is not to be doubted that everything was done prudently. St. Gregory records the abundance of miracles, which were the testimony and confirmation of the vision; but it is also altogether likely that there was inscribed on the sepulchre the name Genesius, who, placed in albs, departed from this world by martyrdom. For this sepulchral title is not unusual; concerning its form several have spoken in the past, especially Mazzocchi In causa Hilari fide constituti actorum recensio. Naples, 1745: and I myself also attempted something
[Explication de deux épigraphes chrétiennes trouvées en Algérie, Précis historiques, September 1854, p. 478 and following]; but far more copiously Edmond Le Blant, the distinguished French archaeologist [Inscriptions chrétiennes des Gaules, vol. I, p. 15 and following and 476 and following].
Just as, that is, the native country of residents was not usually inscribed on tombs, but only that of foreigners; so also on the tombs of the early Christians (who, everyone knew, had long since been baptized) the survivors were not accustomed to engrave that they had departed not without the seal of faith, but on those of recent Christians, so that it might be established that these had not left life without so necessary a sacrament. And it was said in several ways that they had died not long after receiving baptism; most frequently allusion was made to the sheet or white garments with which they had been clothed in the baptistery, provided they had departed from life within the eight days after Easter or Pentecost. Thus on a stone of Cologne the boy Valentinian is said IN ALBIS CUM PACE RECESSISSE to have departed in albs with peace, an anonymous person ALBAS SUAS OCTABAS PASCÆ AD SEPULCRUM DEPOSUISSE to have laid down his albs at the tomb on the octave of Easter, another ALBATUM VEXISSE IN ARCE POLI to have been borne, clad in white, to the citadel of heaven, a fourth LOTUS FONTE SACRO PRIUS RECESSISSE IN ALBIS washed first in the sacred font, to have departed in albs Ibid., pp. 476 and 478. These expressions St. Gregory also frequently employs [Ibid., p. 478. Cf. the index of the Works of St. Greg. of Tours by Ruinart, under Albæ vestes]; but we shall cite only examples of saints. In the book on the Glory of the Confessors Ch. LIV, Works, col. 868 the bishop of Tours records that in the vicus of Ratiate a certain Lupianus rests, passing away in albs, illustrious for miracles; concerning which St. Lupianus it was said in our work at the 1st of July: similarly Ch. XCII, Works, col. 896 that in the vicus of Déols of the territory of Bourges rests blessed Lusor, son of the former senator Leucadius, who is said to have departed from the world in albs; concerning him we shall speak at the 4th day of November.
[11] and on that account surnamed Infant or Boy. Since, then, St. Genesius, placed in albs, departed from this world, on that account without doubt the surname of Infant or Boy has clung to him; so that he is commonly called Saint Genez l'Enfant [Ruinart, in the annotation to ch. 67, Book I of the Glory of the Martyrs of St. Gregory of Tours, Works, col. 766]: although he is declared to have undergone martyrdom at eighteen years of age. Indeed it has been shown by Benedict XIV Bullarium, vol. IV, Constitution XLIII, no. 14 and much better by Cancellieri Dissert. sopra due iscrizioni, p. 59, (a matter on which I too have argued somewhat [De phialis rubricatis, quibus martyrum Romanorum sepulcra dignosci dicuntur, observationes, p. 67 and following],) that the words little infants, infants, sucklings, little ones, little boys, boys and others of the kind once extended much more widely than is now commonly thought, for example that the boy Ponticus, who contended for Christ with St. Blandina at Lyon, was fifteen years old, and that the little infant Maximus, put to martyrdom by the Vandals, was already a monk. But that recent Christians of whatever age were called infants, on account of the new birth received in baptism, Du Cange has demonstrated from St. Zeno of Verona and others Glossarium latinum, under Infans. And that the word boy too was applied to these is the judgment of our Anthony Mary Lupi Epitaphium Severæ, p. 19 and of Edmond Le Blant Inscript. chrét. des Gaules, vol. I, p. 476. Cf. p. 118 and following, relying on inscriptions in which men more than thirty-five or -six years old are called boys, with no indication added that they were slaves. And indeed, since all Christians are soldiers of Christ, bearing his marks in their body, it was natural that recent Christians, no differently from recruits [Almost all the martyrologies at the 3rd of January, on St. Marcellinus the recruit or boy. Cf. Acta SS., vol. I of January, pp. 82 and 83], should be called boys. And so St. Genesius could be called in French l'Enfant, whether this surname represents the Latin word infans or the word puer. On what occasion or in what way the excellent youth was put to death, St. Gregory does not relate. But since martyrdoms were rarely effected by the sentence of judges in lesser towns, is it not more likely that he was killed by the pagan populace, rioting against the Christians and especially a neophyte? If anyone admits this, he will not find me an opponent.
[12] [But formerly in a fabulous legend of Thiers he was said to have come from Mycenae to Arles to St. Trophimus, with whom he lived many years with his mother;] Yet there was formerly recited in the chapter of Thiers a legend much more marvellous; of which Ruinart has made this brief critique Works of St. Gregory of Tours, col. 765, note d: The Acts of this saint exist, but they merit little credit. Branche turned the same into French. For my part I have not judged it worth the labour to have them copied out, since it is enough and more to present their summary in this place. St. Genesius, then, is said to have been born at Mycenae in Greece, of an illustrious house, in the principate of Claudius Drusus, about the year of Christ 50. His mother, a most religious woman, fearing that her son, although not yet dipped in baptism, might be compelled by the most ferocious governor of Achaia either to renounce the Christian faith or to meet death, at the admonition of an angel resolved to leave her country. So both proceeded to Constantinople (rather Byzantium), waiting for the end of the persecution. In vain. Wherefore, crossing the Mediterranean Sea, they went into Catalonia and from there to Arles, where they were received by St. Trophimus, disciple of the apostles and first bishop of that city, with so much the greater charity because he had been taught from heaven of their arrival. The mother informed the holy prelate that her son had not yet been washed in baptism; which sacrament the blessed man conferred on him, and gave him the name Genesius, common in his house. And he would not have anything lacking to those who had left all things for Christ. They gave themselves wholly to piety, continually singing the praises of God. The son venerated the mother, the mother loved the son, both consoled each other concerning their voluntary exile, meditating that the fashion of this world was passing away.
[13] [that from there by divine admonition he went to St. Serenatus, who was hiding near Thiers for fear of the persecutors;] They often asked God to manifest his will to them; which prayer was at length heard. For when for many years now they had been asking this grace from God, it happened one time at night that Genesia, overcome by sleep, heard an angel telling her from God that she should go with her son to St. Serenatus, disciple of St. Austremonius, bishop of Auvergne, who was living a very hard life beneath rocks and in caves near the castellum of Thiers, whither several Christians had fled, avoiding the persecution of monstrous tyrants; she should entrust her offspring to the most holy man, from whose mouth she should learn the divine will. Thinking herself unworthy of this heavenly commerce, the pious woman held back for three days, not ceasing from prayer and committing her son to God. But at night she saw a light, from which a voice came forth, now severe, now sweet, by which she was ordered not to evade; that the will of God was manifest: that her son was to be given to God; that the journey was to be taken which the son himself should show. The holy woman disclosed these things to Blessed Trophimus, who readily persuaded her to obey God. Not without tears the blessed bishop gave the kiss of peace and his blessing to St. Genesius; who with his mother set out through the Alps of Auvergne and came to the foot of the mountain on which St. Serenatus was dwelling. A certain Christian widow received them hospitably and pointed out the hidden seat of the blessed hermit. The next day the religious strangers went to the place where the servant of God was accustomed to pass the night in prayer. When they saw him coming toward them, they threw themselves down by turns; which the most holy old man could not hear without a shower of tears. The blessed man trained them for some time in fasting, prayer and the contemplation of heavenly things, meanwhile providing for the necessities of the body no less than of the soul.
[14] [that he miraculously impressed his foot on a rock, being surrounded with light; but at length captured and killed by pagans] He could not but marvel at the holiness of St. Genesius; but he was astounded at the following miracle. The youth had climbed a very hard rock, called by those after him the Cavern; in which he impressed the prints of his feet, as if in soft wax. At the same time there came down from heaven a fiery globe, by which his hair was surrounded, but in no way burned. From this St. Serenatus understood that he would one day be a martyr; at the age of 18 years. overjoyed at this news the mother entrusted her son to the excellent old man, and, having said farewell to both, returned to Arles to St. Trophimus. St. Genesius, then, having been wholly committed to St. Serenatus, began to imitate his virtues much more zealously still, so that at Thiers and all around he was held to be distinguished for holiness. And he watched most diligently lest his dearest master should come into the hands of the enemies of the faith; which was the cause of his own death. For when one time on the bank of the Durolle, now the Dore, he was spying out their snares among the thickets, he was captured, subjected to blows, thrown to the ground, his throat pressed by a foot, and tortured in other ways, that he should repudiate the Christian religion and betray the hiding-place of St. Serenatus. He did neither. Wherefore they beheaded him on the 28th day of October, at the age of eighteen years, in the principate of Otho or Galba, Valens being praetorian prefect of the Gauls. His master gathered the relics and buried them honourably. — And these things need no refutation, inasmuch as they are altogether in conflict with the testimony of St. Gregory of Tours that St. Genesius departed from this world in albs; from which it is also clear that he was killed not on the 28th day of October, but in the Paschal or Pentecostal days; and that the feast-day was established by St. Avitus on this day not on account of his death, but on account of the dedication of the basilica and the translation of the relics. At what time St. Genesius underwent martyrdom, no indication remains. Concerning St. Serenatus we shall speak at the 1st day of November.
[15] [He is to be distinguished from several others named Genesius, of Auvergne, of Gaul and elsewhere.] In conclusion this one thing seems to need pointing out, that St. Genesius the Boy is to be distinguished from several other namesakes. In the first place the people of Clermont venerate two other men named Genesius, the one a bishop of Auvergne on the 3rd day of June, the other St. Genesius, count of Auvergne, on the 5th day of June; at which days it was spoken of them in our work. Concerning St. Genesius the count we shall note this: Branche Vies des saincts etc. d'Auvergne, p. 348 transferred to him the surname of Infant or Boy; but nothing occurs in his Life on account of which he should be designated by this appellation: so that one must rather trust Ruinart, who affirms that by this word St. Genesius of Thiers is distinguished from the others. St. Gregory of Tours celebrates two other men named Genesius, the one a martyr and notary of Arles, with whose relics St. Avitus enriched the basilica of St. Genesius of Thiers and whose Acts are illustrated in our work at the 25th day of August; and the other a martyr of Bigorre, whose feast-day has been lost. There comes moreover at the 1st day of November St. Genesius, archbishop of Lyon; and a few others outside the Gauls; yet so that this name was far more frequently used in the Gauls. By which
it is also concluded that St. Genesius of Thiers was a Gaul by nation, and by no means of a house at Mycenae. Concerning the present-day cult we can add nothing, inasmuch as we have received no reply to the letter sent to Thiers.