Evantius

ON ST. EVANTIUS, BISHOP,

AT AUTUN IN GAUL.

From the ancient Martyrologies.

Perhaps in the fifth century.

Evantius, bishop, at Autun in Gaul (St.)

J. S.

Concerning St. Evantius, Evantus, or Eventius, as he is otherwise called, the bishop, we have nothing except from the martyrologies, St. Evantius in the ancient martyrologies at Autun in which he seems to be announced as a confessor, and constantly at Autun, so that we can easily believe that he was bishop of Autun, which is most likely from the place of his death. In the Hieronymian calendars in Florentinius he is thus read as commemorated: In Gaul, in the city of Autun, the deposition of the blessed Evantius, bishop. The Epternach codex has: At Autun, of Evantius the bishop. There is praised also in Florentinius the Franco-Gallic Hagiology published by Labbe, in which he is thus announced: At Autun, of Eventius the bishop. And the ancient manuscript of St. Sabinus of Levitania: At Autun, of St. Evancus the bishop. Mention of Evantius is made also in the more abridged martyrologies, namely in the Augsburg, the Labbean, and the Gellone, with the city Autun added, but the title of bishop omitted, as is generally done in them. The same is done in the first in Martène, tom. 3 of the Anecdota, col. [ ]. In the Verdun Calendar in the same author, tom. 6 of the Amplissima Collectio, col. 682, is read, of Evantius the bishop, without the place, which is there everywhere omitted.

[2] Rabanus also commemorates Evantius in these words: In the Gauls, in the city of Autun, the deposition of the blessed Evantius, bishop. he is announced as a bishop and confessor: in the fifth century In the Auxerre calendar in Martène: In the city of Autun, of St. Evantius, bishop and confessor. Nearly the same words are read in three editions of Usuard, namely in the Lübeck-Cologne edition, in Greven's, and in Molanus', in which he is celebrated at Autun as bishop and confessor. To these are added most of the moderns, who briefly announce St. Evantius on this day at Autun as bishop and confessor. In the Breviary of Autun I find nothing concerning St. Evantius, so that his feast does not seem to have been celebrated, at least in the later centuries. Nevertheless the martyrologies adduced suffice for us to believe that to the church of Autun

St. Evantius presided, and that we should ascribe to him the title of Saint. In the Gallia Christiana of the most recent edition, tom. 4, col. 337, St. Evantius has been inserted into the catalogue of the bishops of Autun after St. Simplicius in the fifth century, and before St. Leontius; in which place in the more ancient catalogues he is named Eminthius or Evultius, if the opinion of the more recent writers is true. Castellanus in the Supplement at this day notes the death of St. Evantius about the year 405.

[3] he is believed to have sat, but his deeds are unknown. Saussay at this day celebrates St. Evantius with a eulogy wordy enough; but the praised editors of the Gallia Christiana observe that the things related by Saussay rest on no foundation, do not cohere with themselves, and are openly contrary to the registers. Such is the single fact which, besides general eulogies, Saussay asserts — namely, that St. Evantius, while he was a priest, was present at the Third Council of Orléans on behalf of St. Gregory, bishop of Langres, and subscribed to it. For since that council is fixed in the year 538, while Simplicius of Autun, whom Evantius is said to have succeeded, held the episcopate in the fifth century, St. Evantius cannot be said to have been present at the Third of Orléans; nor is there any ground for that assertion beyond the mere similarity of the name. Hence the praised writers rightly subjoin: It is better to confess what is the case, that nothing beyond his name, his order, and his sanctity is available to us. Yet I shall add that his little chapel, almost fallen down with age, is still to be seen in the Polyandrum of the Aeduans. The ignorant crowd wrongly names him St. Ouan. To these things I have nothing more to add; nor do I fix the death of St. Evantius otherwise than in the fifth century, and that hesitantly, because I judge it not altogether certain that St. Evantius succeeded St. Simplicius.