Eutropius of Saintes
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According to tradition, Eutropius von Saintes (French Saint Eutrope ; * unknown, † around 250 in Saintes ) was bishop of the city of Saintes in Aquitaine in the 3rd century . He is one of the most famous saints in France .
biography
Large parts of his life are in the dark: there are legends according to which he is said to have come to southern France in a ship with Mary and her companions Mary Magdalene and Martha of Bethany after Christ's death on the cross ; According to another tradition, he was a companion of Dionysius of Paris or Martial of Limoges . Gregory of Tours reports in the 6th century that he was said to have been bishop in Gaul under Emperor Decius (r. 249-251) . He had converted many people to the Christian faith, including Estella, the 13-year-old daughter of the Roman governor, who subsequently lived with him. The governor then hired mercenaries who instigated a popular uprising and stoned the bishop. A man from the people took pity and killed Eutropius with an ax that split his skull in two. Estella and others buried the body; she was then beheaded on the orders of her father and buried next to Eutropius.
Adoration
Around the year 590, Palladius von Saintes brought the saint's body in its stone sarcophagus in the then newly built church of Saint-Eutrope . The sarcophagus was opened and a split skull was found which was transported back and forth between Bordeaux and Saintes several times in the following centuries , where it broke. As a result, numerous fragments of the saint's relics found their way to other churches in France, which from then on often bore his name (listed in the French Wikipedia article). In 1842 the sarcophagus was reopened and the bones of at least two people identified at the time as Eutropius and Estelle were found. His feast day is April 30th.
presentation
Medieval representations of St. Eutropius are not known. More recent representations have only existed since the 17th or 18th century. He wears a bishop's staff and a bishop's cap ; Tools of torture are not shown.
Web links
See also
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Eutropius of Saintes |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Eutrope |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | bishop |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 3rd century |
| DATE OF DEATH | at 250 |
| Place of death | Saintes |