Bibianus of Saintes

St. Vivianus (1803)

The church of Saint-Vivien in Saintes was supposedly built in the 19th century over the - lost - tomb of the saint.

Church Saint-Vivien , Pons (12./15. Century.)

Bibianus von Saintes (French: Saint Vivien ; * unclear; † 5th century) was Bishop of Saintes in Aquitaine in the 5th century .

Lore

According to tradition, Bibianus came from a wealthy, perhaps even royal, family. His father was a pagan, but his mother ( Maurela or Maurelia ) had adopted the Christian faith. Bishop Ambrose de Saintes was his teacher; after completing his training he was ordained a priest by him. After his death Bibianus followed him in the episcopate .

In this capacity he traveled to the Visigothic King Theodoric , who adhered to Arianism, on the Iberian Peninsula and there he obtained the release of the Trinitarian Christians who had been captured by him .

It is also recorded that the bishop began to bleed from his nose while visiting an oriental merchant. The merchant caught the blood of the man who was already venerated as a saint during his lifetime in a bottle, which he brought back to his homeland (Constantinople?), Whereupon many of the possessed were freed from their demons .

The year of his death is sometimes given as 460, but sometimes also as 490.

Adoration

Several churches - especially in the southwest of France - are dedicated to St. Bibianus ( Saint-Vivien ) consecrated; his feast day is August 28th. The male first name Vivien has become rare.

presentation

High medieval representations of the saint are unknown; since the late Middle Ages he was shown only rarely and then mostly in the bishop's robe ( staff , miter ).

literature

Anonymous: Vita S. Bibiani, Sanctonensis Episcopi. 1729

Web links

Commons : Saint Vivien - collection of images, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Bibianus of Saintes
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Vivien, Saint
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Bishop of Saintes
DATE OF BIRTH	4th century or 5th century
DATE OF DEATH	5th century
Place of death	Saintes