Saint Germanus

Bishop of Auxerre (380- 450)

Feast- July 30

St. Germanus was born in Auxerre around 380 AD, son of Rusticus and Germanilla, and his family was one of the noblest in Gaul in the latter portion of the fourth century.

He received the very best education provided by the distinguished schools of Arles and Lyons, then he studied rhetoric and law in Rome. He practiced there before the tribunal of the prefect for some years with great success. His high birth and brilliant talents brought him into contact with the court, and he married Eustachia, a lady highly esteemed in imperial circles. The emperor Honorius made him general of the imperial troops for his native province and sent him back to Gaul, appointing him one of the six dukes, entrusted with the government of the Gallic provinces. He resided at Auxerre.

St. Germanus, according to appearances, was not of outstanding piety during his youth. Returning to Auxerre, he indulged his passion for hunting and incurred the displeasure of the bishop, St. Amator by hanging hunting trophies on a certain tree, which in earlier times had been the scene of pagan worship. St. Amator remonstrated with him in vain, but God made known to this holy bishop his forthcoming death, and that St. Germanus was destined to succeed him. One day when the duke was absent, the bishop had the tree cut down and the trophies burnt. St. Amator went to see the Prefect Julius and asked his permission to have St. Germanus as a member of his clergy; and the permission was granted.

When the duke came to the church, St. Amator caused the doors to be barred and gave him the tonsure against his will, and clothed him with the ecclesiastical habit, taking him by surprise during an assembly of the faithful, telling him to live as one destined to be his successor, and forthwith made him a deacon.

A wonderful change was instantly wrought in St. Germanus. Fearing to oppose the Will of God he accepted everything that had happened as the Divine will, immediately became another man, and making over his lands to the Church adopted a life of humble penance. He gave himself up to prayer, study, and works of charity, rapidly attained high perfection. Chosen to succeed St. Amator, he was consecrated on 7 July 418 as Bishop of Auxerre. From that time on, St. Germanus’s faith became deeper, and his prayer more fervent. His education now served him in good stead in the government of the diocese, which he administered with great sagacity. He gave away his possessions to the poor, ate coarse barley bread only in the evening. He often fasted for several days, dressed in simple monastic garb. He built a large monastery dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian on the banks of the Yonne.

The gift of miracles was given him which he attempted to conceal, but it became known when he obliged the demon, during a public exorcism, to reveal the place where stolen money was concealed. Afterwards there was never a time when all the roads leading to his residence were not filled with crowds of people seeking his assistance. Many sick where healed, possessed delivered. Invariably his modesty caused him to attribute the multiplying prodigies to the relics of Saints which he wore around his neck, or to the sign of the Cross, or to the holy water he sometimes used, or to oil which he blessed. The furious demons tormented him with temptations and terrifying apparitions but found themselves powerless to disturb his peace.

Around 429, shortly after the Romans had withdrawn from Britain, the Pelagian heresy was laying waste among the British clergy, led by a British bishop’s son named Agricola. St. Germanus was chosen by the reigning Pontiff to go and deliver the Britons from the snare of Satan and to prevent the British church from breaking away from the Augustinian teachings of divine grace. On the way to Britain they passed through Nanterre, where St. Germanus noticed in the crowd which met them a young girl, whom he bade live as one espoused to Christ, and who later became St. Geneviève of Paris. With St. Lupus he preached in the fields and highways throughout the land. Eventually he met the heretics face to face in a public conference, where each party was given an opportunity to speak. The Pelagians were described as being ‘conspicuous for riches, brilliant in dress and surrounded by a fawning multitude’. When the heretics had defended their position, the two holy bishops answered with such force that their adversaries were reduced to silence, and the faithful rejoiced in the triumph of the Catholic faith.

Immediately after the debate with the Pelagians, St.Germanus gave thanks for his victory at the grave of Saint Alban, which was likely in some sort of tomb or basilica. Some translators use the word “shrine”; this word, which is not the original Latin, would have suggested that the cult of St. Alban had been established before St. Germanus’ visit to Britain.

In 447 he was invited to revisit Britain, and went with Severus, bishop of Trèves. It would seem that he did much for the Church there, if one can judge from the traditions handed down in Wales. On this visit he established public schools in Great Britain, which afterwards alleviated the ignorance of the people and preserved them from error. He ordained priests and established an archbishop, and many Saints were formed in the schools which his successors continued to found.

On one occasion St. Germanus took command of an army and led the native Britons to a victory (the Alleluia victory) against Pictish and Saxon raiders, at a mountainous site near a river, of which Mold in North Wales is the traditional location. The enemy approaching, the former general put himself at the head of the Christians. He led them into a vale between two high mountains, and ordered his troops to shout when he gave them a sign. When the Saxon pirates came near them, he cried out thrice, Alleluia, which was followed by the whole army of Britons. The sound echoed from the hills with a noise so loud that the barbarians, judging from the shout that they were facing a mighty army, flung down their arms and ran away, leaving behind their baggage and booty.

On his return to Gaul, he proceeded to Armorica (Brittany) to intercede for the Armoricans who had been in rebellion. Their punishment was deferred at his entreaty, till he should have laid their case before the emperor. He set out for Italy, and reached Milan on 17 June, 448. Then he journeyed to Ravenna, where he interviewed the empress-mother, Galla Placidia, on their behalf. The empress and the bishop of the city, St. Peter Chrysologus, gave him a royal welcome, and the pardon he sought was granted.

After pursuing his good works on behalf of the peoples of both his adopted and his native land, he died in Ravenna on 31 July, 450. His body, as he requested when dying, was brought back to Auxerre and interred in the Oratory of St. Maurice, which he had built. Later the oratory was replaced by a large church, which became a celebrated Benedictine abbey known as St. Germain’s. Some centuries later, Charles the Bald had the shrine opened, and the body was found intact. It was embalmed and wrapped in precious cloths, and placed in a more prominent position in the church. There it was preserved till 1567, when Auxerre was taken by the Huguenots, who desecrated the shrine and cast out the relics.

References and Excerpts

[1]   “Saint Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre.” [Online]. Available: http://sanctoral.com/en/saints/saint_germanus_of_auxerre.html. [Accessed: 7-Jul-2018].
[2]  “St. Germanus the Bishop of Auxerre.” [Online]. Available: https://oca.org/saints/lives/2012/07/31/102156-st-germanus-the-bishop-of-auxerre. [Accessed: 7-Jul-2018].
[3]  “Germanus of Auxerre,” Wikipedia. 04-Jul-2018.
[4]  “CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Saint Germain, Bishop of Auxerre.” [Online]. Available: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06472b.htm. [Accessed: 7-Jul-2018].