Germanus of Auxerre
Encyclopedia
Germanus of Auxerre was a bishop of Auxerre in Gaul
. He is a saint
in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, commemorated on July 31. He visited Britain
in around 429 and the records of this visit provide valuable information on the state of post-Roman British society
. Based on the scanty evidence, some scholars have argued that his death should be dated to 445, 446, 447 or 448, and others that it should be dated to c. 437
The principal source for the events of his life is the hagiography
written by Constantius of Lyon
around 480. Constantius was a friend of Bishop
Lupus of Troyes
, who accompanied Germanus to Britain, which provided him with a link to Germanus.
by his predecessor in this post, Amator
. Prior to this he had also practised law and held a post of provincial
governor.
, to visit the island. It was alleged that Pelagianism
was rife among the British clergy, with a British bishop's son named Agricola leading. Germanus went to combat the threat and satisfy the Pope
that the British church would not break away from the Augustinian
teachings of divine grace
.
Germanus and Lupus confronted the British clergy at a public meeting before a huge crowd in Britain. The Pelagians were described as being 'conspicuous for riches, brilliant in dress and surrounded by a fawning multitude'. The bishops debated and, despite having no popular support, Germanus was able to defeat the Pelagians using his superior rhetoric
.
Germanus and Lupus then visited the shrine of Saint Alban
, promoting his cult. Constantius also recounts the miraculous healing of the son of 'a man with tribunician
power'. This use of the word tribune may imply the existence of some form of post-Roman government system. However, in Constantius' lifetime tribune had acquired a looser definition, and often was used to indicate any military officer, whether part of the Imperial army or part of a town militia.
Germanus led the native Britons to a victory against a Pictish
and Saxon army, at a mountainous site near a river, of which Mold
in North Wales
is the traditional location. After baptising his troops he ordered them all to cry 'Alleluia!' The sound apparently so terrified the invaders that they fled before battle could be brought. That Germanus took command may mean that British military leaders had been discredited as Pelagians or that these had themselves enlisted the Saxons and Picts.
The possibly contemporary British ruler described as a "proud tyrant" by Gildas, and identified with the 'Vortigern
' of Welsh tradition, is said to have made use of Saxon mercenaries. The political aspects of Germanus' battle against Pelagianism have been much discussed. It has been suggested by Peter Salway that the battle was fought to ensure that Britain remained sympathetic to Aëtius
and support his bid for control of the Western Roman Empire
. However many scholars would see this as highly speculative to say the least and the 'battle' may have been no more than a skirmish inflated by tradition and / or the saint's hagiographer. It is not possible to know what impact Germanus's visit really had on Pelagianism in Britain. The link with Saint Patrick
, traditionally portrayed as his pupil, is also contested in recent scholarship.
, described by Bede
as 'a chief of that region'. Germanus is said to have cured Elafius' enfeebled son by a miracle that served to persuade the population that Gaulish Catholicism rather than Pelagianism was the true faith.
He died in Ravenna
while petitioning the Roman government for leniency for the citizens of Armorica
, against whom Aëtius had dispatched the Alans
on a punitive expedition
. Germanus had famously confronted Goar, the king of the Alans, so Constantius's Life relates.
on the Sunday nearest to or preceding his festival in July.
The cult
of Saint Germanus of Auxerre spread in northern France
, hence the church Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
facing the Louvre
in Paris
. His cult is clearly distinguished from that of the homonymous Saint Germanus of Paris
. He is associated with the church at Charonne
in the east of Paris and the cult of Saint Genevieve
(Genoveva) in Nanterre
to the west of the city, both situated on the late Roman road
network. His journey to Britain is commemorated in his dedications at Siouville and at Saint-Germain-les-Vaux in the Cotentin (Manche).
at St Germans in Cornwall
bears his name and was in late Saxon times the seat of a bishop
. A few other churches in Cornwall are also dedicated to the saint as is the church at Germansweek in west Devon. More recently a church by Bodley
dedicated to this saint was erected in Adamsdown
, Cardiff
. There are at least four churches dedicated to St Germanus in north Wales, where an alternative form of his name is used. These are Capel Garmon, Llanarmon, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog and Llanarmon-yn-Ial.
Germanus is traditionally credited with the establishment of the Diocese of Sodor and Man
on the Isle of Man
, though this may have been a different man of a similar name. There was widespread conflation of the two in mediaeval tradition, but scholars have contested the traditional identification with the Welsh
Saint Garmon, commemorated in the North Welsh
placename Llanarmon.
In addition, Hilaire Belloc
referred to Germanus in his humorous poem, The Pelagian Drinking Song:
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. He is a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, commemorated on July 31. He visited Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
in around 429 and the records of this visit provide valuable information on the state of post-Roman British society
Sub-Roman Britain
Sub-Roman Britain is a term derived from an archaeological label for the material culture of Britain in Late Antiquity: the term "Sub-Roman" was invented to describe the potsherds in sites of the 5th century and the 6th century, initially with an implication of decay of locally-made wares from a...
. Based on the scanty evidence, some scholars have argued that his death should be dated to 445, 446, 447 or 448, and others that it should be dated to c. 437
The principal source for the events of his life is the hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
written by Constantius of Lyon
Constantius of Lyon
Constantius of Lyon was a priest from what is Auvergne in modern-day France, who wrote a hagiography of Saint Germanus of Auxerre....
around 480. Constantius was a friend of Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Lupus of Troyes
Lupus of Troyes
Saint Lupus was an early bishop of Troyes. Born at Toul, he was brother-in-law to Hilary of Arles, as he had married one of Hilary's sisters, Pimeniola. Lupus worked as a lawyer. However, after being married for six years, he and his wife parted by mutual agreement.Lupus renounced all of his...
, who accompanied Germanus to Britain, which provided him with a link to Germanus.
Early life
Germanus was ordained bishop of AuxerreAuxerre
Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
by his predecessor in this post, Amator
Saint Amator
Saint Amator Amadour or Amatre was bishop of Auxerre from AD 388 until his death on May 1, 418. He is also confused with a hermit of legend whose feast day is August 20. A tradition in Autun also designates him as its first bishop, with an occupancy date of AD 250 that is intended to tie him to...
. Prior to this he had also practised law and held a post of provincial
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
governor.
Visit to Britain
Around 429, shortly after Britain had thrown off Roman rule, a Gaulish assembly of bishops chose Germanus and Lupus, Bishop of TroyesLupus of Troyes
Saint Lupus was an early bishop of Troyes. Born at Toul, he was brother-in-law to Hilary of Arles, as he had married one of Hilary's sisters, Pimeniola. Lupus worked as a lawyer. However, after being married for six years, he and his wife parted by mutual agreement.Lupus renounced all of his...
, to visit the island. It was alleged that Pelagianism
Pelagianism
Pelagianism is a theological theory named after Pelagius , although he denied, at least at some point in his life, many of the doctrines associated with his name. It is the belief that original sin did not taint human nature and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil without...
was rife among the British clergy, with a British bishop's son named Agricola leading. Germanus went to combat the threat and satisfy the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
that the British church would not break away from the Augustinian
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
teachings of divine grace
Divine grace
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
.
Germanus and Lupus confronted the British clergy at a public meeting before a huge crowd in Britain. The Pelagians were described as being 'conspicuous for riches, brilliant in dress and surrounded by a fawning multitude'. The bishops debated and, despite having no popular support, Germanus was able to defeat the Pelagians using his superior rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
.
Germanus and Lupus then visited the shrine of Saint Alban
Saint Alban
Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain. Alban is listed in the Church of England calendar for 22 June and he continues to be venerated in the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox...
, promoting his cult. Constantius also recounts the miraculous healing of the son of 'a man with tribunician
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
power'. This use of the word tribune may imply the existence of some form of post-Roman government system. However, in Constantius' lifetime tribune had acquired a looser definition, and often was used to indicate any military officer, whether part of the Imperial army or part of a town militia.
Germanus led the native Britons to a victory against a Pictish
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
and Saxon army, at a mountainous site near a river, of which Mold
Mold, Flintshire
Mold is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996...
in North Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
is the traditional location. After baptising his troops he ordered them all to cry 'Alleluia!' The sound apparently so terrified the invaders that they fled before battle could be brought. That Germanus took command may mean that British military leaders had been discredited as Pelagians or that these had themselves enlisted the Saxons and Picts.
The possibly contemporary British ruler described as a "proud tyrant" by Gildas, and identified with the 'Vortigern
Vortigern
Vortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
' of Welsh tradition, is said to have made use of Saxon mercenaries. The political aspects of Germanus' battle against Pelagianism have been much discussed. It has been suggested by Peter Salway that the battle was fought to ensure that Britain remained sympathetic to Aëtius
Flavius Aëtius
Flavius Aëtius , dux et patricius, was a Roman general of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was an able military commander and the most influential man in the Western Roman Empire for two decades . He managed policy in regard to the attacks of barbarian peoples pressing on the Empire...
and support his bid for control of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
. However many scholars would see this as highly speculative to say the least and the 'battle' may have been no more than a skirmish inflated by tradition and / or the saint's hagiographer. It is not possible to know what impact Germanus's visit really had on Pelagianism in Britain. The link with Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
, traditionally portrayed as his pupil, is also contested in recent scholarship.
Later life
Germanus may have made a second visit to Britain in the mid 430s or mid 440s, though this is contested by some scholars who suggest it may be a 'doublet' or variant version of the visit that has been mistaken as describing a different visit and erroneously included as such by Constantius, according to whom Germanus was joined by Severus, Bishop of Trier and met ElafiusElafius
Elafius was a British figure of the fifth century AD.During a visit to Britain by Germanus of Auxerre in c. AD 446-7 he met with Elafius and miraculously cured his crippled son...
, described by Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
as 'a chief of that region'. Germanus is said to have cured Elafius' enfeebled son by a miracle that served to persuade the population that Gaulish Catholicism rather than Pelagianism was the true faith.
He died in Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
while petitioning the Roman government for leniency for the citizens of Armorica
Armorica
Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
, against whom Aëtius had dispatched the Alans
Alans
The Alans, or the Alani, occasionally termed Alauni or Halani, were a group of Sarmatian tribes, nomadic pastoralists of the 1st millennium AD who spoke an Eastern Iranian language which derived from Scytho-Sarmatian and which in turn evolved into modern Ossetian.-Name:The various forms of Alan —...
on a punitive expedition
Punitive expedition
A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons outside the borders of the punishing state. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge...
. Germanus had famously confronted Goar, the king of the Alans, so Constantius's Life relates.
Cult
Saint Germanus's tomb continues to be venerated in the church of the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, which although now part of municipal museum remains open for worship at stated times. There is a tradition of a panegyricPanegyric
A panegyric is a formal public speech, or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from the Greek πανηγυρικός meaning "a speech fit for a general assembly"...
on the Sunday nearest to or preceding his festival in July.
The cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
of Saint Germanus of Auxerre spread in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, hence the church Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois
The Church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois is situated at 2, Place du Louvre, Paris 75001; the nearest Métro station is Louvre-Rivoli.Located at the center of Paris, by the Seine and near the Louvre, this former parish of the kings of France is generally regarded as the Church of the Louvre...
facing the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. His cult is clearly distinguished from that of the homonymous Saint Germanus of Paris
Germain of Paris
Saint Germain was a bishop of Paris, who was canonized in 754. He is known in his early vita as pater et pastor populi, rendered in modern times as the "Father of the Poor".-Biography:...
. He is associated with the church at Charonne
Charonne (Paris Metro)
Charonne is a station on line 9 of the Paris Métro. It was opened on 10 December 1933 with the extension of the line from Richelieu - Drouot to Porte de Montreuil....
in the east of Paris and the cult of Saint Genevieve
Genevieve
St Genevieve , in Latin Sancta Genovefa, from Germanic keno and wefa , is the patron saint of Paris in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition...
(Genoveva) in Nanterre
Nanterre
Nanterre is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located west of the center of Paris.Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre....
to the west of the city, both situated on the late Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
network. His journey to Britain is commemorated in his dedications at Siouville and at Saint-Germain-les-Vaux in the Cotentin (Manche).
In Great Britain
The former priory churchSt German's Priory
St German's Priory is a large Norman church in the village of St Germans in south-east Cornwall, in the United Kingdom.-History:According to a credible tradition the church here was founded by St Germanus himself ca. 430 AD. The first written record however is of Conan being made Bishop in the...
at St Germans in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
bears his name and was in late Saxon times the seat of a bishop
Bishop of St Germans
The Bishop of St Germans is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Truro, in the Province of Canterbury, England....
. A few other churches in Cornwall are also dedicated to the saint as is the church at Germansweek in west Devon. More recently a church by Bodley
George Frederick Bodley
George Frederick Bodley was an English architect working in the Gothic revival style.-Personal life:Bodley was the youngest son of William Hulme Bodley, M.D. of Edinburgh, physician at Hull Royal Infirmary, Kingston upon Hull, who in 1838 retired to his wife's home town, Brighton, Sussex, England....
dedicated to this saint was erected in Adamsdown
Adamsdown
Adamsdown is an inner city area and community in the south of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.-History:In mediaeval times, Adamsdown lay just outside the east walls of Cardiff and was owned by the lords of Glamorgan. The area may be named after an Adam Kygnot, a porter at Cardiff Castle around...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. There are at least four churches dedicated to St Germanus in north Wales, where an alternative form of his name is used. These are Capel Garmon, Llanarmon, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog and Llanarmon-yn-Ial.
Germanus is traditionally credited with the establishment of the Diocese of Sodor and Man
Diocese of Sodor and Man
Sodor and Man is a diocese of the Church of England. Originally much larger, today it covers just the Isle of Man and its adjacent islets.-Early history:...
on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, though this may have been a different man of a similar name. There was widespread conflation of the two in mediaeval tradition, but scholars have contested the traditional identification with the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Saint Garmon, commemorated in the North Welsh
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
placename Llanarmon.
Fictional portrayals of Germanus
- Germanus figures in the 2004 movie King ArthurKing Arthur (film)King Arthur is a 2004 film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Franzoni. It stars Clive Owen as the title character, Ioan Gruffudd as Lancelot, and Keira Knightley as Guinevere....
, although his second and final mission to Britain took place twenty years before the year the movie is set in. He is portrayed by Italian actor Ivano Marescotti.
- His visit to Britain is the subject of a Welsh radio play by Saunders LewisSaunders LewisSaunders Lewis was a Welsh poet, dramatist, historian, literary critic, and political activist. He was a prominent Welsh nationalist and a founder of the Welsh National Party...
entitled Buchedd Garmon.
- Germanus appears many times in the Jack WhyteJack WhyteJack Whyte is a Scottish-Canadian novelist of historical fiction. Born and raised in Scotland, Whyte has been living in Canada since 1967. He resides in Kelowna, British Columbia....
series "A Dream of Eagles'" and "The Golden Eagle" .
In addition, Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc
Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc was an Anglo-French writer and historian who became a naturalised British subject in 1902. He was one of the most prolific writers in England during the early twentieth century. He was known as a writer, orator, poet, satirist, man of letters and political activist...
referred to Germanus in his humorous poem, The Pelagian Drinking Song:
- And with his stout Episcopal staff
- So thoroughly whacked and banged
- The heretics all, both short and tall --
- They rather had been hanged.
- In Valerio Massimo Manfredi's novel The Last LegionThe Last LegionThe Last Legion is a 2007 film directed by Doug Lefler. Produced by Dino De Laurentiis and others, it is based on a 2003 Italian novel of the same name written by Valerio Massimo Manfredi...
, Germanus dies in Britain after his arrival on the island when trying to lead the Romans and Britons against the barbarian PictsPictsThe Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
. Before he died, the Bishop recited his last words as a prophecy and founded the last legion of Britain, entrusting them with their standard; a silver dragon with a purple tail.
Further reading
- Hoare, F. R. (1965) The Western Fathers. New York: Harper Torchbooks (A translation of the "Life of St Germanus" appears on pp. 283–320)
- Catholic Encyclopedia article
- Bowen, E. G. (1954) The Settlements of the Celtic Saints in Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press
- Thompson, E. A. (1984) Saint Germanus of Auxerre and the End of Roman Britain. Woodbridge: Boydell
- Wood, I. N. (1984) "The End of Roman Britain: Continental evidence and parallels", in M. Lapidge & D. Dumville (eds.) Gildas: New Approaches. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell; pp. 1 – 25.