Marius Aventicensis
Encyclopedia
Marius Aventicensis or, popularly, Marius of Avenches (532 – 31 December 596) was the Bishop of Aventicum
(modern Avenches
) from 574, remembered for his terse chronicle
. After his death in Lausanne
, he was venerated in that city as a saint
, and his feast day was celebrated on 9 or 12 February.
What is known of him, aside from his chronicle, is from the inscription on his tomb in the church of Saint Thyrsus
in Lausanne He came of a distinguished, rich family, probably Gallo-Roman in their culture. In 574 he was made Bishop of Aventicum, took part in the Second Council of Mâcon
in 585, and shortly afterwards transferred his episcopal see from Aventicum, which was rapidly declining, to Lausanne
.
His metrical tomb inscription of unknown date, published in Gallia Christiana
, extols him as an ideal bishop; as a skilled goldsmith who made the sacred liturgical vessels with his own hands; as a protector and benefactor of the poor who ploughed his own land; as a man of prayer, and as a scholar. In 587 he consecrated a proprietary church
built at his expense on property of his own at Paterniacum (Payerne
). The church of Saint Thyrsus was rededicated at an early date to Saint Marius.
His brief chronicle is a continuation of the Chronicon Imperiale usually said to be the chronicle of Prosper of Aquitaine
. It covers the years from 455 to 581, and is a valuable source for Burgundian
and Franconia
n history, especially for the second half of the sixth century, "and serves to correct the bias of Gregory of Tours
against the Arians
of Burgundy" It has been frequently published — first by Chifflet in André Duchesne
's Historiæ Francorum Scriptores, I (1636), 210-214; again by Migne
in Patrologia Latina
, LXXII, 793-802, by Theodor Mommsen
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica
, Auctores antiqui, XI (1893), 232-9, and by Justin Favrod with a French translation: La chronique de Marius d'Avenches (455–581) (Lausanne 1991).
Aventicum
Aventicum was the largest town and capital of Roman Switzerland . Its remains are beside the modern town of Avenches....
(modern Avenches
Avenches
Avenches is a Swiss municipality in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Broye-Vully.-History:The roots of Avenches go back to the Celts...
) from 574, remembered for his terse chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
. After his death in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, he was venerated in that city as 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...
, and his feast day was celebrated on 9 or 12 February.
What is known of him, aside from his chronicle, is from the inscription on his tomb in the church of Saint Thyrsus
Saint Thyrsus
Saint Thyrsus or Thyrsos is venerated as a Christian martyr. He was killed for his faith in Sozopolis , Phrygia during the persecution of Decius. Leucius and Callinicus were martyred with him. Tradition states that Thrysus endured many tortures and was sentenced to be sawn in half...
in Lausanne He came of a distinguished, rich family, probably Gallo-Roman in their culture. In 574 he was made Bishop of Aventicum, took part in the Second Council of Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
in 585, and shortly afterwards transferred his episcopal see from Aventicum, which was rapidly declining, to Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
.
His metrical tomb inscription of unknown date, published in Gallia Christiana
Gallia Christiana
The Gallia Christiana, a type of work of which there have been several editions, is a documentary catalogue or list, with brief historical notices, of all the Catholic dioceses and abbeys of France from the earliest times, also of their occupants....
, extols him as an ideal bishop; as a skilled goldsmith who made the sacred liturgical vessels with his own hands; as a protector and benefactor of the poor who ploughed his own land; as a man of prayer, and as a scholar. In 587 he consecrated a proprietary church
Proprietary church
During the Middle Ages, the proprietary church was a church, abbey or cloister built on private ground by a feudal lord, over which he retained proprietary interests, especially the right of what in English law is "advowson", that of nominating the ecclesiastic personnel...
built at his expense on property of his own at Paterniacum (Payerne
Payerne
Payerne is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was the seat of the district of Payerne, and is now part of the district of Broye-Vully....
). The church of Saint Thyrsus was rededicated at an early date to Saint Marius.
His brief chronicle is a continuation of the Chronicon Imperiale usually said to be the chronicle of Prosper of Aquitaine
Prosper of Aquitaine
Saint Prosper of Aquitaine , a Christian writer and disciple of Saint Augustine of Hippo, was the first continuator of Jerome's Universal Chronicle.- Life :...
. It covers the years from 455 to 581, and is a valuable source for Burgundian
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
and Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
n history, especially for the second half of the sixth century, "and serves to correct the bias of Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
against the Arians
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
of Burgundy" It has been frequently published — first by Chifflet in André Duchesne
André Duchesne
André Duchesne was a French geographer and historian, generally styled the father of French history. He was educated at Loudun and afterwards at Paris...
's Historiæ Francorum Scriptores, I (1636), 210-214; again by Migne
Migné
Migné is a commune in the Indre department in central France.-References:*...
in Patrologia Latina
Patrologia Latina
The Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1844 and 1855, with indices published between 1862 and 1865....
, LXXII, 793-802, by Theodor Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica
Monumenta Germaniae Historica
The Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
, Auctores antiqui, XI (1893), 232-9, and by Justin Favrod with a French translation: La chronique de Marius d'Avenches (455–581) (Lausanne 1991).
External links
- Online MGH version of the Chronicle
- Catholic Encyclopedia : St. Marius Aventicus
- Henry Wace, Dictionary of Christian Biography: Marius, bp. of Lausanne
- Chronicon (in Latin)