Peregrine of Auxerre
Encyclopedia
Saint Peregrine of Auxerre (d. ca. 261 AD or ca. 304 AD) is venerated as the first bishop of Auxerre and the builder of its first cathedral
. A strong local tradition states that he was a priest of Rome
appointed by Pope Sixtus II
to evangelize this area at the request of the Christians resident in that part of Gaul. He preached at Marseilles, Lyon
, and converted most of the inhabitants of Auxerre
to Christianity
.
At Intaranum –present-day Entrains-sur-Nohain
– Peregrine angered the governor after the saint appealed to the populace to abandon pagan idols
; the inhabitants had been dedicating a new temple to Jupiter.
The Martyrologium Hieronymianum
states that he was tortured and beheaded
at vicus Baiacus (Bouhy
) (in present-day Nièvre
) during the persecutions of Diocletian
.
His lector
Jovinian, venerated as a saint, was also martyred with him. Other companions included Marsus, his priest; Corcodomus, his deacon
; and Jovian his subdeacon
.
Historians postulate that he was probably not a bishop at all, but rather a missionary
who had been sent to the rural areas of this region. In the ninth century, churchmen of Auxerre made this local martyr
the first bishop of their city.
In the 7th century, some of his relics were translated from Bouhy to the Abbey of Saint-Denis. Pope Leo III
ordered the construction of the church of San Pellegrino in Naumachia dedicated to Saint Peregrine in Rome
near the Hospitale Francorum, which served French pilgrim
s. A street near the church was named San Pellegrino after the saint; it later gave its name to the Porta San Pellegrino.
In 1645, while work was being carried out underneath the altar
of the church of Bouhy, a human cranium was discovered. After an investigation, this was declared a relic
of Peregrine and it was solemnly brought back to Auxerre.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. A strong local tradition states that he was a priest of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
appointed by Pope Sixtus II
Pope Sixtus II
Pope Sixtus II or Pope Saint Sixtus II was Pope from August 30, 257 to August 6, 258. He died as a martyr during the persecution by Emperor Valerian....
to evangelize this area at the request of the Christians resident in that part of Gaul. He preached at Marseilles, Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, and converted most of the inhabitants of Auxerre
Auxerre
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...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
At Intaranum –present-day Entrains-sur-Nohain
Entrains-sur-Nohain
Entrains-sur-Nohain is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Demographics:At the 1999 census, the population was 975. On 1 January 2007, the estimate was 900.-References:*...
– Peregrine angered the governor after the saint appealed to the populace to abandon pagan idols
Cult image
In the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents...
; the inhabitants had been dedicating a new temple to Jupiter.
The Martyrologium Hieronymianum
Martyrologium Hieronymianum
The Martyrologium Hieronymianum was a medieval list of martyrs, one of the most used and influential of the Middle Ages...
states that he was tortured and beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
at vicus Baiacus (Bouhy
Bouhy
Bouhy is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Demographics:At the 1999 census, the population was 469. On 1 January 2007, the estimate was 463.-References:*...
) (in present-day Nièvre
Nièvre
Nièvre is a department in the centre of France named after the Nièvre River.-History:Nièvre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
) during the persecutions of Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
.
His lector
Lector
Lector is a Latin term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as , , and . It has various specialized uses:...
Jovinian, venerated as a saint, was also martyred with him. Other companions included Marsus, his priest; Corcodomus, his deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
; and Jovian his subdeacon
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
.
Veneration
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
who had been sent to the rural areas of this region. In the ninth century, churchmen of Auxerre made this local martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
the first bishop of their city.
In the 7th century, some of his relics were translated from Bouhy to the Abbey of Saint-Denis. Pope Leo III
Pope Leo III
Pope Saint Leo III was Pope from 795 to his death in 816. Protected by Charlemagne from his enemies in Rome, he subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position by crowning him as Roman Emperor....
ordered the construction of the church of San Pellegrino in Naumachia dedicated to Saint Peregrine in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
near the Hospitale Francorum, which served French pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s. A street near the church was named San Pellegrino after the saint; it later gave its name to the Porta San Pellegrino.
In 1645, while work was being carried out underneath the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
of the church of Bouhy, a human cranium was discovered. After an investigation, this was declared a relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
of Peregrine and it was solemnly brought back to Auxerre.