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Avnarius

Avnarius ( Aunarius, Avnahar, Oner ; Latin Aunarius, Aunacharius , French Aunaire ; died in the 600s ; Auxerre ) - Bishop of Auxerre (561 or the first half of the 570s - the first half of the 600s), saint ( Memorial Day - September 25).

Avnarius
lat Aunarius
Birth

unknown

Death

first half of the 600s

ReveredRoman catholic church
In the faceSaint
Day of RemembranceSeptember 25th

Avnarius is one of the most prominent hierarchs of the Frankish state of the second half of the VI - beginning of the VII century. He was known not only in his homeland, but also under the Holy See .

In medieval historical sources, Avnarius is described as a bishop who tirelessly rejoiced about the welfare of : he built Christian churches and founded monasteries, took care of the poor and destitute.

Documents in modern Avnaria mention a significant contribution made by the Bishop of Oser to the early medieval hagiography : on his initiative, two lives were written and the final version of the late antique collection of biographies of saints was compiled. Avnarius is known as a hierarch who cared for the popularization of Christian worship among the inhabitants of the Osserian diocese and actively fought with the remnants of paganism . The sources also reported on the activities of Avnarius in the field of church law .

Content

Biography

Historical Sources

The main medieval narrative sources telling about Avnaria are his life, written at the beginning of the 7th century shortly after the death of the bishop, and compiled in the 9th century on the basis of earlier documents “ Acts of the Bishops of Osseria ” [1] [2] . Although these works are for the most part repeat and complement each other, conflicting evidence is also present in them. This does not allow modern historians to come to a consensus on some important facts of the biography of Avnarius (first of all, on the question of the time he occupied the episcopal department ) [3] .

Also, several modern Avnarii documents were preserved, including the message to him by Pope Pelagius II , as well as a letter from Bishop Auxerre to Abbot Stefan and the answer to it. The last two messages are published in Patrologia Latina [4] . Avnarius, as one of the most prominent hierarchs of the Frankish state of the second half of the 6th – early 7th centuries, is also mentioned in Aimoin of Fleury's “History of the Franks” [5] .

Early years

The date of birth of Avnaria is not known [6] [7] . According to the “Acts of the Bishops of Osseria,” the future saint was born into a noble family that owned lands near Orleans . His father's name was Pastor, his mother was Ragnaroy. The brother of Avnarius was Bishop of Orleans Austria , and his sister was Austregild, mother of Archbishop [2] [7] [8] [9] [10] . According to the historian Christian Settipani , the maternal grandfather of Avnarius could be the king of the Cambrian francs Ragnahar [11] .

Through the efforts of his parents, Avnarius as a young man was determined to be the court ruler of Burgundy Guntramn . After spending several years at the royal court, Avnarius became weighed down by the service of the secular ruler. Desiring to connect his life with the service of God , without informing anyone, he secretly left the royal court and arrived at the Marmoutier Abbey in Tours . Here, at the grave of St. Martin of Tours, Avnarius took the priesthood. The tonsure ceremony was held by Bishop Autun , who became the mentor and patron of Avnarius [6] [7] [8] [9] [12] .

Bishop Auxerre

Bishop Election

Some time later, thanks to the request of Siagrius Otensky, Avnarius was elected head of the Diocese of Osseria. At the local department, he became the successor to the deceased Bishop Etheria . In medieval historical sources it is narrated that Avnarius was elected with the unanimous consent of the inhabitants and clergy of Auxerre . According to the “ ”, the ceremony of intronization of the new bishop took place on July 31, on the day of memory of St. Herman of Osersky [7] [8] [13] .

The year of the election of Avnarius to the episcopal chair is not exactly known. According to the mention in the Martyrology of Jerome of the forty-four years of the administration of Avnarius of Osser diocese, the ascension of a new bishop to the department dates back to 561 [2] [6] [7] [10] . However, the Acts of the Bishops of Osseria reports that Avnarius was the head of the diocese for thirty years, one month, and twenty-three days. This makes it possible to date his election as Bishop of Osser in 571-573 years [8] [14] [15] [16] [17] . Historians note that in favor of the later date of the election of Avnarius to the chair of Auxerre, evidence of the reign of Guntramn ascended to the throne in 561, as well as the news that Siagri Otensky received the episcopal dignity between 560 and 567 [3] . It is only known for certain that Avnarius was already a bishop in 573, when he was first mentioned in contemporary documents [3] .

Concern for Strengthening Christianity in the Osserian Diocese

 
Church of the Frankish State at the Merovingians

Church traditions credit Avnarius with his great piety and mercy, as well as tireless help to the poor and destitute. In the life of the bishop, he is described as a man "with a face like the face of an angel, eloquent and easily accessible" [8] [9] .

Desiring to strengthen the Christian faith among the inhabitants of his diocese, Avnarii ordered to read daily litanies in churches subordinate to his bishopric authority, and on the first day of each month to conduct solemn services dedicated to the most revered saints in his diocese at that time [7 ] [8] . This liturgical calendar, known as the “ Institutiones de Rogationibus et Vigiliis ”, was compiled, according to some, in 587-589, and according to others - in 592. His authorship is attributed personally to Bishop Avnarii. This document, mentioning services in honor of thirty-two saints, has survived to our time as part of the Acts of the Bishops of Osseria [18] [19] . Avnarius also ordered that liturgical hours be held regularly for separate services for monks and canons [7] [8] .

Among those who were ordained Bishop of Auxerre, there are mentioned Avstregisel , during the time of Avnarius a subdeacon who later became Archbishop of Bourges , and Saint , founder and first abbot in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme [ 7] . Medieval authors wrote that these persons, on their own initiative, came to Auxerre to receive initiation from a man so famous for his piety, like Avnarius [9] .

The foundation of several monasteries is attributed to Avnaria, including in the village of Cassi-le-Bois [7] . Around 580, the bishop ordered a list of all the parishes of the Osserian diocese to be compiled. This list lists thirty-seven villages that had parish churches . For many of them (for example, for , , and others), this document is the first historical source reporting the existence of these settlements [20] .

At the request of Avnarius, a certain Stephen Africanus wrote the lives of two early Bishops of Osser, Saints Amator and Herman [21] . The first of these lives is an original prose composition, the second is a poetic arrangement of the biography of Saint Herman compiled earlier by the Lyon priest Constantius [2] [6] [7] [8] [9] [12] .

Also in the “Martyrology of Jerome” it is mentioned that, at the command of Avnarius, a new edition of this composition was compiled. It is believed that this could be done around 600 years (possibly in 592 [6] ). A copy of the martyrology , commissioned by Bishop Auxerre, became a photographer for all later manuscripts of this historical source [6] [18] . About Avnaria as a person, during which the text of the “Martyrology Jerome” found its final form, is also mentioned in the “ Roman Martyrology ” [7] .

Correspondence with Pope Pelagius II

Bishop Avnarius was the addressee of the two letters of Pope Pelagius II [6] [8] [10] [22] .

In the first of the letters dated October 5, 580, the pope addressed Avnarius as a prelate who had a great influence on the rulers of the Frankish state. In the epistle, Pelagius II expressed regret that Bishop Auxerre was unable to personally come to Rome due to the war in Italy . The pope wrote that he sent to Francia for Avnarius the relics of the saints, whom the bishop requested. In response, Pelagius II asked Avnarius to assist in forcing the Frankish kings to war against the Lombards , the enemies of the pope. Pope wrote to Bishop Auxerre about the many Italians who died at the hands of "idolaters", about the looting of Christian temples and other oppression by the Lombards. In the message, the pontiff called Frankov “divinely appointed neighbors and helpers [in the liberation] of both this city [Rome] and all of Italy.” It is not known whether Bishop Auxerre took any measures in response to the request of the pope, but starting in 584, King Hildebert II of Australia organized several trips to Italy [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] .

The second epistle sent by Pelagius II from Rome in 585-587 was a response to an earlier letter from Avnarius, in which the bishop of Oseria informed the pope about the measures he had taken to strengthen the Christian faith among his parishioners, as well as the construction of many new churches [22 ] . In his response, Pelagius II praised the activities of Avnarius in the episcopal field. Particular praise was given to the pontiff by the efforts of Bishop Auxerre in the construction of new churches and the concern for the creation of biographies of saints [2] . Among other things, in a letter, the pope expressed personal wishes to the Frankish bishop for the further prosperity of the Osserian diocese, led by such an outstanding hierarch as Avnarius [7] [22] [28] .

Church Participation

Avnarius took an active part in the church life of the Frankish state. It is known that he was present at three church councils held in the 570s-580s: at the Fourth Council of Paris [29] 573 and at the First [30] and Second Macon Cathedrals [31] 581/583 and 585 [ 2] [6] [7] [8] [9] . At the Paris Cathedral, convened on the initiative of the Burgundian king Guntramn and with the consent of King Sigiber I of Australia, ways to end the civil wars between the rulers of the Frankish state were discussed. At the First Macon Council both issues of church life and the relationship between the Frankish clergy and the secular authorities of the state were examined. Forty-three bishops participated in the Second Macon Cathedral, initiated by King Guntramn, as well as a significant number of prelates, possibly representing not only the Frankish dioceses, but also the bishoprics located on the territory of the Visigothic kingdom . The main topics of the meeting were issues of strengthening church discipline and the development of norms of relations between the church and the state [32] .

It is also known that Avnarius himself convened a diocesan synod in Auxerre [33] , in which seven abbots, thirty-four priests, and three deacons participated. The date of this cathedral is not precisely established [7] : according to various opinions, it could take place in 578 [4] [14] , in 583 or 585 [6] , or even somewhat later [3] [9] [10] [34] . In favor of later dates, the coincidence of a number of decisions of the Osersky Cathedral with the decrees of the Second Macon Cathedral confirms. It is assumed that among the goals of the Osersky cathedral was, among other things, confirmation of the decisions of the cathedral in Macon [3] [8] [35] . Also, at a meeting convened by Avnarius, issues of compliance with church laws and measures to eradicate the remnants of pagan beliefs among the inhabitants of Burgundy were discussed. At the initiative of the bishop of Oser, the council participants adopted forty-five canons aimed at strengthening church discipline in the kingdom, regulating marriage issues, and also imposing on clergy the duty to combat superstition [6] [7] [8] [12] [34] . The synod convened by Avnarius is the only of the diocesan synods of the Merovingian era , the acts of which have survived to our time [2] [4] [15] [33] .

In 589, Bishop Avnariy, along with other Frankish hierarchs, participated in resolving the conflict that arose in the in Poitiers [7] [9] [8] . The conflict was caused by the desire of one of the nuns, Clotilde , daughter of King Haribert I , to remove Abbess Levbover and become the abbess herself. These disagreements, even accompanied by armed clashes between supporters of two women, quickly led to a decline in morals in the monastery. Several Frankish bishops acted as arbitrators in a quarrel. The History of the Francs by Gregory of Tours contains the text of the episcopal epistle with exhortations to the participants in the conflict. Among the signatories, Bishop Avnarii is also mentioned. The conflict was finally settled in 590: Levboverda retained the dignity of the abbess, and Clotilde gained the right to leave the monastery and live in the estate donated by Queen Brünnhilde [36] .

In yet another composition of Gregory of Tours - “The Miracles of St. Martin ” - mentions the presence of Bishop Avnar of Osersky at the celebration of St. Martin's Memorial Day, held in Tour on November 11, 589 [13] [37] . From the evidence of medieval authors, modern historians conclude that the friendship of Avnarius and Gregory of Tours [3] .

Death and Posthumous Honor

Bishop Avnariy died at the beginning of the 7th century. The date of this event is not precisely established: historians believe that this could happen in 601 [6] , in 603 [8] [10] [12] [17] [38] , in 604 [2] or in 605 [7] [13] [14] [16] [18] [39] [40] . According to the “Martyrology of Jerome,” Avnarius died on September 25 and was buried in the monastery of St. Herman [6] [8] . According to the "Acts of the Bishops of Osser", in his testament Avnarius ordered the transfer of some of his land holdings to two churches, and St. German [8] . The successor of Avnarius at the horseback department was Saint Desiderius (Didier) [8] .

The remains of Avnarius in 859 were solemnly transferred to the crypt of the church of St. German. In 1567, some of them were destroyed by the Huguenots who uncovered the burial places of the Bishops of Osser. However, part of the relics hidden in one of the columns of the crypt has survived to the present day [6] [7] [12] .

The veneration of Avnarius as a saint in the Osserian diocese began shortly after his death. This is evidenced by the life of the bishop, written at the beginning of the VII century. In this essay, created by an anonymous author, numerous miracles are revealed that were revealed both during life and after the death of Avnarius. Among such acts of the holy bishop, the cures of hopeless patients and the successful healing of the obsessed are mentioned [2] . The veneration of Avnarius in the Osserian diocese in the Early Middle Ages is also reported in the Martyrology of Jerome, in which services in memory of the bishop are dated July 31 [18] .

At present, Avnarius is revered as a saint by the whole Roman Catholic Church . This is mentioned in the Roman Martyrology. Memorial Day is celebrated on September 25 [6] [10] [12] [41] .

Notes

  1. ↑ Les Gestes des évêques d'Auxerre / Sot M. - Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 2002 .-- T. I. - 336 p. - ISBN 978-2-2513-4053-1 .
  2. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bouchard CB Episcopal Gesta and the Creation of a Useful Past in Ninth-Century Auxerre // Speculum . - 2009. - No. 84 . - P. 25-27. (inaccessible link)
  3. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 Widdowson M. Gundovald, 'Ballomer' and the Problems of Identity // Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire. - 2008. - Vol. 86, No. 3-4 . - P. 613-619.
  4. ↑ 1 2 3 Aunarius Autissiodorensis Episcopus. Opera // Patrologia Latina. - Vol. 72. - P. 761-768B.
  5. ↑ Aimoin from Fleury . History of the Franks (Book IV, Chapter 1).
  6. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Cousin P. Aunarius of Auxerre, St. // New Catholic Encyclopedia . - Gale , 2003 .-- Vol. 1. - P. 893-894. - ISBN 0-7876-4005-0 .
  7. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Claude H. Sant 'Aunacario di Auxerre // Enciclopedia dei Santi. Bibliotheca Sanctorum. - 2013. - Vol. 3B. - ISBN 978-8-8311-9347-4 .
  8. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Fisquet MH La France Pontificale. Histoire chronologique et biographique des archevêques et évêques de tous les diocèses de France. Sens et Auxerre . - Paris: E. Repos, 1864 .-- P. 241-244.
  9. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Histoire Literaire de la France / Congrégation de Saint-Maur. - Paris: V. Palmé, 1866. - T. III. - P. 493-496.
  10. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nürnberg R. Aunarius // Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche. - Freiburg, Basel, Rom, Wien: Herder, 1993 .-- Bd. one.
  11. ↑ Settipani Ch. Les ancêtres de Charlemagne. - Paris: Editions Christian, 1989 .-- P. 121-123. - ISBN 2-906483-28-1 .
  12. ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 Shahan T. St. Aunarius // Catholic Encyclopedia . - New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. - Vol. Ii. - P. 107-108.
  13. ↑ 1 2 3 Duchesne L. Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule. T. 2. L'Aquitaine et les Lyonnaises . - Paris: Fontemoing et C ie , Éditeur, 1910. - P. 446.
  14. ↑ 1 2 3 Strong J., McClintock J. Aunacharius (or Aunarius), St // The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. - New York, 1880.
  15. ↑ 1 2 Saint Aunaire (French) . Histoire de la cathédrale Saint-Etienne. Date accessed September 20, 2015. (unavailable link)
  16. ↑ 1 2 Goyau G. Sens // Catholic Encyclopedia. - New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. - Vol. Xiii. - P. 716-720.
  17. ↑ 1 2 Prévost A. Aunaire. - Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques . - Paris: Letouzey et Ané, 1931. - T. V. - Col. 689
  18. ↑ 1 2 3 4 Hen Y. Culture and Religion in Merovingian Gaul: AD 481-751 . - BRILL , 1995. - P. 97-100. - ISBN 978-9-0041-0347-4 .
  19. ↑ Gaillard M. La présence épiscopale dans la ville du haut Moyen Âge: sanctuaires et processions // Histoire urbaine. - 2004. - No. 2 (10) . - P. 123-140.
  20. ↑ Raimbault M. À propos du règlement de saint Aunaire et de quelques lieux énigmatiques de Puisaye et des alentours // Société d'études et de recherches culturelles de la Puisaye. - No. 1 (1975) & 2 (1976) .
  21. ↑ Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 1892 , p. 447-448.
  22. ↑ 1 2 3 4 Sotinel C. Pelagio II // Enciclopedia dei Papi. - 2000.
  23. ↑ Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 1892 , p. 448-449.
  24. ↑ Zadvorny V. L. History of the popes. Volume II From St. Felix II to Pelagius II. - M .: College of Catholic Theology. St. Thomas Aquinas, 1997 .-- S. 144-145.
  25. ↑ Zadvorny V. L. Compositions of Roman pontiffs of the era of late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages (I – IX centuries). - M .: Publisher Franciscantsev, 2011. - S. 242. - ISBN 978-5-89208-092-7 .
  26. ↑ Mann H. Pelagius II // Catholic Encyclopedia. - New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. - Vol. Xi. - P. 603.
  27. ↑ The Book of the Popes (Liber Pontificalis) / Loomis LR - Arx Publishing, 2006 .-- P. 167. - ISBN 978-1-8897-5886-2 .
  28. ↑ Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 1892 , p. 449-450.
  29. ↑ Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 1883 , p. 146-151.
  30. ↑ Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 1883 , p. 155-162.
  31. ↑ Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 1883 , p. 163-174.
  32. ↑ Solodovnikov V.V. Early cathedrals: Merovingian Gaul of the VI — VIII centuries. - M .: Association "Spiritual Revival", 2004. - ISBN 5-87727-067-2 .
  33. ↑ 1 2 Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 1883 , p. 178-184.
  34. ↑ 1 2 Hauck A. Auxerre, Synod of // The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. - Michigan: Baker Book House Grand Rapid, 1951. - Vol. I. - P. 385.
  35. ↑ Paschini P., Blais V., Gruber JJ, Bourgin G. Auxerre // Enciclopedia Italiana . - 1930.
  36. ↑ Gregory of Tours . History of the Franks (Book IX, chapters 39–43; Book X, chapters 15-17 and 20).
  37. ↑ Miracles of St. Martin (Book IV, Chapter 13).
  38. ↑ Florilegium Martyrologii Romani: 25. September (German) . Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon. The appeal date is September 20, 2015.
  39. ↑ Dumezil B. Queen of Brungild. - SPb. : Eurasia , 2012 .-- S. 357. - ISBN 978-5-91852-027-7 .
  40. ↑ Butler A. St. Aunaire, Bishop of Auxerre // The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints. - Dublin: James Duffy, 1866. - Vol. IX: September.
  41. ↑ Les Petits Bollandistes Vies des Saints . - Paris: Bloud et Barral, Libraires, 1876. - T. XI. - P. 404-405.

Literature

  • Sainte-Marthe D. de, Hauréau B. Gallia Christiana . - Paris: Typographia Regia, 1770. - Col. 267-268
  • Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon . - Augsburg, 1858. - Bd. 1 .-- S. 357–358.
  • Concilia aevi Merovingici . - Monumenta Germaniae Historica . Legum Sectio III. Concilia. Tomus I. - Hannover: Impensis Bibliopolii Hahniani, 1883. - 282 S.
  • Epistolae Merowingici et Karolini aevi (I) . - Monumenta Germaniae Historica. Epistolae (in Quart). Tomus III. - Berlin: Weidmannos, 1892. - 763 S.
  • Heinzelmann M. Aunacharius // Lexikon des Mittelalters . - Stuttgart: Artemis & Winkler Verlag, 1980. - Bd. I. - ISBN 3-7608-8901-8 .
Source - https://ru.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Avnarium&oldid=99231023


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