St. Mammertus
Name: St. Mammertus
Date: 11 May
Saint Mammertus, Archbishop of Vienne in Dauphiné during the 5th century, was aprelate renowned for his sanctity, learning, and miracles. He instituted in his diocese thefasts and supplications called the Rogations, during the three days before the Ascension,to remedy the neglect of religion which brought down on ancient Gaul manychastisements. Almighty God, to punish the sins of the people, had visited them with wars and otherpublic calamities and awakened the city of Vienne in particular from spiritual lethargy bythe terrors of earthquakes, fires, and ravenous wild beasts, which were sometimes seen inthe very market place. These evils were ascribed by the impious to blind chance, butreligious and prudent persons considered them as tokens of the divine anger, whichthreatened their entire destruction. Amid these scourges, Saint Mammertus received a pledge of the divine mercy. A terriblefire broke out on Easter night in the city of Vienne, which baffled the efforts of men; butby the prayers of the good bishop the fire suddenly went out. This miracle stronglyaffected the minds of the people. It was on this occasion that the holy prelate conceivedthe project of restoring the Rogations, which had fallen into oblivion. The Church ofAuvergne, where Saint Sidonius Apollonarius was bishop of Clermont, also adopted thispious institution before the year 475, and in a very short time it became a universalpractice. His pious reform was received by all the churches of France after the firstCouncil of Orleans under Clovis the Great, and then by the Church of Rome under theauthority of Leo III. Saint Mammertus died about the year 477 in Vienne, but his body was transported toOrleans and placed in its cathedral. There, until the 16th century, it remained in greatveneration, then was burnt by enemies of the Church. |
