Brice of Tours

The Holy Brictius of Tours (c. 370, † 444 in Tours ), also Britius, Brixius, Briktius, Briccius or Bricio, was the fourth Bishop of Tours, and successor of St. Martin in this office.

Church History circumstances of the time

Brictius was a contemporary of Augustine of Hippo and lived in the time of the Council of Ephesus. Gaul was part of the Roman Empire, where Christianity was the official state religion since the end of the 4th century, and was in the process of Christianization advanced. However, the Western Roman Empire was the collapse very close, and were formed in the course of the Great Migration in the fifth century, various Germanic kingdoms; the time was so politically rather uncertain.

Life

According to legend, an orphan who had been saved by Martin of Tours, Brictius was raised in Martin's monastery. He proved himself as a talented and ambitious student, but was more secular oriented, spirited, sharp-tongued and a lot more critical of the ever revered Martin, as its environment thought was right.

An anecdote reported that he had been asked by a poor according to Martin and replied: " Go to the church, and if you see a man constantly like a madman or rapturous looks to the sky, is it. " In another case, have he told himself to Martin, a barbarian from the wilds of Hungary could him who was born on the banks of the Loire, not explain how he had to behave. He, who had been brought up decently should, can be made by an uneducated old legionnaire rules? Martin this did not provoke and remained patient and Brictius asked him for forgiveness each - until the next temper tantrum.

When Martin but then prophesied that Brictius be his successor as bishop, but there are many difficulties would, urged him clerics of Tours, where the idea aroused no enthusiasm to such a bishop to send away the troublemakers; but Martin said, "If Jesus could come to terms with Judas, then I can certainly put up with Brictius. "

When Martin died in 397, Brictius actually entered the successor as bishop - elected by the people. During thirty years of teaching, baptizing and firmte and he fulfilled all the duties of a bishop. He was charged in this period several times because lukewarmness to worldly attitude, and various other minor errors, but church official investigations each time acquitted him.

In the thirtieth year of his episcopate was a nun who was a laundress in his household, a child - and the rumors in the city said, Brictius was the father. He envisioned a judgment of God by carrying coals to the grave of St. Martin in his coat. His coat was undamaged, but his people did not believe him and he had to leave Tours, because it would otherwise have been stoned by them.

He took the time to visit ad limina to Rome, and it took him seven years, and was fully acquitted by the Pope. During his absence, several other bishops had been used in Tours; However, when he returned, the last of which was carried by these dead just out of town and Brictius took office again. Seven years later, " he fell asleep blessedly " as one of his biographers chronicled.

Brictius is described in various biographies as a controversial figure. See church historian in the various relevant legends an expression of tensions between monk priests and diocesan priests in the former Tours.

Worship

His remains were transferred from Gregory of Tours to Clermont and are now in the church of San Michele in Pavia.

His feast day is November 13. According to him, Saint - Brictius churches were named.

Iconography

Brictius is depicted as a bishop, with glowing coals in the garment, or with a babe in her arms.

Swell

• Sulpicius Severus: Dialogi III, 15 ( online)
• Gregory of Tours, Historia Francorum, II, 1 In: Bruno Krusch, Wilhelm Levison (ed.): Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 1.1: Gregorii Turonensis Opera. Part 1: Libri historiarum X. Hannover 1937, p 37 ( Monumenta Historica Germaniae, digitized )
• Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks Book II Chap.1 (English)