Zachary, Bishop of Vienne

Zacharias of Vienne was, according to tradition an early bishop of Vienne in the south of France. His historical existence and date is uncertain, but falls well into the 3rd century.

In the list of bishops of Vienne, he is out in second place after the Holy Crescentius. The latter, who had been a pupil of Peter, Zacharias have appointed his successor in the episcopate. Zacharias himself had been a pupil of Paul. Zacharias lived outside of Vienne in the house of a Christian widow named Fuscina and many residents in the area converted, before the governor Pompey had taken and asked him to sacrifice to the Roman gods Mars in the near Temple. After Zacharias refused, he was stoned to death in front of the Gratianstor. Martin, his successor in the episcopate, have then provided for an honorable funeral and a chapel was built over the grave. The Chronicle of Ado of Vienne dates the martyrdom of Zacharias in the reign of the Emperor Trajan, but as the fourth bishop of Vienne and successor of Martin, I. Verus, is attested only in the year 314, such an early date seems unlikely.

At least since the time of Bishop Ado of Vienne ( 9th century ) is venerated as a saint Zacharias. His feast day is 26 or May 27