Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 1946
An anonymous presbyter in Brioude baptises the inhabitants of the region, probably in the second half of the fourth century. Account of Gregory of Tours, "The Miracles of the Martyr Julian", Tours (Gaul), AD 573/585.
6.
 
Anonymous presbyter baptized the pagans living near the chapel containing the tomb of St. Julian in Brioude. A large shrine of Mars and Mercury was destroyed afterwards.
  
(ed. de Nie 2015: 316-318, summarised by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

Judging by the place of this passus in the Gregory's narrative, this anonymous presbyter (if he ever existed) was active near the end of the fourth century.

Place of event:

Region
  • Gaul
City
  • Brioude

About the source:

Author: Gregory of Tours
Title: The Miracles of the Martyr Julian, The Suffering and Miracles of the Martyr Saint Julian, De passione, virtutibus et gloria sancti Iuliani martyris, Virtutes sancti Iuliani
Origin: Tours (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
It seems that Gregory of Tours (Gaul) started to collect the stories of Julian`s miraculous interventions and his sanctuary at Brioude since the very beginning of his ecclesiastical career. In the second chapter of "The Miracles of Saint Julian" (Virtutes sancti Iuliani), Gregory mentions his journey to Brioude while still serving as deacon in Lyon. This is not surprising, as Brioude lies just some sixty kilometres south of Gregory`s hometown, Clermont. Julian maintained his position as a very important saint to Gregory after his episcopal ordination. During Gregory`s episcopate, Julian`s relics were brought to Tours and a basilica was built there in his name. By cross-reference, Raymond Van Dam proved that Gregory had finished his book on Julian`s miracles in the early 580s (Van Dam 1993: 162-163).
Recently, Giselle de Nie proposed a new edition of "The Miracles" which combines the earlier editions by Ruinart, Bordier, and Krusch. She normalised the spelling and punctuation, and provided a new translation "that stays as close as possible to the author`s train of thought" (de Nie 2015: xxv).
Edition:
Gregory of Tours, Lives and Miracles, ed. and trans. G. de Nie, Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library 39, Cambridge, MA and London 2015, pp. 299-419.
 
Translation:
Gregory of Tours, The Suffering and Miracles of the Martyr St. Julian, trans. R. Van Dam, in: R. Van Dam, Saints and their Miracles in Late Antique Gaul, Princeton 1993, pp. 162-195.

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Ritual activity - Baptism and instructing catechumens
Relation with - Pagan
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1946, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1946