Today Christians Commemorate St. Saturninus, Martyr For Christ – Please Pray For Us!

St SaturninusSaint Saturninus  -Image Courtesy: uCatholic

(EWTN) St. Saturninus was says French historian Fr. Tillemont (1637-1698) “One of the most illustrious Martyrs France has given to the Church.”

History today only possess only his Acts which are very old since they were utilized by St Gregory of Tours (538-594) We know that Saturninus was the first Bishop of Toulouse, whether he went during the consult of Decius and Gratus (250) whether there were already Christians in the town, or his preaching resulted in numerous conversions, Saturninus soon had a little Church. — To reach it, Saturninus had to pass before the Capitol where there was a temple and according to the Acts, the Pagan priests ascribed to his frequent passing the silence of their oracles.

One day the Pagan priests seized Saturninus and on his unshakable refusal to make a sacrifice to the idols, they condemned him to death by being tied by the feet to a bull which drug him about the town until the rope broke.

After Saturninus death, two Christian Women reverently gathered up his remains, burying them in a deep ditch so that they would not be defiled by the evil Pagans. — Saturninus successors St. Hilary (Feast Day: 13 January) and St. Eusbius (Feast Day: 02 August) gave him a more honorable burial. A Church was erected where the Bull which caused his death had stopped and still exists to this day and is called, Notre-Dame du Taur (Church of the Bull) — The body of St. Saturnunus was transferred at an early date and is still preserved in the Church of St. Sernin (or St. Saturnin) one of the most ancient and beautiful in Southern France.

St. Saturninus Feast Day was entered on the Hieronymian Martyrology on this date. — The account of his Acts were embellished with several details and legends linked to his name with the beginning of the Churches: Eauze, Auch, Pamplona and Amiens but these are without historic foundation.

More here from Catholic Encyclopedia/New Advent 2012

Alternative Saint of the Day: Saint Clement -Franciscan Media

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.