Aprus of Toul
Aprus of Toul was the seventh bishop of Toul.[1] His episcopate took place between AD 500 until 15 September in the year 507. he is considered a Saint in Toul since the 10th century, and his feast day is celebrated on 15 September. Aprus also known as Saint Èvre protects from drops.
Life
The life of St. Èvre was written at the end of the tenth century.[2]
Saint Èvre would be, according to his official hagiography, born Trancol near Troyes. Other popular variants shall Trier, center of the ecclesiastical province of Belgica prima. Whatever the venue, Troyes or Trier, he was a man of law, perhaps serving a advocatus, until he decided to become a priest. His name comes from the Latin meaning glimpse boar, although it may also mean Fever. On the death of Bishop St. Ursus (Latin for bear), the faithful of Toul called for Aprus to become bishop. He was elected to the See of Toul; his episcopate lasted for 7 years.
Saint Èvre distributed all his goods to the poor and just lived in his diocese, admired and revered by his followers. Meanwhile, he fought strongly against paganism that was raging in the countryside. He preaches in particular in the city of Grand (Vosges), which was a center of pagan pilgrimage. Important Gallo-Roman ruins remain there.
Burial
Saint Èvre had tried to commence the construction of a large church outside of Toul, it was to the southwest of the walls, and dedicated to Saint Maurice. But he died before seeing this come to pass. When he died, the people of the Toul interred his remains in that church under construction following his will instead of more traditional burial. A community of clerics in the eighth century watch over his church and sanctuary. It takes its name in the following century.
Veneration
Upon the death of the Aprus, the place he died is reported according to the hagiography, to be the site of many miracles and this lasts until the invasions of the 10th century. His relics remained preserved and hidden behind the walls of Toul. Many years later, these relics, which had reinstated the buildings of the Saint-Maurice church are stolen by monks and are returned under the authority of St. Gerard, sixty years later.
In 1802, Bishop of La Fare, Bishop of Nancy, arranged the transfer of Head of St. Epvre it installs in the eponymous church. This church was later destroyed. The windows of the monument that tell the life of the saint were destroyed during the 1914-1918 war. In its place the St. Epvre Basilica was constructed.
Today in Lorraine, forty churches bear the name of St. Èvre, not counting the chapels or old altars. including:
- Domèvre-en-Haye en Meurthe-et-Moselle ;
- Domèvre-sur-Vezouze en Meurthe-et-Moselle ;
- Domèvre-sur-Avière dans les Vosges ;
- Domèvre-sur-Durbion dans les Vosges ;
- Domèvre-sous-Montfort dans les Vosges.
Pierre Fourier had founded on Mattaincourt Stock Exchange Saint Epvre, body responsible for interest-free loans to needy people.