Syagrius of Autun
Saint Syagrius ((French) Saint Siacre) (died 600 AD) was a bishop of Autun. His feast day is August 27 (September 2 in some martyrologies).
He was bishop of Autun from around 560 until his death and travelled to Nanterre with Guntram for the baptism of Clotaire II. He provided hospitality to Saint Augustine of Canterbury on the latter's way to England. Pope Gregory I granted Syagrius the pallium and decreed that the bishops of Autun have precedence in France after the archbishop of Lyon.
Biography
Son of the Bishop Désiré Verdun, who was killed by Sirivald, for reasons of rivalry and revenge. Syagre organizes a punitive expedition in 554, to assassinate Sirivald in a villa, after murdering a first person by mistake, they returned to fulfill its mission.[1]
In 567, he participated in the second synod of Lyon, and 573 in the fourth council of Paris convened by Gontran, and the First Council of Macon in 581, and 583 in the third Council of Lyons. He received 596 monks sent by Pope Gregory the Great on a mission to convert England, led by the monk Augustine of Canterbury.
Bishop Syagre convinced Queen Brunhilde to build in Autun three institutions that whould play a big role in the history of the city: the Hospice; Abbaye Saint-Andoche of Autun, St. Mary's Abbey of Saint-Jean-le-Grand to Autun for women and the Abbey of Saint-Martin d'Autun, for men.
Venantius Fortunatus who was a brilliant composer of complicated poetry sent many acrostics to Syagre.[2]
Veneration
His relics can be seen at Val-de-Grace in Paris.
References
- ↑ Ernest Lavisse, Histoire de France, t. II, Livre II, chap.IV La Justice, les impôts, le service militaire
- ↑ Fortunat, L.V, c.6, Pub. dans Nisard, Coll des auteurs latins? Ausone, Sidoine Appolinaire, Fortunat, Paris, Firmin Didot, 1887, p. 138-141 et 147 in: Paul Deschamps & Marc Thibout, La Peinture murale en France, Librairie Plon, 1951, in-8 carré, p. 12.