Saint Gall
Évêque de
Clermont (+ 551)
Né dans une famille chrétienne, il entre au monastère de Cournon. C'est là que l'évêque de Clermont vient le chercher pour le prendre avec lui. Saint Gall lui succède. Très aimé pour sa charité et son humilité, il accomplit de nombreux miracles, sauvant sa ville d'un incendie et d'une épidémie. C'était un homme d'action, et tout autant c'était un homme de prière.
À Clermont, en 551, saint Gall, évêque, homme humble et doux, qui fut l'oncle
paternel de saint Grégoire de Tours.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/7449/Saint-Gall.html
SAINT GALL
Évêque de Clermont
(489-553)
Saint Gall naquit vers l'an 489, à Clermont, en Auvergne, d'une des familles les plus distinguées du pays. Pour se soustraire aux obsessions de son père, qui voulait le lancer dans la voie des honneurs et le contraindre au mariage, il prit le parti de fuir la maison paternelle et s'adressa au monastère voisin, où il ne fut toutefois accepté qu'après le consentement de son père, qui finit par se soumettre au sacrifice en disant: "Que la Volonté de Dieu soit faite, et non la mienne." Le nouveau religieux marcha rapidement dans la voie de la perfection, et l'on ne savait qu'admirer le plus en lui, son innocence ou son austérité. La prière faisait ses délices; il avait un goût particulier pour le chant des louanges divines.
La renommée du jeune homme parvint jusqu'aux oreilles du roi Thierry, qui l'attacha à sa personne, alors qu'il n'était encore que diacre. Un jour, navré de voir une population païenne rendre de vains hommages aux idoles, il alla mettre le feu au temple et put à grand-peine échapper à la mort dont le menaçaient les païens furieux. Dans la suite, quand il racontait ce trait de sa jeunesse: "Hélas! disait-il, pourquoi me suis-je enfui? J'ai lâchement perdu la grâce du martyre."
A la mort de l'évêque de Clermont, le saint moine fut élu pour lui succéder. Il reçut le sacerdoce et la consécration épiscopale. Les vertus éclatantes du nouveau pasteur, sa douceur, son humilité, sa charité toute paternelle, lui eurent bientôt conquis l'affection générale.
Parmi toutes ses vertus,
on eut lieu de remarquer une patience vraiment admirable. Un de ses prêtres,
qu'il réprimandait justement, osa un jour le frapper à la tête; le bon évêque
se contenta de le regarder avec compassion et sans lui adresser aucun reproche.
Une autre fois, un prêtre l'accabla d'injures sur la place publique; le Saint
lui répondit par le silence, et le coupable vint bientôt lui demander
publiquement pardon.
Dieu rendit à la sainteté
de l'évêque le témoignage des miracles. Un immense incendie menaçait de dévorer
une grande partie de la ville; le pontife alla prier devant l'autel, prit à la
main le livre des Évangiles et le jeta dans les flammes, qui s'éteignirent
aussitôt. Il préserva Clermont de tout accident, par ses prières, pendant un
tremblement de terre; dans un temps de peste il obtint de même la préservation
de son peuple.
Le saint évêque donna, en
mourant, les plus beaux exemples de résignation. Un grand nombre de miracles
s'opérèrent à son tombeau. On l'invoque contre la fièvre.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie
des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame, 1950.
SOURCE : http://www.forumreligioncatholique.com/t8617-saint-gall-eveque-de-clermont-et-commentaire-du-jour-qui-peut-pardonner-les-peches-sinon-dieu-seul
Gal (VIe
siècle)
Fête le 1er juillet
Oncle de Grégoire de
Tours, moine à Cournon puis évêque de Clermont de 526 à 551. Guéri vers 507 au
tombeau de saint Julien de Brioude, il avait un culte particulier pour ce
martyr.
En 540, alors que
l’Occident était frappé par une grave épidémie de peste inguinaire qui dévasta
notamment la province d’Arles, saint Gal en épargna l’Auvergne par ses prières.
Il favorisa, à cette occasion, le pèlerinage à Saint-Julien de Brioude par
l’institution de cérémonies de Rogations, distinctes de celles de Mamet, et qui
avaient lieu pendant le Carême. Il mourut le 14 mai 551
SOURCE : https://www.cathedrale-catholique-clermont.fr/les-saints-dauvergne/#ancre-g
Also
known as
Gal
Profile
Born to the Gallic nobility;
relative of Saint Vettius
Apagatus. Uncle and teacher of Saint Gregory
of Tours. He refused an arranged marriage to
the daughter of an imperial senator, and withdrew to the monastery at
Cournon near Auvergne, France. Monk. Deacon under Saint Quinctian.
Represented Quinctian at the court of King Theirry. Bishop of Clermont, France in 527.
Known as a miracle worker,
and as a man so meek and humble that those who sought to attack him were
often converted by
his gentleness.
Born
c.489 at Clermont, Auvergne (in
modern France)
c.554 of
natural causes
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
Saints
and Their Attributes, by Helen Roeder
nettsteder
i norsk
MLA
Citation
“Saint Gall of
Clermont“. CatholicSaints.Info. 20 December 2023. Web. 15 October 2025.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-gall-of-clermont/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-gall-of-clermont/
Article
(GALLUS) (Saint) Bishop
(July 1) (6th century) Born of noble parents in Auvergne (France) about A.D.
489, he entered a monastery; but, ordained deacon by Saint Quinctian, Bishop of
Clermont, was sent to represent him at the Court of King Thierry. In the year
527 he succeeded Saint Quinctian, and died at Clermont about A.D. 554. He was
remarkable for his meekness and for his gift of working miracles. He was uncle
to the famous historian Saint Gregory of Tours, whom he brought up.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Gal”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info.
22 June 2013. Web. 17 October 2025.
<https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-gal/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-gal/
New Catholic
Dictionary – Saint Gal
Confessor (c.490–551), Bishop of
Clermont-Ferrand, France (527–551).
Of a senatorial family of Auvergne, he early embraced the monastic life, and
was elevated to the See of Clermont, 527.
The chief, event of his episcopate was the Council of Clermont, 535,
which drew up 17 canons, 16 of which have become laws of the Universal Church.
He assisted at the Council of Orleans, 541,
which decreed the abolition of slavery, and at the 5th council, 549,
at which the errors of Eutyches and Nestorius were condemned. Feast, 3
July.
Another Saint Gal, Bishop of
Clermont (640–650),
is honored on 1
November.
MLA
Citation
“Saint Gal”. New Catholic Dictionary. CatholicSaints.Info.
7 November 2016. Web. 17 October 2025. <https://catholicsaints.info/new-catholic-dictionary-saint-gal/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/new-catholic-dictionary-saint-gal/
St. Gal
Of the ninety-eight bishops who
have occupied the see of Clermont-Ferrand (Auvergne)
the sixteenth and twenty-third bore the name of Gal, and both are numbered
among the twenty-nine bishops of
this church who are honoured as saints.
The first and most illustrious was bishop from
527 to 551, the second, form 640 to 650. Born of a senatorial family of Auvergne,
the first St. Gal early embraced the monastic life, and then became
councillor to St. Quintianus, who he was to succeed in the See
of Clermont. Tierry I, King of Austrasia, having invaded Auvergne,
took Gal prisoner and
attached him to the oratory of his palace. He regained his liberty
some years later and returned to Clermont. Quintianus having
died, Gal was chosen as his successor in 527. As bishophe
was the intrepid defender of the rights of
the Church against Sivigald,
the governor appointed by Thierry, and after Sivigald's tragic death, the
protector of his children from the prince's wrath. The chief event of
his episcopate was the Council of Clermont in
535. Fifteen prelates of
the kingdom of Austrasia assisted at it under the presidency
of Honoratus, Bishop of Bourges.
They drew up seventeen canons, of which the first sixteen are contained in
the Decretum of Gratian, and have become laws of
the universal Church. The following is a summary of the most
remarkable: bishops are
prohibited from submitting to the deliberations of councils any
private or temporal affairs, before having dealt with matters
regarding discipline; clerics are
forbidden to appeal to seculars in their disputes with bishops excommunication is
pronounced against bishops who solicit the
protection of princes in order to obtain the episcopacy,
or who cause forged decrees of election to be
signed. The council also declares itself forcibly against
the marriages of Christians with Jews, marriages between
relatives, and the misconduct of the clergy.
In 541 Gal took part in the fourth Council of Orléans,
which promulgated energetic
decrees for the abolition of slavery, and in 549 in the fifth, which
condemned the errors of Eutyches and
Nestorius. His feast is
celebrated on 3 July.
The second St. Gal succeed St. Cæsarius; he was a man of great sanctity, and was one of the most eminent bishops in Gaul. Little, however, is known of his life. His feast is kept 1 November
Fournet, Pierre Auguste. "St. Gal." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1909. 14 Oct.
2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06335b.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Christine J. Murray.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. September 1, 1909. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur. +John
M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2023 by Kevin Knight.
Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06335b.htm
July 1
St. Gal, Bishop
[Called the First, Bishop
of Clermont in Auvergne.] HE was born about the year 489. His
father George was of the first houses of that province, and his mother Leocadia
was descended from the family of Vettius Apagatus, the celebrated Roman, who
suffered at Lyons for the faith of Christ. They both took special care of the
education of their son; and when he arrived at a proper age proposed to have
him married to the daughter of a respectable senator. The saint, who had taken
a resolution to consecrate himself to God, withdrew privately from his father’s
house to the monastery of Cournon, near the city of Auvergne, and earnestly
prayed to be admitted there amongst the monks; and having soon after obtained
the consent of his parents, he with joy renounced all worldly vanities to
embrace religious poverty. Here his eminent virtues distinguished him in a
particular manner, and recommended him to Quintianus, bishop of Auvergne, who
promoted him to holy orders.
The bishop dying in 527,
St. Gal was appointed to succeed him; and in this new character his humility,
charity, and zeal were conspicuous; but, above all, his patience in bearing
injuries. Being once struck on the head by a brutal man, he discovered not the
least emotion of anger or resentment, and by this meekness disarmed the savage
of his rage. At another time Evodius, who from a senator became a priest,
having so far forgot himself as to treat him in the most insulting manner, the
saint without making the least reply, arose meekly from his seat and went to
visit the churches of the city. Evodius was so touched by this conduct, that he
cast himself at the saint’s feet in the middle of the street and asked his
pardon. From this time they both lived on terms of the most cordial friendship.
St. Gal was favoured with the gift of miracles, and died about the year 553. He
is mentioned this day in the Roman Martyrology. See St. Greg. of Tours, his
nephew, Vit. Patr. c. 6; Hist. Franc. l. 4, c. 5; also the remarks of Mabillon,
sec. 1; Bened. Gall. Christ, Nov. t. 2, p. 237, and Sellier the Bollandist, t.
1; Jul. p. 103.
Another St. Gal, called
the Second, is honoured at Clermont on the 1st of November. He was bishop of
that see in 650. See Gall. Christ. Nova, t. 2, p. 245.
Rev. Alban Butler
(1711–73). Volume VII: July. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : https://www.bartleby.com/lit-hub/lives-of-the-saints/volume-vii-july/st-gal-bishop
GALL OF CLERMONT, ST.
Bishop; b. c. 486;
d. 551. From the writings of his nephew, gregory of tours (confirmed by an
epitaph composed by Fortunatus and by the signatures of the councils), a meager
biography of St. Gall can be gleaned. He came of a wealthy Gallo–Roman family,
and became a monk at Cournon, where he distinguished himself by his fasts, love
of reading, and fine singing voice. Because of his musical talent he was
brought first to Clermont by Bishop quinctian, and then to the royal court at
Trèves
by King Theodoric I. In
526–527 he succeeded Quinctian to the See of Clermont. He took part in person
or by proxy at four synods held in Orléans (533–549), and at one, which he
himself assembled, in Clermont (535). His humility, his charity, and his
miracles won the veneration of his people.
Feast: July 1.
Bibliography: Gregory
of Tours, Historia Francorum, 4:5, 6, 13; Monumenta Germaniae
Historica: Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 1.1:138–139, 144; Eng. tr. O. M. Dalton, 2 v. (Oxford 1927). Vitae patrum, 6. Monumenta Germaniae
Historica: Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 1.2. J. Mabillon, Acta
sanctorum ordinis S. Benedicti 1:109–113. Epitaph by Fortunatus, Monumenta
Germaniae Historica: Auctores antiquissimi 4.1:81. Monumenta
Germaniae Historica: Concilia 1:65, 70, 84, 97, 109. L. Duchesne, Fastes épiscopaux
de l'ancienne Gaule 2:36. H. Leclercq, Dictionnaire d'archéologie chrétienne
et de liturgie 3.2:1917–18. J. L. Baudot and L. Chaussin, Vies des
saints et des bienheureux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes,
by the Benedictines of Paris 7:19–22. Butler, The Lives of the Saints 3:3–4. J. des Graviers, Catholicisme 4:1718–19.
[G. M. Cook]
New Catholic Encyclopedia
SOURCE : https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/gall-clermont-st
Pictorial
Lives of the Saints – Saint Gal, Bishop
Article
Saint Gal was born at
Clermont in Auvergne, about the year 489. His father was of the first houses of
that province, and his mother was descended from the family of Vettius Apagatus,
the celebrated Roman who suffered at Lyons for the faith of Christ. They both
took special care of the education of their son, and, when he arrived at a
proper age, proposed to have him married to the daughter of a respectable
senator. The Saint, who had taken a resolution to consecrate himself to God,
withdrew privately from his father’s house to the monastery of Cournon, near
the city of Auvergne, and earnestly prayed to be admitted there amongst the
monks; and having soon after obtained the consent of his parents, he with joy
renounced all worldly vanities to embrace religious poverty. Here his eminent
virtues distinguished him in a particular manner, and recommended him to
Quintianus, Bishop of Auvergne, who promoted him to holy orders. The bishop dying
in 527, Saint Gal was appointed to succeed him, and in this new character his
humility, charity, and zeal were conspicuous; above all, his patience in
bearing injuries. Being once struck on the head by a brutal man, he discovered
not the least emotion of anger or resentment, and by this meekness disarmed the
savage of his rage. At another time, Evodius, who from a senator became a
priest, having so far forgotten himself as to treat him in the most insulting
manner, the Saint, without making the least reply, arose meekly from his seat
and went to visit the churches of the city. Evodius was so touched by this
conduct that he cast himself at the Saint’s feet, in the middle of the street,
and asked his pardon. From this time, they both lived on terms of the most
cordial friendship. Saint Gal was favored with the gift of miracles, and died
about the year 553.
MLA
Citation
John Dawson Gilmary Shea.
“Saint Gal, Bishop”. Pictorial Lives of the Saints, 1889. CatholicSaints.Info.
26 May 2014. Web. 17 October 2025.
<https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saint-gal-bishop/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saint-gal-bishop/
July 1.—ST. GAL, Bishop.
ST. GAL was born at Clermont in Auvergne, about the year 489. His father was of
the first houses of that province, and his mother was descended from the family
of Vettius Apagatus, the celebrated Roman who suffered at Lyons for the faith
of Christ. They both took special care of the education of their son, and, when
he arrived at a proper age, proposed to have him married to the daughter of a
respectable senator. The Saint, who had taken a resolution to consecrate
himself to God, withdrew privately from his father's house to the monastery of
Cournon, near the city of Auvergne, and earnestly prayed to be admitted there
amongst the monks; and having soon after obtained the consent of his parents,
he with joy renounced all worldly vanities to embrace religious poverty. Here
his eminent virtues distinguished him in a particular manner, and recommended
him to Quintianus, Bishop of Auvergne, who promoted him to holy orders. The
bishop dying in 527, St. Gal was appointed to succeed him, and in this new
character his humility, charity, and zeal were conspicuous; above all, his
patience in bearing injuries. Being once struck on the head by a brutal man, he
discovered not the least emotion of anger or resentment, and by this meekness
disarmed the savage of his rage. At another time, Evodius, who from a senator
became a priest, having so far forgotten himself as to treat him in the most
insulting manner, the Saint, without making the least reply, arose meekly from
his seat and went to visit the churches of the city. Evodius was so touched by
this conduct that he cast himself at the Saint's feet, in the middle of the
street, and asked his pardon. From this time they both lived on terms of the
most cordial friendship. St. Gal was favored with the gift of miracles, and
died about the year 553.
SOURCE : http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/lots/lots208.htm
San Gallo Vescovo
di Clermont
Festa: 14 maggio
486 - 14 maggio 551
Vescovo di Clermont e zio
di Gregorio di Tours, nacque attorno al 486 da nobile famiglia e, dopo una
miracolosa guarigione, abbracciò la vita monastica, distinguendosi per il rigore
ascetico e la sua voce melodiosa. Nominato vescovo da Teodorico I, si distinse
per la sua mitezza, il perdono e la generosità, operando miracoli e
partecipando attivamente ai concili di Orléans e Clermont. Morì nel 551,
venerato da cristiani ed ebrei, e la sua fama di taumaturgo si consolidò nel
corso dei secoli, con il suo culto fissato al 1° luglio. La sua storia, ricca
di aneddoti e miracoli, ci offre uno spaccato sulla vita religiosa e politica
della Gallia del VI secolo, intrecciando la dimensione spirituale con le
vicende storiche del regno merovingio.
Martirologio
Romano: Nello stesso luogo (Clermont Ferrand), san Gallo, vescovo, che fu
uomo umile e mite, zio di san Gregorio di Tours.
Zio di Gregorio di Tours, il quale ne scrisse la biografia, nacque verso il 486 da ricca e nobile famiglia: sua madre era discendente di Vettio Epagato, uno dei martiri di Lione del 177. Verso il 507 fu guarito miracolosamente sulla tomba di san Giuliano di Brioude; rifiutò allora di sposarsi ed entrò nel monastero di Coumon, dove si distinse per i digiuni, lo studio ed una bella voce.
Attirò l'attenzione del vescovo Quinziano di Clermont (515-525) che lo volle con sé «et ut coelestis pater in dulcedine spirituali nutrivit». Durante una scorreria nell’Alvemia, il re Teodorico I (morto nel 534) lo condusse seco a Colonia, dove Gallo incendiò un tempio e a stento fu salvato dall'ira dei pagani. Alla morte di Quinziano (525 o 526) il re lo designò a succedergli. Nel suo nuovo ufficio Gallo si distinse per la bontà, l'umiltà e la generosità nel perdonare i nemici; alla sua intercessione furono attribuiti anche dei miracoli. Si fece rappresentare ai concili di Orléans del 533 e 538 e partecipò personalmente a quelli del 541 e 549; nel 535 egli stesso tenne a Clermont un concilio al quale parteciparono quattordici vescovi.
Morì il 14 maggio 551, domenica prima dell'Ascensione, e ai suoi funerali parteciparono numerosi cristiani ed ebrei. Fu seppellito nella chiesa di san Lorenzo e Venanzio Fortunato compose l'epitaffio in diciassette distici. Sulla sua tomba, che esisteva ancora nel secolo X, si operarono dei miracoli e il suo culto, di cui un messale di san Floro del secolo XIV è la più antica testimonianza, si affermò nei dintorni.
A partire dal secolo XV la sua festa è fissata al 1° luglio, mentre il Martyrologium Romanum lo pone al 14 maggio.
Autore: Paul Viard
SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/53140
Den hellige Gallus I av
Clermont (~486-551)
Minnedag:
14. mai
Den hellige Gallus (fr:
Gall, Gal, Gault) ble født rundt 486 i Arvernis i Aquitania, senere Clairmont,
nå Clermont-Ferrand i departementet Puy-de-Dôme i regionen Auvergne i Frankrike
(fra 2016: regionen Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). Hans kristne foreldre, senator
Georgins og hans hustru Léocadia, kom fra ledende familier i området.
Hans mor nedstammet fra
familien til Vettius Egapethus (Vectius Pagathus, Vettius Apagatus, Bectius
Pagatus), en høyt æret martyr fra Lyon. Han var en ung kristen som sto i
mengden da den store martyrgruppen som har fått navnet de hellige Blandina og Pothinus av Lyon og
deres ledsagere (d. 177), ble forhørt på forum i Lyon. Han ble så opprørt av
urettferdigheten i forhørene at han ba om å få lov til å forsvare de anklagede.
Da dette ble nektet ham, tok han plass blant dem og led martyrdøden sammen med
dem.
Gallus’ foreldre ga sin
sønn en fortreffelig utdannelse. Hans far ønsket å få sønnen gift med datteren
av en respektabel senator. Imidlertid ble Gallus rundt 507 helbredet på
mirakuløst vis ved graven til den hellige Julian av Brioude og
bestemte seg for å bli munk. Han forlot hjemmet og dro til klosteret Cournon
(nå i kommunen Cournon-d’Auvergne i departementet Puy-de-Dôme) nær Arvernis,
hvor han søkte om opptak. Men han fikk først adgang til klosteret etter at han
hadde fått sin fars tillatelse.
Blant munkene utmerket
han seg for sin fromhet, men enda mer for sin særdeles gode sangstemme ved
tidebønnene. I klosteret møtte han den lokale biskopen, den hellige Quintian av Clermont (515-23)
(fr: Quintien), som satte pris på Gallus’ intelligens og fromhet og satte ham
så høyt at han hentet ham ut av klosteret for å bli biskoppelig rådgiver, og
han vigslet ham til diakon (andre sier prest).
Kong Teoderik I av
Austrasia (Theoderik; fr: Thierry) (511-33) invaderte Auvergne og tok Gallus
til fange. Ved kongens palass i Trier gjorde hans vakre sangstemme at han fikk
stillingen som offisiell kantor i det kongelige kapell. Kongen ville alltid ha
ham ved sin side og tok ham også med på sine reiser. Slik kom han en gang til
Köln, hvor det fortsatt sto et praktfullt avgudstempel. Det var akkurat tid for
en offerfest, og folket henga seg ved måltidet til et grenseløst fråtseri.
Gallus ergret seg slik over dette at han kastet ild inn i tempelet slik at både
det og avgudsbildene brant opp. De rasende hedningene ville myrde ham, og det
var med visse vanskeligheter at han unnslapp folkets vrede, men han hadde
funnet et sikkert tilfluktssted i den kongelige borgen. Gallus fikk tilbake
friheten etter noen få år og returnerte til Clermont.
Da biskop Quintian døde i
525, ba menigheten i Clermont enstemmig om Gallus som hans etterfølger, og
kongen utnevnte ham til den sekstende biskop av Auvergne. Han ble viden kjent
for sin nestekjærlighet og pastorale nidkjærhet, og beretningene om hans liv
understreker den mildhet og tålmodighet han møtte krenkelser og fornærmelser
med.
Det var på denne tiden at
Gallus’ ekstraordinære sinnsro ble satt på de største prøver. En historie
forteller at biskopen ble «slått i hodet av en brutal mann, som imidlertid ikke
oppdaget den minste følelse av sinne eller motvilje, og gjennom denne mildheten
avvæpnet biskopen villmannens raseri». En lignende anekdote involverer en mann
ved navn Evodius, en prest som en gang hadde vært senator. Selv om den stolte
mannen opptrådte fornærmende mot Gallus, var biskopens reaksjon ganske enkelt å
reise seg fra sitt sete og foreta et besøk til kirkene i byen. Grepet av
Gallus’ tålmodighet kastet Evodius seg for biskopens føtter midt på gaten.
Gallus var selv i høyeste
grad ydmyk, og han søkte også å pleie denne dyden hos sine underordnede. Han
hadde mottatt en viss Valentinian til kirkelig tjeneste, som var stolt av sin
vakre stemme og ville briljere med den i kirken. Gallus merket at hans diakon
sang mindre til Guds ære enn av forfengelighet, så han sa til ham: «I dag vil
det ikke lykkes deg!» Og slik ble det også. Den pralende sangeren mistet
plutselig stemmen og måtte beskjemmet trekke seg fra embetet.
Gallus spilte en stor
politisk og religiøs rolle som biskop av Clermont. Han ble kjent som en
forsvarer av Kirkens rettigheter mot Sivigald, den guvernøren som var utnevnt
av kong Theoderik. Men etter Sivigalds tragiske død ble Gallus en beskytter av
hans barn fra kongens vrede. Den viktigste begivenheten i hans episkopat var
konsilet i Clermont i 535, som han organiserte. Der deltok han og fjorten andre
biskoper fra kongeriket Austrasia under forsete av biskop Honoratus av Bourges
– det er litt uklart om det var den hellige biskop Honoratus I (533-35) eller
den hellige Honoratus II (535-37).
Dette konsilet vedtok
sytten canones, hvorav de første seksten finnes i Decretum Gratiani som
ble kompilert på 1100-tallet av Gratian, og som har blitt en del av Den
katolske kirkes kirkerett, Corpus Iuris Canonici. Blant bestemmelsene var
at biskoper fikk forbud mot legge frem private eller timelige saker for
behandling på konsiler før de hadde behandlet spørsmål om disiplin. Klerikere
fikk forbud mot å appellere til legfolk i sine disputter med biskoper, og ekskommunikasjon
ble uttalt mot biskoper som anmodet om beskyttelse fra fyrster for å oppnå et
bispesete, eller som sørget for at falske valgdekreter ble undertegnet.
Konsilet erklærte seg også kraftig mot ekteskap mellom kristne og jøder,
ekteskap mellom slektninger og presteskapets forsømmelser. Gallus deltok også
på det fjerde (541) og det femte (549) konsilet i Orléans. Konsilet i 541
promulgerte skarpe dekreter for avskaffelse av slaveriet, og konsilet i 549
fordømte Eutykios’ og Nestorius’ vranglære.
De siste årene av sitt
liv viet Gallus en god del tid på å lære opp den fremtidige hellige Gregor av Tours, som var
hans nevø – sønn av hans bror. Gregor var betrodd til sin onkel for utdannelse
etter at hans mor døde. Gallus var elsket for sin nestekjærlighet og ydmykhet,
og han utførte mange mirakler, som da han reddet byen fra en brann og i 543 fra
en pestepidemi. Han var en handlingens mann akkurat som han var en bønnens
mann.
Gallus. siste sykdom var
svært smertefull, men også da viste han sin vanlige tålmodighet og styrke. Tre
dager før sin død samlet han sine siste krefter og delte i sitt rom ut den
hellige eukaristi til de troende. Han døde den 14. mai 551 etter 26 år som
biskop (ifølge Bucelin døde han i 573) og ble gravlagt i kirken Saint-Laurent.
Hans epitaf (gravskrift) ble skrevet av den hellige poeten Venantius Fortunatus (ca
530-610). Hans relikvier hviler nå i basilikaen Notre-Dame du Port i
Clermont-Ferrand. Det utviklet seg en sterk kult, og det ble meldt om mirakler
ved hans grav, som ser ut til å ha vært godt kjent på 900-tallet. Etter at
Arvernis i 848 ble omdøpt til Clairmont etter borgen Clarus Mons, ble han
omtalt som episcopus Claromontanus.
Hans minnedag ble lagt
til 1. juli på 1400-tallet, og det førkonsiliære Martyrologium Romanum hadde
følgende notis den dagen:
Arvernis, in Gallia,
sancti Galli Episcopi.
I Arvernis i Gallia [nå
Clermont-Ferrand i Frankrike], den hellige Gallus, biskop.
Men ved
kalenderrevisjonen i 1969 ble hans minnedag flyttet til 14. mai, og i den
nyeste utgaven av Martyrologium Romanum (2004) står det:
Ibidem [Arvérnæ in
Aquitánia], sancti Galli, epíscopi, viri húmilis et mitis, qui pátruus fuit
sancti Gregórii Turonénsis.
På samme sted (Arvernis;
nå Clermont Ferrand), den hellige Gallus, biskop, som var en ydmyk og saktmodig
mann, onkel [på farssiden] til den hellige Gregor av Tours.
Noen nevner også 3. juni
som minnedag. Alt vi vet om Gallus kommer hovedsakelig fra Gregor av
Tours’ De vita patrum og Historia Francorum. På midten av
600-tallet var det en annen hellig Gallus som var den
23. biskop av Clermont som Gallus II (d. ca 650). Denne biskopen av Clermont
var mindre berømt enn den første Gallus, men han æres også som helgen.
Kilder: Attwater/Cumming,
Butler (VII), Benedictines, Bunson, MR2004, CE, CSO, CatholicSaints.Info,
Infocatho, Heiligenlexikon, santiebeati.it, fr.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org,
nominis.cef.fr, zeno.org, Butler 1866, heiligenlegenden.de - Kompilasjon og
oversettelse: p. Per
Einar Odden
Opprettet: 28. desember
1997 – Oppdatert: 16. januar 2016
SOURCE : https://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/gclermo1
