Paul of Narbonne

Paul of Narbonne

Infobox Saint
name= Saint Paul of Narbonne
birth_date=
death_date=3rd century CE
feast_day=
venerated_in= Roman Catholic Church


imagesize= 250px
caption=
birth_place=
death_place=
titles=
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=
canonized_place=
canonized_by=
attributes=
patronage=
major_shrine=
suppressed_date=
issues=
Saint Paul of Narbonne (3rd century CE) was one of the "apostles to the Gauls" sent out (probably under the direction of Pope Fabian, 236 - 250) during the consulate of Decius and Gratus (250-251 AD) to Christianize Gaul after the persecutions under Emperor Decius had all but dissolved the small Christian communities. According to the hagiographies, Fabian sent out seven bishops from Rome to Gaul to preach the Gospel: Gatien to Tours, Trophimus to Arles, Paul to Narbonne, Saturnin to Toulouse, Denis to Paris, Austromoine to Clermont, and Martial to Limoges.

Gregory of Tours ("Historia Francorum" I, 30), using an "acta" of Saturnin, affirms that Paul was among those consecrated priests at Rome and sent to replant the Christian communities in Gaul. Saturninus of Toulouse and Dionysius (Denis) of Paris were martyred but Paul survived to establish the church at Narbonne as its first bishop and die in peace. The claim of Prudentius that Paul's association with the city of Narbonne had made it famous may be read as literary hyperbole. There is a brief "Vita Antiqua" perhaps of the 6th century, which has been edited by the Bollandists. It tells that Paul converted the inhabitants of Béziers, setting over them a bishop Aphrodisius, before turning his attention to Narbonne, where he founded two churches. An anecdote recounts how two of his acolytes set a woman's slippers at the foot of his bed, to accuse him of improprieties, but Paul was not able miraculously to confound and pardon them.

Identification with Sergius Paulus

Medieval legends moved the seven apostles of Gaul back in time to the apostolic generation (see especially Martial of Limoges), to strengthen local traditions with apostolic connections; such a legend identified third-century Paul with the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus, who was converted by Paul of Tarsus ("Acts" 13:6-13). The historical Paul is still venerated in Narbonne as Saint Paul-Serge through this connection. He is said to have been accompanied by Aphrodisius, who was considered the man who sheltered the Holy Family during their flight into Egypt, and later became the first bishop of Béziers. [ [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10545a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Montpellier ] ]

At Narbonne the basilica of Saint-Paul-Serge is a collegiate church built over the burial site of Paul, the first bishop. The site is at the border of an extensive necropolis of early Christian burials. The early shrine was a small basilica 12 meters by 6.5 meters, built in the 4th century, destroyed by fire in the 5th century, then occupied by a monastery. As a place of pilgrimage it was rebuilt more than once, most recently between 1180 and 1200, in a period of renewed urban prosperity, always retaining its ancient foundations. After a fire, work on rebuilding the choir resumed from 1224. The paleochristian crypts survive, with 2nd-3rd century mosaic flooring and sarcophagi.

The basilica became the center of the "Bourg Saint Paul" apart from the Roman citadel of Narbonne, protected by its own walls and retaining its own separate consuls. "Saint Paul's frog", recognizable in the veinings of a marble stoup, has given rise to fanciful anecdotes.

References

* [http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_saints/vpp_st_paul_serge.htm "Saint Paul-Serge (Narbonne)"] (in French)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Paul de Narbonne — (Saint Paul Serge) est le premier évêque de Narbonne au IIIe siècle. C est l un des sept apôtres des Gaules, envoyé, pense t on, par le pape Fabien (236 250) sous le consulat de Dèce et Gratus (250 251), réévangéliser le pays après les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Narbonne (Aude) — Narbonne Narbonne Pays …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Église Saint-Paul de Narbonne — Église Saint Paul Présentation Propriétaire Commune Protection …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Narbonne — Cet article concerne la commune de Narbonne. Pour la station balénaire située en bord de mer, voir Narbonne Plage. 43° 11′ 01″ N 3°&# …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Narbonne Volley — Narbonne Volley …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Narbonne — Narbonne …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • NARBONNE — Située dans une région où l’homme a laissé de nombreuses traces depuis la préhistoire, Narbonne bénéficie de conditions géographiques privilégiées: c’est en effet un carrefour de routes terrestres où, sur le grand axe reliant l’Italie et l’Europe …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Narbonne — Narbonne, by i det sydligste Frankrig, ligger 8 kilometer fra Middelhavet på sletten Narbonne. Den har to kirker i gotisk stil fra det 13. århundrede, St. Paul og St. Just med et smukt, men ufuldendt kor. Narbonne er en af Frankrigs ældste byer.… …   Danske encyklopædi

  • Paul-Louis Couchoud — Paul Louis Couchoud, né à Vienne (Isère) le 6 juillet 1879 et mort à Vienne (Isère) le 8 avril 1959, est un philosophe, érudit et poète français. Il est connu pour ses poèmes, adaptations du haiku en français, ses directions… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Paul Milet — est un céramiste du XXe siècle, né le 25 janvier 1870 à Sèvres, fils de Félix Optat Milet Cachet Paul et Henri Milet …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”