Eucherius of Orléans

Infobox Saint
name=Saint Eucherius of Orléans
birth_date=c. 687 AD
death_date=743 AD
feast_day=February 20
venerated_in=Roman Catholic Church


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birth_place=Orléans, France
death_place=Cologne, Germany
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Saint Eucherius of Orléans (Orléans, c. 687–February 20, 743 AD), nephew of Suavaric, bishop of Auxerre, was Bishop of Orléans.

His meditations on the Epistles of St. Paul influenced him to abandon the world in 714. He retired to the Abbey of Jumièges in the diocese of Rouen. After seven years his uncle, Suavaric, Bishop of Orléans, died. The reputation of his virtue must have been very great, for a deputation was sent to Charles Martel, then mayor of the palace, who practically governed France, to beg that Eucherius might be elected to the vacant See. The request was granted in spite of his repugnance, and Eucherius was forced to leave his beloved solitude to assume the episcopal dignity in 721.

Having opposed the elevation of Charles Martel and the latter's confiscation of church property to fund his war efforts against the Moorish invasions from Al-Andalus, Eucherius found himself out of favor with the new Carolingian dynasty. When Charles Martel returned from his victory at the Battle of Tours, he stopped in Orléans and promptly exiled Eucherius to Cologne. Eucherius retired to the monastery of St. Tron, where he spent the remainder of his life in prayer and contemplation. He died there in 743 AD.

References

*Lives of the Saints: For Every Day of the Year edited by Rev. Hugo Hoever, S.O.Cist., Ph.D., New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co., (1955)

External links

* [http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainte25.htm Catholic Forum: "St. Eucherius"]
* [http://www.magnificat.ca/cal/engl/02-20.htm "Lives of the Saints": St. Eucherius]
* [http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0220.htm#euch St. Patrick's Church, Washington, D.C.: February 20 Saints] ]