September 1st 5th century

Saint Victorius I

Victeur

Bishop of Le Mans and Confessor

Death
1er septembre 490 (naturelle)
Latin name
Victorius
Categories
bishop , confessor
Associated Places
Rouillon (FR) , Tours (FR)
Summary

A disciple of Saint Martin of Tours, Victorius became Bishop of Le Mans in 422 after being consecrated by Saint Brice. His episcopate was marked by miracles, the enrichment of the city with the relics of Saints Gervasius and Protasius, and the restoration of the cathedral. He died as a nonagenarian in 490 and was buried near his father, Saint Victor I.

Guided reading

4 reading sections

SAINT VICTORIUS I OR VICTEUR,

Life 01 / 04

Election and consecration

A disciple of Saint Martin of Tours, Victorius was elected bishop of Le Mans by the clergy and the people, then consecrated by Saint Brice.

Victorius was a disciple of Saint Martin of Tours saint Martin de Tours Saint whose relics were honored by missionaries in Tours. who had announced to him, in a prophetic spirit, that one day he would be bishop of Le Mans, and had instructed him in what he would have to do for the glory of God. The fame of his qualities indeed spread as far as the Cenomani, and when the Church of Le Man l'Église du Mans Episcopal see and primary place of activity of the saint. s had become widowed of its pastor, Saint Victorius saint Victor Ier Predecessor of Victorius to the see of Le Mans. I (422), the clergy and the people asked with one voice for Victorius to be their bishop. Deputies were sent to Tours to bring him the news of his election: he yielded to their eagerness and received episcopal consecration at the hands of Sai nt Brice, s saint Brice Indocile disciple and later successor of Martin to the see of Tours. uccessor to Saint Martin.

Life 02 / 04

Episcopate and devotions

His ministry was marked by miracles, a strong devotion to the martyrs Gervasius and Protasius, and the project to restore the cathedral of Le Mans.

God bore witness through miracles how pleasing this election was to Him, and the arrival of the new bishop in the diocese he had come to govern was marked by the healing of a sick man who begged him to restore his health. Victorius surrounded the cult of the Saints with all the magnificence in his power; he had, above all, a great veneration for the holy martyrs Gervasius and Protasius and had the good fortune to enrich the city of Le Mans wi th their rel cité du Mans Episcopal see and primary place of activity of the saint. ics. The cathedral church needed to be restored; moreover, it no longer sufficed for the needs of the population that had become Christian: the holy bishop undertook to repair it; but death did not permit him to see the fulfillment of this desire. Having reached an age of more than ninety years, he died on September 1, 490.

Cult 03 / 04

Cult and memory

Dying nearly a centenarian, he was buried near his predecessor; his tomb became a place of miracles attested to by Gregory of Tours.

His mortal remains were interred in the Basilica of the Apostles, beyond the Sarthe, near his father Saint Victor I and the holy bi saint Victor Ier Predecessor of Victorius to the see of Le Mans. shops his predecessors. Saint Gregory of To urs informs us that his Saint Grégoire de Tours Bishop and historian who mentions the martyrdom of Antolian. tomb soon became famous for the numerous miracles that occurred there, and which continued even in his own time. Although the Church of Le Mans has been deprived of the precious relics of its holy bishop for several centuries, it has nonetheless maintained a great devotion to him. The parish of Rouillon, near Le Mans, wh ere it i Rouillon Presumed birthplace of Victorius. s believed he was born, honors him with a particular cult; a confraternity has long been established in his honor in the church of this village, which regards him as its second patron.

Source 04 / 04

Bibliographic source

The account is based on the work of Dom Piolin concerning the history of the Church of Le Mans.

Taken from the History of the Church of Le Mans, by t he R. F. D Dom Piolin Author of the History of the Church of Le Mans. om Piolin.

Official source Les Petits Bollandistes, by Mgr Paul GUÉRIN, chamberlain to His Holiness Pius IX.

Annexes & related entities

Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.

Key Events

  1. Disciple of Saint Martin of Tours
  2. Unanimous election by the clergy and people of Le Mans
  3. Episcopal consecration by Saint Brice
  4. Miraculous healing of a sick person upon his arrival
  5. Translation of the relics of Saints Gervasius and Protasius to Le Mans
  6. Restoration of the cathedral church
  7. Died at over 90 years old

Miracles

  1. Prophetic announcement of his episcopate by Saint Martin
  2. Healing of a sick person upon his arrival in the diocese
  3. Numerous posthumous miracles at his tomb attested by Gregory of Tours

Patron of

Important entities

Ranked by relevance in the text
Le Mans Place 100 Episcopal see and primary place of activity of the saint. 1 mention · 1 section Martin of Tours Saint 90 Saint whose relics were honored by missionaries in Tours. 1 mention · 1 section Gregory of Tours Saint 82 Bishop and historian who mentions the martyrdom of Antolian. 1 mention · 1 section Brice of Tours Saint 74 Indocile disciple and later successor of Martin to the see of Tours. 1 mention · 1 section Victor I of Le Mans Saint 74 Predecessor of Victorius to the see of Le Mans. 2 mentions · 2 sections Gervasius and Protasius Saint 70 Martyrs whose relics were placed in the Cathedral of Le Mans. 1 mention · 1 section Rouillon Place 66 Presumed birthplace of Victorius. 1 mention · 1 section Dom Piolin Person 52 Author of the History of the Church of Le Mans. 1 mention · 1 section Sarthe Place 46 River flowing through Le Mans. 1 mention · 1 section