A 4th-century Roman subdeacon, Euvert was chosen as Bishop of Orléans when a dove landed on his head three times. He built the Sainte-Croix basilica after the miraculous discovery of a treasure and evangelized the Orléanais region for twenty years. He died in 340 after predicting his end and designating Saint Agnan as his successor.
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SAINT EUVERT, BISHOP OF ORLÉANS
The Miraculous Election
Having come from Rome to ransom his captive brothers, Euvert is designated Bishop of Orléans by a dove landing three times upon his head.
Euvert Euvert Bishop of Orléans in the 4th century, known for his miraculous election and the founding of the cathedral. , a subdeacon of the Roman Church, was raised to the episcopal dignity and placed upon the se e of Or Orléans The first diocese of which Roger was bishop. léans, in the time of Melchiades and Sylvester, sovereign pontiffs, and under t he empire Constantin Roman emperor under whose reign Allyre was born. of Constantine. Having come to Gaul to ransom his brothers, Eumorphius and Cassia, who were captives, he arrived within the walls of Orléans at the moment when the people were occupied with electing a bishop after the death of Desinian. Received as a guest by a porter of the church, the latter persuaded him to attend the election that was to take place the following day. They went together to the door of the church of Saint-Étienne and stood there. Now, while the prelates were in prayer with the clergy, a dove, descending from heaven, came, in the sight of everyone, to land upon the head of Euvert. The prelates inquired with care, but without being able to discover it immediately, upon whose head the dove had landed. They began to pray again, and, in the eyes of all, the dove landed once more upon the head of Euvert. They then brought forward the two candidates between whom the city had been divided: they were placed before the altar with Euvert, and, descending a third time, the dove landed again only upon the head of Euvert. Then all cried out: He is worthy, he is just, here is he whom the Lord has chosen to be His pontiff.
First miracles and conversions
After his ordination, Euvert performed numerous healings and saved the city from a fire through his prayers.
Designated to be bishop, he was ordained deacon in the church of Saint-Marc, outside the walls; from there, brought back into the city, he was consecrated priest and bishop in the church of Saint-Étienne, to the great admiration of the people. One year after his ordination, he extinguished by his prayers a fire that threatened to devour the entire city. He restored hearing to the deaf, sight to the blind, speech to the mute, and health to the paralyzed and to the sick of every kind. As the church of Saint-Étienne could no longer contain the multitude of the faithful whom he had converted from paganism to the religion of Christ, gathering with the gifts of the faithful a treasure found miraculously, aided furthermore by the liberality of Constantine, he had built, wit h extraordinary magnifice basilique de Sainte-Croix Major religious edifice built by Saint Euvert. nce, the basilica of Sainte-Croix, according to the plan that an angel had traced for him on the snow. Here is the occasion for this:
The construction of Sainte-Croix
Thanks to a miraculously discovered treasure and the support of Emperor Constantine, he built the Sainte-Croix basilica according to an angelic plan.
While digging the foundations of the church, a treasure was found which the bishop sent, through his archdeacon Mansuet, t l'empereur Roman emperor under whose reign Allyre was born. o the emperor as the rightful owner of this windfall; but pious and magnificent, the prince not only returned the treasure, but added another equal sum, plus seven pounds of gold and the tax of the Orléans territory for three years, and gave everything for the construction of the basilica. It was completed after three years; Euvert performed its solemn dedication on the day the Invention of the Holy Cross is celebrated. While he was officiating, a luminous cloud was seen above his head, as well as a hand which, with fingers extended, blessed three times. Not all those present witnessed this miracle, but only the celebrating pontiff, his subdeacon Baudille, la ter apos Baudille Subdeacon to Euvert, future apostle of Nîmes and martyr. tle of Nîmes and martyr, the virgin Præcopie, and a certain Eleusinus, sitting near the threshold among the penitents. The news of this prodigy spread so quickly and so far that, within the space of three days, seven thousand pagans, admiring what had happened, received baptism. Such is the origin of the seal of the chapter of Orléans, on which one sees represented, with a cross, a cloud surrounding a blessing hand.
Final years and death
After twenty years of apostolate against paganism, he designated Saint Agnan as his successor and died in 340.
Delegates went, on behalf of the bishop, to seek relics in Jerusalem, Soissons, and Rome, and he placed that of the Holy Cross in the middle of the altar; those of the holy martyrs Crispin and Crispinian in the right part, and in the left part those of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul. He applied himself for twenty years to ruining pagan superstitions in his diocese, and after having won almost all of the Orléanais for Jesus Christ, and having designated Saint Agnan as hi saint Agnan Successor of Saint Euvert to the episcopal see of Orléans. s successor, he was seized by fever and rendered his soul to God on September 7, 340, as he had predicted long in advance.
In the representations that have been given of him, one sees a dove landing on his head, while the people are gathered for the election of a bishop.
Cult and relics
His relics, initially deposited outside the walls, were transferred into the city in the face of the Saracen threat in 731.
[APPENDIX: CULT AND RELICS.]
The body of Saint Euvert was buried, with great pomp, to the east of the city and outside the walls, on a mound, on the property of Tetradius, a rich and powerful man, who had an oratory built over his tomb in honor of the Blessed Virgin, which subsequently became the abbey church of Saint-Euvert.
Around the year 731, due to the fears inspired by the Saracens, his relics were transpor Sarrasins Historical event that motivated the transfer of the saint's relics. ted into the interior of the city and deposited in the church of Saint-Étienne, where they remained for a few years.
There still exist some portions of his relics in the chapel of the Priests of Mercy, who today possess the church and the buildings of the former abbey.
The feast of Saint Euvert is held on September 7, and that of his translation on June 12. His cult was formerly as famous in England as in France, and the Protestants have not erased his name from the calendar of their new liturgy.
Acta Sanctorum; Les Évêques d'Orléans, by M. Pelletier, canon and vicar general.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Subdeacon of the Roman Church
- Arrival in Orléans to ransom his captive brothers
- Miraculous episcopal election by the designation of a dove
- Miraculous extinguishing of a city fire
- Construction of the Sainte-Croix basilica thanks to a miraculously discovered treasure
- Dedication of the basilica with the appearance of a luminous cloud and a blessing hand
- Designation of Saint Aignan as successor
Miracles
- Designation by a celestial dove during the election
- Extinguishing a fire through prayer
- Healing of the deaf, blind, mute, and paralyzed
- Miraculous discovery of a treasure to build the church
- Plan of the basilica traced by an angel in the snow
- Appearance of a luminous cloud and a divine blessing hand during the dedication
Quotes
-
The soul that loves God runs toward Him through charity, as if love gave it feet.
Hugh of Saint Victor (as an epigraph) -
He is worthy, he is just, here is the one whom the Lord has chosen to be his pontiff.
People of Orléans