Saint Rufus of Avignon

He followed Saint Paul to Spain where that Apostle established him as head of the nascent Church of Tortosa. At the request of the inhabitants of Valencia, moved by the wonders performed in Tortosa, he sent some of his disciples to that city to bring the light of the Gospel. He then crossed the Pyrenees with Paul-Serge, whom the Apostle to the Gentiles had ordained bishop of Narbonne, and came to fou nd the Avignon City of which Saint Rufus was the first bishop and founder of the church. church of Avignon. He propagated the Gospel in an astonishing manner throughout the region and had a chapel built, it is said, on the Rock, where, according to tradition, Charlemagne later had the basilica of Notre-Dame des Doms erected.

Full of years and merits, Rufus fell Rufus First bishop of Avignon and son of Simon the Cyrenian. asleep in the Lord around the year 90. The Roman Martyrology mentions him on November 12: the churches of Avignon and Tortosa celebrate his feast on the 14th of the same month.

His body rested for long centuries in the oratory he had founded. When the congregation of canons known as Saint-Ruf moved to Valence in Dauph iné, the Saint's re Valence en Dauphiné Place of Ismidon's early studies. lics were placed in the Avignon Cathedral and enclosed in a silver reliquary. Sacrilegious hands profaned and dispersed them during the Revolution.

Let us add a few words on the famous congregation of Saint-Ruf, which we have just named.

The cathedral of Avignon was served for a long time by canons who lived in common, and who, subsequently, embraced the Rule of Saint Augustine, which they were still observing in 1485, the time of their secularization. It appears that, towards the middle of the 11th century, they had relaxed from their primitive fervor since, in the year 1039, four of them, namely: Arnaud, Odilon, Ponce, and Durand, animated by the spirit of God, resolved to separate from them. Wishing to practice the common life more perfectly in voluntary poverty, they withdrew to a small church dedicated in honor of Saint Ruf, which Benedict, Bishop of Avignon, gave them with the consent of his chapter, along with some lands that depended upon it. The exemplary life they led in their new solitude soon attracted companions who joined them, and their small dwelling became, in a short time, a large edifice. They soon formed a congregation that spread not only in France, but even in Spain and Italy. It possessed several abbeys and priories, and received numerous privileges from the Sovereign Pontiffs. It obtained a proper office and particular constitutions, with the power to elect a superior general, and the monastery of Saint-Ruf, of Avignon, was recognized as the mother house of the congregation.

These religious remained in this city until they were forced to leave by the fury of the Albigensi ans, who, in 1210, r fureur des Albigeois Event that caused the destruction of the monastery of Avignon in 1210. uined their church and monastery from top to bottom. They then came to Valence, and built themselves a new dwelling there on the Eparvière island, which is nearby, and which Abbot Raynaud had purchased from Odon, Bishop of Valence. They likewise dedicated the church to Saint Ruf, and they established this new monastery as the head of the entire congregation.

But the civil and religious wars having once again ruined their establishment on the Eparvière island, they moved the head of their Order for the third time to a priory they had within the walls of the city of Valence; King Henry IV approved this translation.

The Order of Saint-R L'ordre de Saint-Ruf Religious order of canons regular founded in Avignon. uf gave three Popes to the Church, namely: Anastasius I V, Adrian Adrien IV Pope whose death in 1159 triggered the schism. IV, and Jul Jules II Pope and member of the League of Cambrai. ius II. Adrian was English by birth and had entered the service of the abbey. His virtues and talents led to his admission among the religious, and some time later, he was elected general. Having been called to Rome on serious business, Eugene III, who recognized his merit, made him a cardinal, bishop of Albano, and sent him to Norway, where he preached the Gospel with such success that upon his return he was raised to the Holy See. He died in 1159.

Cardinals Guillaume de Vergy, Amédée d'Albret, and Angélique de Grimsold de Grisse were also from this congregation, which had forty-five generals, among whom are counted several bishops.

The canons of Saint-Ruf did not fall into the novelties of Jansenis m. Their f jansénisme A theological movement to which the canons of Saint-Ruf remained opposed. idelity to the Church in this circumstance does honor to their sentiments and their zeal. Would to God that they had maintained these excellent dispositions in all things! They would not have been among the first, towards the end of the last century, to set the example of an unfortunate defection. For more than fourteen years, they solicited their secularization, which was granted by Pope Clement XIV and pronounced by the Bishop of Valence in 1761.

Propre d'Avignon; Histoire hagiologique de Valence; Dictionnaire historique de Vaucluse, etc.