Bishop of Astorga in the 5th century, Saint Turibius was an ardent defender of the Catholic faith against the Priscillianist heresy. Supported by Pope Leo the Great, he united the bishops of Spain during decisive synods. He is famous for having proven his innocence against slander by carrying burning coals without being burned.
Guided reading
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SAINT TURIBIUS, BISHOP OF ASTORGA (460).
Episcopal Accession and Mission
Succeeding Saint Dictinius on the see of Astorga, Thuribius dedicated himself to the reform of morals and the struggle against idolatry in a context of barbarian invasions.
Saint Thuribi Saint Thuribe Bishop of Astorga in the 5th century, defender of orthodoxy against Priscillianism. us, having succeeded Saint Dict inius o Astorga Episcopal see of the saint in Spain. n th e see of Astorg saint Dictinios Predecessor of Turibius to the see of Astorga. a, applied himself with great zeal to all that was the duty of a good bishop, especially to destroying idolatry and heresy, and to reforming the morals of the Christians, which were beginning to be corrupted by the mingling of all sorts of Barbarians.
Struggle against Priscillianism
Faced with the expansion of the Priscillianist heresy, the bishop mobilized his peers and sought the doctrinal arbitration of the Holy See.
The heresy of the Priscilliani L'hérésie des Priscillianistes Ascetic heretical movement widespread in Spain in the 5th century. sts had taken advantage of the misfortune of the times to spread on all sides; he fought it with a vigor worthy of his quality as a shepherd of the flock of Jesus Christ; he also encouraged the other prelates to enter into this holy war and to pursue this sect everywhere, a collection of all that was abject in the other heresies. But, to better succeed in such a glorious enterprise, he believed it necessary to have recourse to the light and authority of the Holy See.
He therefore wrote to S aint Leo the Great, Pope, saint Léon le Grand, pape Pope who maintained close correspondence with Constantine and the Gallic bishops. and sent him, through one of his deacons, a commentary containing sixteen principal heads of the opinions of the Priscillianists, humbly begging him to remedy them.
Papal response and synodal organization
Pope Leo the Great responds with a doctrinal epistle, ordering the holding of councils in Spain to purify the Church of heretical influences.
Leo addressed a great epistle to him; after praising his zeal for the defense of the Catholic faith, he responds to each article and refutes it briefly and solidly. Towards the end, he orders that a provincial or national council be assembled in a convenient place, so that the bishops infected with the heresy may be identified there, in order to separate them from ecclesiastical communion if they do not wish to retract it and return to the true sentiments of the Church.
As soon as this response was brought to Saint Thuribius, he took care to inform the bishops of Spain Espagne Place of mission for Jude Barsabas. and to send them the order of His Holiness with his decretal; and this is, perhaps, what caused him to be given, a hundred years l ater, by Lucretius, Bish Lucrèce, évêque de Braga Bishop who described Thuribius as a notary of the Holy See a century later. op of Braga, the title of notary of the Holy See. He likewise took care of the execution of this order, and thus the bishops of the provinces of Tarragona, Cartagena, Portugal, and Andalusia assembled in a synod, where they defined the rule of faith against the heresy of the Priscillianists.
The addition of the Filioque
The Spanish synod clarifies the doctrine of the Trinity by adding the term 'Filioque' to the Creed of Constantinople to counter local heresies.
This synod, in order to explain the procession of the Holy Spirit, added the term Filioque to the Cree d of Con Filioque Theological term added to the Creed concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit. stantinople; the Fathers of that general council had believed this term to be sufficiently understood within these words: Qui ex Patre procedit; — 'Who proceeds from the Father,' because the Father and the Son having but one and the same will and one and the same love, it is impossible for the Holy Spirit to proceed from the Father, as the term of His love, without also proceeding from the Son. The cause of this addition was undoubtedly that, among the great number of heresies with which Spain was filled, there was some one that attacked this divine procession.
The miracle of the burning coals
Unjustly accused by a deacon, Thuribius proves his innocence by carrying burning coals in his hands without being burned.
Saint Thuribius, having been accused of an enormous crime by an envious deacon, who could not bear that he had been raised, to his prejudice, to the episcopal chair, took burning coals in his hands, and, having placed them on his chasuble, he carried them before the people throughout the church without receiving any harm.
Death and historical identification
Turibius died around 460. The author specifies that it is necessary to distinguish his acts from those of other saints with the same name.
Finally, the holy Bishop, after having performed many miracles and having become famous for his virtues, went to receive in heaven the reward he had so worthily earned. This was on April 16 of the year 460, according to the most probable opinion.
We find, in the Ecclesiastical History, other considerable actions of Saint Turibius; but, as there are three distinguished by this name, and one is easily confused with another, we have reported here only what most certainly pertains to Saint Turibius, Bishop of Astorga.
TAMAGU - SAL AZAR, Martyrolog TAMAGU - SALAZAR Author of the Martyrology of the Saints of Spain. y of the Saints of Spain.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Succession of Saint Dictinius to the see of Astorga
- Struggle against idolatry and the Priscillianist heresy
- Correspondence with Pope Saint Leo the Great
- Organization of synods in Spain against heresies
- Ordeal of the burning coals to prove his innocence
Miracles
- Carrying burning coals in his rochet without damage to prove his innocence
Quotes
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Qui ex Patre procedit
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (mentioned in the text)