Saint Amator

Amatre was still only a deacon when he made his firmness felt toward Palladia, an Autun lady, who, while spending the Easter holidays in the suburb of Auxerre where she had a rich estate, had come to the church dressed in overly sumptuous garments. He later miraculously cured her of an illness, and converted and baptized her husband.

Another prodigy brought him to public attention: a legion of demons driven from the island of Gallinaria by Saint Martin of Tours came to haunt M Mont-Artre Burial place of the first bishops of Auxerre. ont-Artre, near Auxerre; he drove them out by the power of the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Raised to the episcopacy in the year 386, he devoted himself entirely to the sanctification of his flock. He won such a great multitude of the faithful to Jesus Christ that the old and only basilica of Auxerre having become too small to contain them, he built a more vast one within the walls of the city. He dedicated it in honor of Saint Stephen, the first martyr.

Animated by his zeal for the true religion, he did not fear to excite the anger of Ge rmanus, Germain Spiritual model for Aquilinus. governor of the region, by having a tree cut down, against his will, which fostered vain superstitions in the land. He would have willingly exposed himself to martyrdom by facing the wrath of Germanus, had he not learned through divine revelation that this same Germanus would be his successor and a very great servant of God.

He withdrew for some time from his episcopal city and head ed to Autun Burgundian diocese associated with the saint's burial. ward Autun, either to give the anger of Germanus time to subside, or to ask the Prefect of the Gauls, Juli us, fo Julius Prefect of the Gauls who authorized the tonsure of Germanus. r authorization to confer Holy Orders upon the governor of Autun, who was, at that moment, far from suspecting what the mercy of God intended to do with him.

His particular historian, Stephen the African, informs us of some circumstances of this journey. Saint Amateur, crossing the forest of Goulou, was recognized as a bishop by the peasants due to the small reliquary he wore around his neck, and they cleared a path for him. The Saint blessed their food and healed a sick man with the sign of the cross. This miracle drew the acclamations of the entire region. Not far from there, he met a wealthy inhabitant of the city of Alise, named Suffronius, who was searching for a certain quantity of silverware that had been stolen from him. This nobleman joined the holy bishop, who consoled him and gave him hope for a prompt restitution. The thieves were indeed encountered three miles away, and the restitution was made as the Saint had predicted. He persuaded Suffronius to forgive them and to make them promise, only upon the tomb of Saint Andochius and Saint Thyrsus, that they would change their lives. This circumstance informs us that the meeting took place in the vicinity of Saulieu, where the tomb of our holy Apostles was located.

Saint Amateur, approaching Autun, was received there with great pomp; the bishop, Saint Simplicius, went to meet him with his clergy, and the prefect Julius with his officers. The next day, Saint Amateur having requested an audience with the prefect, this religious magistrate came forward to receive him and began by asking for his blessing. The holy bishop, after having given it to him, spoke to him thus: "God has granted me the grace to know the day of my death, and as no one is more fit to govern my Church than the most illustrious Germanus, as the Lord has deigned to reveal to me, I pray your Celsitude to grant me permission to tonsure him." The prefect replied: "Although he is useful and even necessary to our republic, yet since the Lord has chosen him for Himself, as your beatitude assures me, I declare to you that I cannot go against the order of God."

Having thus obtained his request, Saint Amateur prepared to return to Auxerre, but the bishop of Autun detained him for a little while longer for the dedication of an oratory built long ago over the tomb of Saint Sympho rian. The two bi saint Symphorien Martyr of Autun under whose patronage the monastery is placed. shops, returning from the dedication ceremony, encountered three lepers whom they healed by anointing them with blessed oil and by having them drink water from the Jordan, which was said to have been brought from Palestine by the holy bishop Rheticius. Saint Amateur took some relics of the holy martyr and deposited them near Auxerre, in an oratory on Mont-Artre, which took the name of Saint-Symphorian.

Having learned of the death of Martha, who, since their separation, had retired to Airy, land of her family, he had her body transported to Auxerre, and buried it on Mont-Artre, near the city.

The holy bishop made a journey to the Orient, from where he brought back significant reli cs of Sai saint Cyr Young three-year-old martyr, son of Saint Julitta. nt Cyricus and Saint Julitta. It was following this journey that the cult of these holy martyrs was established in the West.

Upon returning to Auxerre, he gathered his clergy and warned them to think about providing him with a successor. Seeing them sad and silent, he went to the church, where he had summoned all the people, and found Germanus there in prayer with the others; he stripped him of his secular attire, enrolled him in the militia of the Church, and declared him his successor, urging him to keep the honor he had just received unstained. After this, the pious father fell ill and had himself carried into the church on his episcopal throne. It was there that he passed away in the hands of those who were supporting him. A choir of the blessed was immediately seen descending into the church, singing hymns and canticles, and leading his soul to heaven. The clergy and the faithful who were gathered around the holy bishop intoned the singing of psalms in their turn. It was a Wednesday, the 1st of May in the year 418. His body was buried on Mont-Artre, in the oratory where Saint Martha already rested. — The church that Saint Amateur had raised on Mont-Artre to receive the relics of Saint Symphorian later took the name of its founder. The cult of our Saint, established in France from the 6th century, spread as far as Catalonia, on the occasion of one of his reli cs that Cha Charlemagne Emperor of the Franks and uncle of Saint Folquin. rlemagne had given to that region.

Saint Amatre is depicted with an axe in his hand: before him is a tree that he is preparing to strike. The life of the Saint explains the reason for these attributes.

Acta Sanctorum, May 1st, and regarding modern authors: Légendaire d'Autun, Hagiologie de Nevers, Culte de saint Symphonien, various propers, etc.