g 154. ST. GREGORY OF TOURS. G59
secration GREGORIUS, after his mother's grand-father, the sainted bishop of Langres, was born in Arverna (now Clermout),1 the principal city of Auvergne, Nov. 30, 538. His family was of senatorial rank on both sides, and its position and influence are attested by the number of bishops that belonged to it. His father (Florentius) apparently died early, and his mother (Armentaria) removed to Burgundy, her native country, but his uncle Gallus, bishop of Auvergne, who died in 554, and Avitus the successor of Gallus, eared for his education. lie entered the church in discharge of a vow made at the shrine of St. Illidius, the patron saint of Arverna, during a severe and supposed fatal illness. In 563 he was ordained deacon by Avitus, and served in some ecclesiastical capacity at the court of Sigebert king of Austrasia, until in 573, at the unanimous request of the clergy and people of that city, the king appointed him bishop of Tours. Although loath to take so prominent and responsible a position, he at last consented, was consecrated by Egidius, archbishop of Rhcims, and welcomed by Fortunatus in an official, which yet had more real feeling in it than such productions usually have, and was a true prophecy of Gregory's career.
Tours was the religious centre of Gaul. The shrine of St. Martin was the most famous in the land and so fre quented by pilgrims that it was the source of an immense revenue. In Alcuin's day (eighth century) the monastery of Tours owned 20,000 serfs, and was the richest in the kingdom. Tours was also important as the frontier city of Austrasia, par ticularly liable to attack. The influences which secured the position to Gregory were probably personal. Several facts operated to bring it about. First, that all but five of the bishops of Tours had been members of his family (Euphronius whom he succeeded was his mother's cousin), and further,
1 The birth-plnce of Pascal, in the department of Puy de Dome, 220 miles 8. by E. from Paris.
660 FOURTH PEEIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
that he was in Tours on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Martin to recover his health about the time of Euphronius' death, and by his life there secured the love of the people. Add to this his travels, his austerities, his predominant love for religion, and his election is explained.1 Gregory found the posi tion no sinecure. War broke out between Sigebert and the savage Chilperic, and Tours was taken by the latter in 575. Confusion and anarchy prevailed. Churches were destroyed, ecclesiastics killed. Might made right, and the weak went to the wall. But in that dark and tempestuous time Gregory of Tours shines like a beacon light. The persecuted found in him a refuge ; the perplexed a guide ; the wicked king a determined opponent. Vigilant, sleepless, untiring in his care for Tours he averted an attempt to tax it unjustly ; he maintained the sanc tuary rights of St. Martin against all avengers ; and he put an end to partisan strifes. His influence was exerted in the neighbor ing country. Such was his well earned repute for holiness founded upon innumerable services that the lying accusation of Leudastes at the council of Braine (580) excited popular indig nation and was refuted by his solemn declaration, of innocence,2
In 584 Chilperic died. Tours then fell to Guntram, king of Orleans, until in 587 it was restored to Childebert, the son of Sigebert. The last nine years of Gregory's life were compara tively quiet. He enjoyed the favor of Guntram and Childebert, did much to beautify the city of Tours, built many churches, and particularly the church of St. Martin (590). But at length the time of his release came, and on Nov. 17, 594, he went to his reward. His saintship was immediately recognized by the people he had served, and the Latin Church formally beatified and canonized him. His day in the calendar is November 17.
The WOEKS of Gregory were all produced while bishop.
1 Monod, p. 29.
2 He was charged with having accused Fredegund, wife of Chilperic, of adultery with Bertrand, bishop of Bordeaux. Hist. Franc. V. 49, (Migne, 1. c., col. 364).