Saints of the Day

Aurelianus of Arles

Saint Aurelianus of Arles was a sixth-century archbishop of the great city of Arles in Provence, then a leading center of the Church in southern Gaul. Appointed to the see in 546 with the support of the Frankish king Childebert I, he received the pallium from Pope Vigilius and exercised, as papal vicar, oversight of the bishops of Gaul. He founded monasteries for men and for women in Arles and composed monastic rules drawn from the wisdom of Saint Benedict and Saint Caesarius. Devoted to liturgy and pastoral care, he labored to preserve sound doctrine in the difficult years of the Three Chapters controversy. He died at Lyons in 551 and is venerated for his pastoral fidelity.

d. 551 · Francia