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History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 2, 13. Of the Episcopate of Venerandus and Rusticus of Auvergne
In Auvergne, after the death of the holy Artemius, Venerandus, a man of senatorial family, was consecrated bishop. Paulinus bears witness what manner of man this bishop was when he says: ‘Wert thou at this present time to see those worthy priests of the Lord Exsuperius of Toulouse, Simplicius of Vienne, Amandus of Bordeaux, Diogenianus of Albi, Dynamius of Angoulême, Venerandus of Clermont, Alithius of Cahors, or Pegasius of Périgueux, however great the evils of the age, thou wouldst behold the most excellent guardians of all our faith and religion.’ Venerandus is said to have died on Christmas Eve, and the next morning the procession of the feast was his funeral train. After his death a disgraceful contest arose among the citizens with regard to the succession to the episcopate. Parties were divided, one wishing to elect one man and one another, and there was great strife among the people. While the bishops were seated together one Sunday, a certain woman, veiled and dedicated to God, approached them boldly and said: ‘Hearken to me, priests of the Lord. Know that none of those whom the citizens have selected for the bishopric findeth favour in the sight of God. Behold to-day the Lord Himself shall provide a bishop. Therefore do not excite the people or set them at variance, but have patience a little while; for the Lord even now sendeth the man who shall govern this church.’ While they were marvelling at her words, suddenly one Rusticus approached, a priest of the diocese of Clermont, and the very man revealed to the woman in a vision. As soon as she saw him, she said: ‘Behold him whom the Lord hath chosen for your chief priest! Let him be consecrated bishop.’ Upon these words, the whole people, abandoning all their dispute, cried out that this was a worthy and just man. He was therefore set on the bishop’s throne, and amid the joy of the people he received the honour of the bishopric, being the seventh to occupy the throne of Clermont.