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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 4, 35. Of the Episcopate of Abitus of Clermont

Now when, as I have related,¹ Bishop Cautinus had died at Clermont, there were many candidates for the bishopric, each offering much and promising more. Eufrasius the priest, son of the deceased senatorial Evodius, obtained from the Jews store of costly things which he sent to the king by the hands of his kinsman Beregisil, hoping to secure by bribery what he could not obtain by his deserts. He was a man of agreeable manners, but irregular in his conduct; he would often make the barbarians drunk, but seldom refreshed the needy. In my own belief the obstacle in the way of his success was this, that he sought to attain this dignity not through God but through men. But the word might not be changed which the Lord spake by the mouth of the holy Quintianus:² ‘From the line of Hortensius there ariseth none who shall govern the Church of God.’ When the clergy were assembled in the church of Clermont, the archdeacon Avitus made them no promises; nevertheless he received their nomination and proceeded to the king. Firminus, who had received the office of count in Clermont,³ determined to obstruct his design, but he did not go to court in person. Friends of his, entrusted with this mission, petitioned the king to allow at least one Lord’s Day to pass before the consecration of Avitus; if this delay were proclaimed, they would make him a gift of a thousand pieces of gold. But the king declined all these proposals. It therefore came to pass that the citizens of Clermont being in one place assembled, the blessed Avitus, then, as I have said, archdeacon, was elected by clergy and people to the episcopal throne. And the king so loved and honoured him that he in some measure disregarded the strict observance of canonical rule, and commanded his consecration then and there, saying: ‘May I be worthy to receive the gift of blessed bread at his hands.’ It was by royal favour that Avitus was consecrated at Metz. Now after Avitus had received the bishopric, he revealed the greatness of his character in all things; to the people he gave justice, to the poor succour, to the widow consolation, to the orphan the utmost help in his power. And to this day when a stranger comes to him, he receives so warm a welcome that he finds in him at once a father and a fatherland. May he prosper in the possession of his great virtues, keeping with his whole heart those things which are well pleasing in the sight of God; let him uproot wantonness in all hearts, and implant in them the chastity ordained of God.

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